How to Store Parts Truck

[Grenvilleter]

I'm curious to how to store my "spare parts" truck. A few months ago I decided to join the TR4 club after getting a high mileage (420K) '98 Limited with a blown rear diff for scrap price.
Rather than repair, I went searching for a lower mileage TR4 and ended up with a '97 Limited with 167K on it and that has become my DD.

Now... in the absence of garage room, I want to keep the '98 for parts and not too sure on how to get long term storage.

Aside from setting it up on jack stands and tarping it over, what should I do to make sure when I need a tranny or any engine parts, they will be still operational.

Any and all hints, tips and tricks are welcomed.
Thanks

 

[jmildoc]

A parts truck with 420k!! and all it had was a blown diff, thats pretty awesome! Does it run now? I would run some lucas fuel stabilizer in it and thats really all. anything you take off of that truck is going to have to be thouroughly gone through before using it on something with only 167k, in my opinion anyway.

 

[JohnsD90]

Used diffs are like $250 I would know, I bought one. Takes about 4 hours to install, very straightforward.

I would sell the DD one, and just use the parts truck. 250k miles isn't too bad, and the **** you replace on it to make it usable is gonna be the same stuff you will have to replace soon on your DD, might as well save a few grand in the process!

 

[nevada]

with that mileage, i would just part it out.
unless its recently had the engine/trans replaced, it wont be much of an upgrade against any of the parts on the lower mileage one, if you do end up needing those aprts.

 

[theizzardking]

1.Change the oil
2. Top off fuel tank. Pour Stable into the tank and run it for a few minutes (to get it into the fuel lines) Do not drain it. A empty tank will cause condensation and your tank will start to rust!
also use the Stabil Marine stuff it's much better than the other, also fill the tank with premium or highest octane rating
3.Top off all fluids
4. Clean the interior of the car. Make sure there are no fast food wrappers, candy bar in it. Use a box of baking soda or odor absorber.
5. Close all windows, trunk, hood. (Prevents rodents from entering and building nests.)
6.. Jack up the car and put it on blocks (this will prevent flat spots)
7.Store the car in gear. DO NOT put the emergency brake on. (It will rust in place.
8.. Pull the battery out of the car and put it into the basement, garage, shed.
9..Stuff a copper screen or copper wool type stuff into your tail pipe. This will prevent rodents from building a nest in your muffler. ( I have seen it happen!)
10.Cover the car with a good quality car cover. If you decide not to then use a uv sunshade on the windshield and rear window. This will keep the car cooler inside (prevents the dash from cracking)

11. spray down undercarriage and exposed steel components with lps3
LPS 3 Corrosion Inhibitor, Anti Rust: LPS Labs
don't get the aerosol get the spray bottle

12. spray a bit of oil into the spark plug sockets to prevent rust

really though, your better off parting it out at this point and just pulling the pieces you want to keep and stashing them somewhere, for small parts storage just dip them in that lps3 stuff put them in a bag and forget about it for the next 10~15 years....

 

[JohnsD90]

I hope everyone sees he is using kilometers, not miles, it's got 250k miles on it, which is a little high, but with a T-belt, fluid flush, wheel bearings, and Ball Joints it will be practically new.

 

[theizzardking]

I hope everyone sees he is using kilometers, not miles, it's got 250k miles on it, which is a little high, but with a T-belt, fluid flush, wheel bearings, and Ball Joints it will be practically new.

yeah i was just saying keeping a car around for an indefinite period of time things are going to rust and rot away no matter what you do, esp if it's outside, he really is better off pulling the pieces he wants then selling the rest as certain things he most likely wont use and will just degrade until they are worthless, i'm speaking from the stand point of storing 50~60 year old cars and such and my experiences in dealing with the classics and such, if the guy plans on using everything from the parts car and is done with it in a year then thats another things, i think he's planning the long haul though 5+ years or more.

 

[nevada]

I hope everyone sees he is using kilometers, not miles, it's got 250k miles on it, which is a little high, but with a T-belt, fluid flush, wheel bearings, and Ball Joints it will be practically new.

what makes you think that?

 

[JohnsD90]

what makes you think that?

Miles are just numbers, these engines were overbuilt from the start, some people do have issues with head gaskets, but I'd imagine that's maybe 1-2% of people. 250k with a fresh water pump, oil, coolant and timing belt will be a great reliable motor as long as it was reasonably maintained and not too beaten on. The rest of the car would just need some bearings and bushings. Shocks and springs too but the current truck he has is probably due as well for them.

