Storing My Diesel Truck Over Winter Advice

Get a battery maintainer and keep it plugged in, all the time. There are parasitic loads that will slowly kill the battery. You only need one, the batteries are wired together. If you can't power them inside the shop, bring them somewhere you can get power to do it. My 2004 went 10 years on the original batteries doing that.

I would make sure you have a full tank of fuel and make sure it's conditioned with any one of several brands of Diesel Fuel Stabilizer. You need it full to limit water forming due to temp changes.

Skip the maintainer. Make sure all fluids are topped off and the batteries are fully charged. Remove BOTH negative leads.

For extra insurance, put blocks under the frame so that there is no weight on the tires.

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Skip the maintainer. Make sure all fluids are topped off and the batteries are fully charged. Remove BOTH negative leads.

For extra insurance, put blocks under the frame so that there is no weight on the tires.

If you disconnect the batteries, then the computer won't remember anything. Wise?

USE the maintainer,keeps things fresh. fill tank just for kicks put a bit of fuel maintainer in and kiss her good night.

Use the maintainer and Biocide.

Run DEF low unless you’re deleted. Run fuel low. Change the oil if you’re OCD and either disconnect or put a battery maintainer on it.

The full fuel tank thing is from times past when tanks had open vent systems and tanks were steel. And even at that, large amounts of condensation are really only a risk if exposed to the elements.
There will be a pile of people that say this is wrong, but I haven’t filled a tank in anything stored off season for 30 years. Carbed, efi, 2 smoke, 4 stroke or diesel.
Even old iron. I just spent 2 years restoring a truck. It did get started occasionally but sat for up to 6 months. Unheated shop, no problem. Only thing I did was put AV gas in the tanks so the fuel didn’t varnish.
All that said, only 6 months, you could turn it off, disconnect the batteries and shut the door and it would still be fine.

I rarely drive my truck in winter so I do have an onboard maintainer for the batteries and keep it on that. Also as others have said fill up the tank and use some type of conditioner. Most importantly, make sure you pat its hood and tell her what a good job she has done this year and let her take a rest.

Like some mentioned before me... Make sure the fuel is treated for winter, you can use additive if you choose ( personal preference ) top off fluids if you desire and I use a maintainer on my batteries.

OK, so most are saying to use a battery minder, and a conditioner. If you use a tender/minder, which brand works well, and in 6 months will it boil batteries dry? Mine are wet Costco interstates. Also will Diesel Klean work as conditioner?