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diesel in the tank for a while long-term storage
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5.5K views 23 replies 12 participants last post by  Arkarch  
#1 ·
As strange this all seems, my 2016 TDI will remain parked in storage for far longer than I had planned. i'm guessing it will be early June when I will make it back to begin driving it again. Due to a flight schedule when I put it in storage, I wasn't able to prep it well.

I did not disconnect the battery [didn't know until I returned that it was below the driver's seat. No wonder I couldn't find it!] I suspect a long trickle charge would be best for the battery before I even try to start it.

I filled the tank with fresh fuel, but did not include any additive for stabilization. Any hints on the fuel? I fear algae / mold growth, but I think that would be really rare. Should I double dose Power Service / other?

Since there is no dipstick, I can't easily take a look at the oil [the level was fine when I parked it and only had about 8000 km [5000 mi] on it since the change. I don't really want to crawl under it and drain any oil if possible. Can snattlerakes get into closed garage doors and hang out in cars? No snakes in Alaska, so I'm about as clueless about them as I can be. I did sprinkle some moth balls around the tires and the perimeter of the car to keep rodents at bay, I hope.

When it is ready to try to start, should I try not allowing it to start while cranking it? Maybe override the start feature and let the fuel pumps run for a bit? How in the world can that be done, if possible?

Thanks for any hints, though obviously I don't need them today! FWIW, It's parked in indoor unheated storage in Las Vegas. No Anchorage winter temps. :cool:

Best wishes to you all in this era of agonizing re-appraisal, as we old hippies would say.

Peace.
 
T
#2 ·
Did you inflate the tires to their maximum pressure? If not you may find they are all flat spotted. In a warm climate a few miles on the road hopefully might sort this out.

Can anyone take the car out to exercise it for you in the interim?

Regarding the oil, 10,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first, is the service interval I'd stick with so it may be due a change anyway.
 
#3 ·
Mike in Anchorage said:
As strange this all seems, my 2016 TDI will remain parked in storage for far longer than I had planned. i'm guessing it will be early June when I will make it back to begin driving it again. Due to a flight schedule when I put it in storage, I wasn't able to prep it well.

I did not disconnect the battery [didn't know until I returned that it was below the driver's seat. No wonder I couldn't find it!] I suspect a long trickle charge would be best for the battery before I even try to start it.

Trickle charger is better for sure - leave battery connected

I filled the tank with fresh fuel, but did not include any additive for stabilization. Any hints on the fuel? I fear algae / mold growth, but I think that would be really rare. Should I double dose Power Service / other?

If algae is a concern use Power Service Bio Kleen. Otherwise, for only a few months I think Power Service silver bottle is plenty for you - but definitely add it

Since there is no dipstick, I can't easily take a look at the oil [the level was fine when I parked it and only had about 8000 km [5000 mi] on it since the change. I don't really want to crawl under it and drain any oil if possible. Can snattlerakes get into closed garage doors and hang out in cars? No snakes in Alaska, so I'm about as clueless about them as I can be. I did sprinkle some moth balls around the tires and the perimeter of the car to keep rodents at bay, I hope.

What year car? Just look look at the oil level through the rns unit - it will tell you the level w/ the electronic dipstick.

When it is ready to try to start, should I try not allowing it to start while cranking it? Maybe override the start feature and let the fuel pumps run for a bit? How in the world can that be done, if possible?

Over thinking it for only 2 mos - just start it - unless something is amiss the fuel will not drain back from the injectors

Thanks for any hints, though obviously I don't need them today! FWIW, It's parked in indoor unheated storage in Las Vegas. No Anchorage winter temps. :cool:

Best wishes to you all in this era of agonizing re-appraisal, as we old hippies would say.

Peace.
Click to expand...
I replied in bold - good luck!
 
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#5 ·
Most were parked by VW for longer and I bet they just charged the battery if necessary and started them up.
Since you can't really do anything don;t worry, be happy!
When you drive out put some additive in the fuel and drive.
If there is a problem you will find out soon enough.
If you can get someone to put a battery maintainer on for you that would be a big plus as the small drains from the CPU etc will run the battery down more than you would want.
The battery maintainer can be connected at the jump start pins under the hood. Maintainers are much better than trickle chargers as they change the voltage to best, well, maintaing voltages over time.
If you can't get the battery maintainer hooked up then your battery may survive or not.
Good luck!
 
