LML Sta Bil Diesel Fuel stabilizer for long term storage

[Woody35]

I work overseas primarily and I will be putting my truck in long term storage unit for at least 4 months and probably longer. It’s covered away from elements but not climate controlled. I was planning on using sta bil diesel fuel stabilizer. I have used the gasoline version in the past on my old 5.3 and it ran surprisingly well on gas that was over a year old that had been treated. I realize this is apples to oranges comparison. Has any one had good luck with the diesel version?

My truck is emission equipped so I’m worried about the DPF. On the safe side I was probably just going to drain some of the fuel when I take it out and change the fuel filters.

 

[snowman22]

6 months isn't a big deal for diesel stored in a cool dry environment. But I would disconnect the batteries completely and put them on a trickle charger.

Obviously put it away with as little as possible and fill it up with fresh fuel when you get back.

 

[Woody35]

I do have the trickle chargers. I also plan on putting the truck on jack stands so it’s not sitting on the tires.

According to the instructions you want to fill the tank up all the way so condensation has less area to form.

 

[DuramaxRamRod]

My truck has been parked for 2 months and by the time I get back to it, it will be 4+ months. I topped the tank off and parked it. I also put it into the Transport Mode which is supposed to help eliminate draws on the battery.

 

[Dozerboy]

My truck sits a lot and I use Diesel Service BioKleen


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[Woody35]

Well I laid the truck up today. It’s on jack stands with a full fuel tank mixed with with some of the diesel Sta-Bil. DEF tank is filled to the brim and the batteries are sitting in the garage on a trickle charger. I didn’t realize how much fun the passenger side battery was to take out. Should be good for awhile now I suppose.

 

[Trimox]

You didn't leave the batteries sitting on concrete did you? Even on a charger that will still kill them (that was an expensive lesson for me).

 

[Woody35]

Yup I’ve heard about that too. My batteries are sitting in a plastic crate. I bought some cheap battery tenders off of amazon. Hope it works out. Batteries look original so hopefully they last

 

[Dozerboy]

You didn't leave the batteries sitting on concrete did you? Even on a charger that will still kill them (that was an expensive lesson for me).

I was always told that and never seen it to be true. Their are even several test on YouTube about it.


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[PureHybrid]

I was always told that and never seen it to be true. Their are even several test on YouTube about it.


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The story probably started because the cold floor in some farmers barn killed one over a winter

 

[Trimox]

I was always told that and never seen it to be true. Their are even several test on YouTube about it.

It only took me 4 dead batteries. Since then I just play it safe and put a piece of wood under them. Will it happen every time? I just don't risk it anymore. I do know lead acid will loose charge over time just by sitting, but mine were on trickle charger. Overcharge can kill them as well, but I don't think I did that and have no way to prove it.

 

[DAVe3283]

I don't understand how sitting on concrete would be any worse for a battery than sitting on the metal battery tray in the vehicle.

For winter storage, we are usually too lazy to take the batteries out of the equipment. Just stick a trickle charger on it, and if we are particularly motivated, remove the negative cable. We keep spare batteries sitting on the concrete floor, and they seem to last just as long as the ones in a piece of equipment.

I suppose it can't hurt anything to put them on wood or plastic. But I'm not convinced it will help either. The biggest thing for battery lifespan I've found is using a quality trickle charger. The cheap ones from Harbor Freight are worse than nothing. They put out too much voltage and slowly boil the batteries dry, killing them over a winter.

 

[77cruiser]

They are already sitting on plastic, that's what the case is made of. Just one of those old wive's tales that won't go away.

 

[TheBac]

I think it had more to do with the old batteries you had to add water to, and just carried through to maintenance-free and AGM batteries.

 

[DuramaxRamRod]

My truck has been parked for 2 months and by the time I get back to it, it will be 4+ months. I topped the tank off and parked it. I also put it into the Transport Mode which is supposed to help eliminate draws on the battery.

Went and got my truck out of storage today, it has been sitting for 9 months, started right up no jump start needed. Just turned off storage mode and then went to wash the truck off. Only issue I have is it seems like the fan is hitting the shroud. Wasn't doing that before as far as I can remember.

 

[AZlml]

Batteries being stored on a concrete floor only have issues with large temperature swings. Temperature is the biggest factor to a batteries life span other than under/over charging and vibration. AGM batteries are more forgiving then traditional lead acid for storage because they are more resistant to temperature change and don't discharge as quick.

How long can you store a tank of diesel with one treatment in a truck before its no longer a good idea to run it?

 

[Dozerboy]

How long can you store a tank of diesel with one treatment in a truck before its no longer a good idea to run it?

Just like gas that varies a lot from my understanding. I know my Fuel Supplier has special diesel he puts in generators it sits for a long time. The more biodiesel the worse it is. My truck has sat for 6months + on fuel out of the pump several times with the additive I mentioned in it.

 

[Woody35]

Well finally got home a couple days ago. Wasn’t planning on being gone this long but 2020 has been a crazy year. Put the batteries in the truck and it started up with no hesitation. Been driving it and it looks like the Sta-Bil doesn’t seem to effect how much soot the truck makes. Definitely going to use it again.

 

[LBZ]

The battery on concrete floor thing comes from way back when batteries were made of wood. The wood would absorb moisture from the concrete, warp and then leak. Since plastic was invented and used in batteries, the outside environment has no effect on them with the exception of temperature.

Always store with a right full or right empty tank for condensation reasons. A little seafoam in the tank has been the best thing I’ve found to fight water intrusion.

Disconnect batteries and put on a tender and good to go.