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Storing XJ.....but not for too long

9

98NWCherokee

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Portland, OR
So I'll be moving soon and will be leaving the XJ at my residence while my home is on the market. I'm taking my commuter car with me for my new job so the XJ will be sitting awhile. Here are the specs for the potential storage:

XJ will be stored in an unheated enclosed garage
It will not be left untouched for more than 3-6 months
During that period I will most likely check on it at least once and start the engine/drive it around

Here's my plan:
Pull battery and put on a tender
Fill gas tank completely

This is the thread I found for reference:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1045495&highlight=storage

Most people who have questioned storage are putting their XJ away for a year or longer. Since my storage will be much shorter than that, do I need a stabilzer for the fuel? Do I need to take these suggestions for longer storage just to be on the safe side...i.e. put on jack stands, change oil, and cover with poison.

Thank you
 
I would put Sta-bil in the fuel regardless of how long you think it's going to stay put. It doesn't hurt one bit to have it in there and gives you peace of mind that the gas won't go bad and mess up your rig when you're ready to drive it again.
 
Planetcat said:
I would put Sta-bil in the fuel regardless of how long you think it's going to stay put. It doesn't hurt one bit to have it in there and gives you peace of mind that the gas won't go bad and mess up your rig when you're ready to drive it again.
Click to expand...


This.

If you were truely anal you could set the axles up on jack stands so as not to flat spot the tires :)
 
If you must start it during storage- drive it at least an hour. Then re-preserve it = Best to just leave it stowed!
 
Just pull the battery/keep it charged.
Put fuel stabilzer in fuel tank.
Put it on jack stands high enough to keep tires off ground.
 
The above is great advice.

Having battery on a maintain charger will ensure that it holds up and is ready to go when you need it.

Fuel stabilizer for sure. It only costs a few cents and modern fuel starts to break down sooner than you think.

Todays tires don't flat spot like older bias ply tires used to.
 
I will definitely pull the battery and add the fuel stabilizer. I'm wondering if the jack stands are a bit excessive since the Jeep won't be sitting longer than 6 months and will be dry inside a garage. I have no problem putting it on stands, but since my house is on the market, people don't really like to see a car on jack stands when they open the garage. It's hard enough to sell in this market, without people judging me on what is, or is not on blocks. :)
 
Heck, I'd say the fuel stablizer isn't necessary either. I drive my Comanche so infrequently that I take 4 months to use up a tank and don't have any issues. I'd put the battery on a trickle charger though. I wouldn't bother removing it from the vehicle.
 
My 98 xj sat outside on dirt in western Washington for a year during my deployment. Sta-Bil in the fuel tank and the battery was disconnected, it fired right up and I drove it home with no problems.
 
Won't the seals dry up (RMS, valve cover, OFA) if its not started? When we bought my bros '93, teh PO said that it was sitting for less than 6 months. No visible oil leak swhatsoever and full oil. Abiout a month after we bought (it was DD'd in that time) it started leaking like crazy from everywhere. Maybe the PO was lying and it was sitting longer?
 
Why don't the seals dry up when they're on the shelf at the parts store, then? My jeep has had a small rear main seal leak for years and it hasn't got any worse from the year that it sat.
 
Not literally dry up, just leak when they have not been used in a while.
 
I live in MN, where many vehicles are stored for around 6 months or so.

I parked my Corvette for many years around the end of October and never fired it up again until April.

Fuel stabilizer, battery either on a maintenance charger or charged periodically. No issues.
 
If you're not putting it on jack stands, over-inflating the tyres might be a good idea. I've regularly stored cars for the winter months without much preparation and they've been fine in the spring. As already has been said though, not starting it at all is probably better than for less than an hour.
 
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