#23 ·
Agree with you redbarron55, a Touareg can sit at a dealer forecourt for longer than 6-7 months, and you wouldn’t be any wiser.
6-7 months is not that long...! 6-7 years not running is when I would put do a
all the fluids, battery, etc...
I only would charge the battery to the max, with a normal 6amp charger. A trickle charger doesn’t have enough oomph to charge it over night. Good for topping and maintaining battery health but would take a long time to charge if it’s 2 amp or lower. If battery shows an error when putting a charge on it then it’s goosed! I would make sure it holds a voltage of 13.5 or higher or these finicky cars throw errors and spurious codes if it 12.5 or less when first started.
check for leaks, prime the fuel and oil by starting for 10 secs, switching off, doing that three or four times to prime oil to the extremities, start and let idle for 5 or 10 minutes, checking for leaks, slowly put it in gear and gently drive it round the block . Stop engine and check for leaks.
Changing fuel will help but I would want to get it started first.
Just my thoughts on how I would approach it. Don’t worry...!! What could possibly go wrong!! ;)
 
#6 ·
Hmm 6-7 mos throws a slight curve ball.. def. a battery trickle charger or maintainer, definitely fuel stabilizer, maybe (if you want) put it on jack stands so the tires don't flatten out
 
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#7 ·
I don't have a toureg (on thi forum as toureg has same enfine as my car) so apologies in advance but if like in either of my two cars you can get in, not press the brake /assuming it's auto and then turn the key, it should begin the priming process. In some cars when you open the door after unlock priming begins.

My 2nd car is currently sat and has been for 6 weeks, I am now starting to get to the stage where it feels like it has been too long and that I need to get it started but engine is apart so thanks to those who have replied above as I feel a little more reassured
 
#8 ·
As the pandemic again intensifies, It will be more than a year since I parked the T'reg before I get back to it. I know it's gonna take a couple of days to sort things out before it's again ready to tow the Airstream. Dang. I contacted a couple of friends in the Vegas area to see if they could recommend anyone to do some preventive things like attach a battery tender, pump up the tires, set mouse traps, etc. No luck. Oh hwell. That's a combination of "Oh well" and "Oh, hell." Merrily, merrily . . .
 
R
#9 ·
Having someone drive it at least once a month would be best. That being said, fill the tank with Diesel before storing it. Algae is not a concern unless you're using Marine Diesel and parking your Touareg on a marine vessel. The oil is rated for storage for 12 months, so try not to go over that. If you do go over, change it at your earliest convenience. You can buy a universal dipstick for it off Amazon- sounds like you have the same vehicle I do, so PM me and I'll send you the link if you're interested. I confirmed it's the correct one.
I would suggest you charge the battery then put it in transport mode, which disconnects all battery loads. If it will be left unattended, I don't think a battery charger would be wise. If you think a charger is a better way to go, I suggest a Ctek with the accessory direct connection, wired to the battery posts under the hood.
When starting after a long period of disuse, a top-off charge certainly wouldn't hurt- you can do so from the battery terminals under the hood. As to actually starting after a long time, I'd just hit the start button- it won't actually try to start until it's good to go- glowing (if needed) and having pressure. Ive never had an issue starting it after a fuel filter change- it always starts immediately.
As for snakes, if there's nothing to eat, they're unlikely to be interested in your garage and vehicle. You can place vermin traps to make sure they don't get in your vehicle/become an attractive food source.

VW did a great job of making the Diesel transparent to use. The only mentions they make about long-term storage I recall is to make sure the tank is full to prevent water collecting in the fuel (unlikely in Las Vegas anyways) and to put the vehicle in transport mode to disconnect battery loads (requires VCDS). The Stop Sale program basically instructed (and paid) the dealers to drive it a set number of miles every so often, change the oil as required by mileage/time, and replace the tires, windshield wipers, and batteries as-needed before sale.
 
#10 ·
fuel priming with the fuel pumps without starting the engine can be done via VCDS

I use this every tank

Fuel Doctors Australia

Fuel Doctors
fueldoctors.com.au fueldoctors.com.au

But if you read their history and how they cam about re what they do and what for (ie for storage fuel tanks) it makes sense especially for you.
 
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#14 ·
May not be necessary for some but i dont like the idea of running my HPFP CP4 dry :oops: :oops: ... might be ok for some but i plan on hanging onto my treg
 
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#12 ·
only thing I'd add here is: DEF...I've read a few things about shelf life of the adblue and proper storage conditions impacting longevity before it crystalizes if I remember correctly. Might want to consider having it pumped out/refilled next time you're back. Or just rip it all out, add a tune, and enjoy! hah...kidding...sort of..

Anyway similar boat here, had planned to come back in July 2020. stateside 2x/yr for a month each and the Touareg only gets about 1000-2000miles a year. But July 2020 looks more like July 2021, so having a family member drive it to a dealer for an adblue swap, oil change, before topping off fuel, and back in the garage on flatstoppers/race ramps, on the charger, under the cover, with keys far away from the car. I even leave a damp-rid tub in the cabin.
 
#13 ·
My #1 worry would be having the battery die and the mechanical door lock seized\unusable - read, can't get in with key blade because you've never lubed it, tried it, etc!

After that, like others have suggested, an automatic battery maintainer in the engine bay would be ideal if you have the option of having it on during the whole storage. If not, be prepared to replace the battery (it will already be near the end of its expected life cycle, and once flattened like that, may not come back for long)

I would've stored it with as little fuel as possible, so given your situation, I'd strongly suggest getting one of those locals to add some stabilizer\treatment to it. DEF also has a shelf live as others have mentioned, so it's not a bad idea to syphon as much of it out as possible before getting back into driving it. Technically, the DEF system will be covered by the warranty, but why go through all that hassle if you can avoid it.
 