I'm just saying that it seems like a waste of money to have bought that less miles truck when you could have a reliable driver for much less.

Jason I am aware of what you are saying and completely agree, plus dead cars are an eyesore and detract value from your property.

 

[nevada]

Miles are just numbers, these engines were overbuilt from the start, some people do have issues with head gaskets, but I'd imagine that's maybe 1-2% of people. 250k with a fresh water pump, oil, coolant and timing belt will be a great reliable motor as long as it was reasonably maintained and not too beaten on. The rest of the car would just need some bearings and bushings. Shocks and springs too but the current truck he has is probably due as well for them.

I'm just saying that it seems like a waste of money to have bought that less miles truck when you could have a reliable driver for much less.

Jason I am aware of what you are saying and completely agree, plus dead cars are an eyesore and detract value from your property.

i was asking, what makes you think its in kilometers?

sure, its numbers, and wear. and some things arent worth using or fixing after too much wear.


i still think his best course of action is to part it out. storing potentially worn out stuff for a "maybe need it" situation seems silly to me.

 

[Grenvilleter]

Thanks for all the tips guys !

To clarify, both mileage numbers given were in km's...not miles.

I looked long and hard at the '98 I've decided to use for parts. I poked around and looked for a diff but that was before I started nosing around here.
Not many I found online through stuff like "autowreckers,com" and those that did could not tell me the ratio let alone know what a diff lock was. Even then, with shipping, it would have cost me a grand or more. Too big of a gamble on an "old horse with 400k+
The truck needed a windshield, exhaust, rear door work (seized shut/non-op window) and who knows what else to safety check. It towed horses for living as well as doing high mileage trips. It was filthy ! Low in coolant - suspect water pump leak or maybe head gasket although it had never overheated to my knowledge. Also need t-belt replaced

On the plus side, it had a new rack, alternator, battery. Body had been Krown rust proof so fenders doors etc are really good. Some rust around windshield and tailgate but quite good body panels. high mileage but much of it highway.
\
Bought a '97 with low(er) miles but it had been wrecked (suspect roll -over)at some point and there is bondo in the rear and the drivers front fender has small amount of rust thinking about poking through the paint.

I'd never think about using old engine pulleys or parts but the alt, starter, MAF and other sensors as well as the rack I'm thinking might be useful. I actually started the '98 parts truck and crawled around on it's front end for a short piece to see if I was going to repair it or not and most stuff worked and it run well not withstanding.

I could strip off stuff like the gas tank and keep the sun out/off it so the inside don't get bleached out. There are lots of deer fender benders in my area as well so one never knows when they need a spare fender.

Another thing...my "wheeling" involves lots of trees and mud and not much rock climbing but it can be hard on mirrors and it's nice to know I have a spare back home.

I don't expect to use the engine in it's present form but I'm hoping that the transfer case/tranny/front diff etc will be all good stuff to have kicking around.

So far, I was able to swap the ummm...not sure it's real name but I'll call it vacuum solenoids that engage the front axle's in 4wd and get it working on the '97.

I know the '98 could be res erected back to it's full glory with a place to work on it and not in a big hurry but I'm thinking I'll get my money's worth in spare parts alone.


I got the '97 for 3500.00 and it seems to drive quite fine. 5k and no issues but...sun roof don't work. Rear window track is broken/loose I had to put 4 tires on it and free up the P brake to pass safety inspection. Brakes had been done recently. 4wd did not work either.
Will soon need valve cover gaskets. I have no history on it. I don't think I over paid but I didn't get a great deal either.

 

[Grenvilleter]

That IPS stuff sounds like I'd like to have some for my DD :biggrin2:

 

[theizzardking]

That IPS stuff sounds like I'd like to have some for my DD :biggrin2:

it's great stuff we use it here at work on our multi-million dollar machine parts before we ship them in containers across the sea,very very good stuff but can also be a pita to get off, which for our cars is a good thing, not so much fun when your trying to wipe down high precision bearing rails covered in the stuff, haha

 

[Grenvilleter]

it's great stuff we use it here at work on our multi-million dollar machine parts before we ship them in containers across the sea,very very good stuff but can also be a pita to get off, which for our cars is a good thing, not so much fun when your trying to wipe down high precision bearing rails covered in the stuff, haha

Haha ! just googled it up and I recognize the can. Hard to get off is good !

I've been driving in some hay fields and the bottom shines like new...well the skid plates do anyways. :hatsoff: