Letting a truck sit
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Banned
Joined: Jan 2017
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Letting a truck sit
Background: my wife and I are full-time RVers and are usually on the move at least every week or two - often every day or two. The pandemic has changed this (we are in the retired/higher-risk age group) and we have been given permission to stay put at least through the end of February at the military FamCamp on the Army post where we are now.
Our tow vehicle is a 2012 CC DRW Lariat with the 6.7 and it currently has about 42K miles on it. I would appreciate your thoughts on intervals for running the motor in place and/or getting the truck out and about to keep the batteries charged, etc. Would you just buy a battery maintainer and leave the truck where it is? What are your thoughts and recommendations and why?
Rob
Our tow vehicle is a 2012 CC DRW Lariat with the 6.7 and it currently has about 42K miles on it. I would appreciate your thoughts on intervals for running the motor in place and/or getting the truck out and about to keep the batteries charged, etc. Would you just buy a battery maintainer and leave the truck where it is? What are your thoughts and recommendations and why?
Rob
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 274
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We are in the same boat (full-timers RV'ers not moving for now). We take our truck out every 2-3 weeks for a 30 minute drive, just to get it exercised and warmed up completely. We are staying in a place that requires that length of drive to get groceries, so it works out fine. Letting it sit and idle isn't a good idea as it will never actually warm up.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,698
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From: Wyoming
My truck will sit for weeks in the winter. I do plug it into a battery tender (CTEK MUS 4.3) and make sure that it has Motorcraft PM22 or PM23, depending on the season. It starts right up and runs fine. Oil is changed every 5,000 miles because I'm on the severe duty cycle. If do hit that mark before the 12 month limit.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
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Regarding the batteries, if you’re worried about draining them and don’t need power while it’s not in use, just disconnect them. Make sure your door key works though since the fob won’t unlock the door.
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Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Chino Valley, Arizona
mine has sat for over a month, in my shop no problems. I did get a notice on fordpass that it went into hibernation,
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My truck is parked for weeks at a time for the past three summers after it being a daily driver. Most recently was five weeks and batteries were fine. I unplug the GPS and dash cam otherwise even that low electrical load will drop the voltage on the batteries too low over that length of time. As others said, my opinion is keeping it shut down is better for it than a start and idle thinking that's keeping it healthy when it isn't. The only recent "out of the blue" issue I'm having so far after it's parked a few weeks is the front brakes are dragging until I drive it for a bit so I need to get that fixed.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Texas
I always just think of all the ag and seasonal industrial equipment that just gets shut off, *MAYBE* gets the batteries disconnected, and just sits out in the weather until the next season or job comes along.
Logistics Pro
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Wyoming
PM-22/PM-23 has an algaecide in it.
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2017
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From: Wautoma, WI
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