N
#16 ·
A full tank inside a garage in Vegas is probably one of the best places it could be left.

Here is what happens with year old diesel. Most of it should not be a problem in Vegas. The overall temperature is stable, the tank is full, and the sealed tank will use what little oxygen to oxidize a small amount of the fuel, then oxidation will stop. How Long Can You Store Diesel Fuel & How to Make it Last Longer

Another link that indicates the fuel should be serviceable. This guy had an open tank that was heavily oxidized for three years and it was in fair condition. What is in your tank should be 100 times better condition. What bad things can happen when using old diesel?

I would bring a brand new battery and not even attempt to use the old battery.

I hope you can get in. There is still an open issue of what happens with a 100% dead battery and emergency key access to the T3 generation.

PLEASE: keep notes and tell us
1. Did the key open the door?
2. Before you hook power to the system, double pull on the inside door handles of the other doors to see if those doors will open from the inside without any system power.

Why? We had a T3 person with a battery dead for a few weeks. He could not get the drivers door to open with the key. Finally broke open a window and crawled thru the window. Then he could not do the double pull to open any of the 4 interior doors. He did crawl into the trunk and use the emergency pull to open the rear hatch door.

Out of 5 doors, he could only get the rear hatch door to actually open with a totally dead electrical system.

You will be able to give us true life insight to how the door locks work in the real world when the electrical system has been dead for a while.

I hope that your key will open the drivers door for you, but double check on the other doors for us also. (except the rear hatch) Thanks again!
 
#18 ·
"HTGITTFC?" I think I know what the F stands for, but can only guess at the rest. Please elucidate. d;-)

As for the other comments, I don't think I even locked the doors. I'll find out when I get back. I do not have any locals to check on it for me. I've tried to find some, but no luck. I'm almost ready to fly to Vegas [a very long trip] and plan to stay for a few days while I replace the battery, air up the tires, and get it running on the road for a bit. I'll have a bike along to take out for some rides. There is also an Airstream in the garage and I did shut that battery off totally, but it probably drains a bit. I'll put a battery tender on it and get its tires pressured up and off the ground as well.

I'm convinced now that an additive to the fuel will be a wise, and inexpensive investment. I'll plan to replace the fuel filter after I've run the first tank out. The T'reg has just over 10k miles on it! I have an OBD11, which I'm hoping will work on it. If I can even get a bit of juice early on to see what it shows for the system voltage before I begin tinkering, I'll post that. If I did lock the doors, I'll monitor and see what happens. I "think" there is enough room to open the back door if that's an option, but it appears climbing through to open the door from the inside will not help much.

The risk; do I go to Vegas taking as many precautions as I can and hoping I don't die [I'm on older guy with COPD] in a hospital far away from family? The benefit: I can take some time and get the rigs truly ready for storage and get in a couple of nice bike rides in the desert in comfy temps. Hmmmm. I know which vote the wife will make and hers always weighs more than mine . . .

More info to come.
 
#22 ·
Ok. so it's going to happen. I have both doses of Moderna in me and the second let me know quite well that my immune system is working just fine. So I'll be getting back to the rig almost 15 months after I parked it. Arrive in Vegas on 20 Feb. My plan:
Day 1 - Hook up a battery tender to the terminals in the engine bay. Inflate the tires of the T'reg and the Airstream to about 30 psi and let them sit. If I locked the T'reg I'll be meticulous to determine what it takes to get into the car. I have an OBD Eleven and will hopefully have a workable Ross-Tech system as well, though it will be new to me. I'll check voltages and any messages that may arise before I even try to let the thing start.
Day 2 - I'll throw a tube into the fuel tank and siphon out a bit to see color, smell, etc. If anything is funky, I'll plan to siphon out the tank and the fuel filter reservoir later in the day and get fresh fuel and treatment in. If it looks pretty good, I'll just add the treatment and let it sit. Inflate the tires to recommended pressures - about 38 for the T'reg and about 50 for the trailer
Day 3. Check messages and parameters for the T'reg again. Assuming I have fuel ready to go, I'll try a start. I'll probably have a video recording for that part. Instrument panel initially, then engine bay for sounds, and possibly exhaust sounds and sights.
Day 4. Assuming all is still going well - take the T'reg for some spins, without towing. Check boost pressure as I'm driving and look for anything weird. See how long it takes tires to stop thumping [I live in Alaska, so know that routine.] Once tires stop thumping I'll check for any inconsistencies in the tire mounting and tread indications.. I doubt I'll have let it get up to even 90 kph [50 mph] by that point. It's a nice uphill to Boulder City from the storage unit.

Any other suggestions? Thanks for advice.
 
#24 ·
Hey Mike, I am located in Las Vegas - about 20 years now - with my '09. My Gray T2 is just coming out of hybernation and so far a new battery, some gasket leaks which may have been before park, new plugs, and a fuel / fuel injector clean out. May still do other fluids. Its smogged and looking forward to getting it back on the road. If you ever need some help, drop me a line - located up west of 215 between Lake Mead and Cheyenne.
 
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