A Sad Day--and gas tank during storage?

Bob D.

Well, a very sad day for me. I just put my bus in storage for what could be almost a year. Sad

As some of you know I have a weird type of rheumatoid arthritis that affects all my joints. Just found out I have to have three more operations on my ankles over the next 9 months or so. Feet in casts = no stick shift driving. I am currently driving the family Windstar (ugh...don't go there) with hand controls, but couldn't scheme a way to drive the bus. I guess the good news is that my bus is now officially saved from the ravages of snow and salt.

Anyway, a quick question. In my haste to get it to the storage place I forgot to fill up the gas tank. Once we got there I did add the correct amount of Stabil gas stabilizer for "long term storage," but my tank was only half full. In heated, dry storage, is it still important to top up the tank to help prevent corrosion of the gas tank? I could probably ask a friend to go back there with a 5 gallon gas can or something, but I'd like to avoid it if I could. Any thoughts?
_________________
1978 7-Passenger, 37K miles
Proud Member #1, SBS (Stock Bus Society)

*Enjoy and appreciate your good health*

We used to play for silver
Now we play for life

ratwell · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2003 1:14 pm Post subject:

It's the air and condensed moisture that causes rust so the less the better.

Normally the roof of the tank is the rustiest from age. You'll never been able to fill the tank up completely while it's in the bus because it's designed to breath so all you can do is minimize the damage. If it's dry and heated storage then I wouldn't worry.
_________________
'78 Westfalia CDN
'76 Doublecab
Read the Baywindow FAQ

Amskeptic · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2003 2:02 pm Post subject:

Sorry to hear about your joint travails, but happy for your Bus. It will be fine in climate-controlled storage. We are being hit with a foot or so of snow right now, perfect conditions for rear-engined fun. Good luck with your rehabilitation.
Colin

Randy in Maine · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2003 5:59 pm Post subject:

Yes I too just put the bus away for the winter. I managed to do the gas treatment, pulled the batteries, reainti-seized the plugs, changed the oil, cleaned the dash and got a coat of wax on it before it went into a barn in the next town over. $200 holds it until the end of April. Unheated but that is OK, it doesn't have a radiator you know.

Parked right next to a 53 Buick with a straight 8 and 49,000 miles, and next to a brand new 28 foot boat. What an odd mix. He had a bunch of motorcycles in there also.

It is snowing to beat the band right now and we are supposed to get about 10" by Monday night. 19 degrees. If it weren't so crowded, I almost wished I lived in CA, where even if you are a one in a million guy, there are still 24 people just like you.

Bob, when you get back to driving that green machine it will still only have 28K. Still a clean one owner, mint condition, creampuff!

keifernet · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2003 10:58 pm Post subject:

I too think your bus whould be just fine in a climate/semi climate controlled atmosphere.

And I wish you well on your health issues and the procedures you will be undergoing. I'm sure a lot of us will be including you in our thoughts and pulling for you to get well and get back in your Bus and on with life ASAP.

Keep us up to date when ever you can... Keith

79SuperVert · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 7:50 am Post subject:

Good luck with the operations. Having the bus to drive when they're over will be motivation for you to recover faster!

And I sympathize with you about the Winstar. I'm the family's designated minivan driver and I will be so for the rest of my life.

Bottomend · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 12:34 pm Post subject:

Very sorry to hear about your affliction. I've had loved ones with similar issues.

Jeff

crukab · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 7:55 am Post subject:

One other problem in storing your Bus, mice , I'm out in the country, I put 3 traps in each of my "Summer" Vws, got to check them once in a while, but well worth the time & energy, better than mouse piss smell in your rig. We just put up a Cover-all tent thingy, it was free, gives a 5th bay to hold some of our fleet.
I hope you have a speedy recoverey, total access to The samba & Good MEDS Laughing

_________________
Tom

My Pops:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=604100&highlight=
I know you will always be with me, rest in peace with no more pain. 8/13/14.....

In the yard right now:
'51 Dodge 5 window truck
'65 Bug
'66 Singlecab
'82 Rabbit Truck Diesel from CALI Smile

'86 Doublecab W/T
'91 Vanagon carat/wolfsbrg.Tiico
'88 Dodge Ram pickup
'11 Jetta Wagon

Bob D. · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 10:48 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the good words and the good advice guys, both are greatly appreciated.

Sounds like I won't have to rush back there to top off the gas tank, but I confess that when weather and mobility improve, I may go for a "site visit." I already miss the beast.

Crukab, you nailed it. One of my biggest concerns is mice, a real issue in storage. The reason I picked the place I did is that it is new, tight, well-lit and has an on-site owner who is hyper vigilant about rodent incursions. Hopefully all this means I will be OK. I have a feeling my fresh Waxoyl undercoating may discourage the nasty little creatures too, as I know they don't like strong smells.

But enough about storage. For those of you plowing through the Winter, or lucky enough not to have a "Winter," enjoy and appreciate your buses!! If there are any good points to what I am dealing with, one of them is that it makes me really appreciate these cool old rides, and feel lucky to be able to (hopefully in the not too distant future) be driving one again. Smile

_________________
1978 7-Passenger, 37K miles
Proud Member #1, SBS (Stock Bus Society)

*Enjoy and appreciate your good health*

We used to play for silver
Now we play for life

pawesty · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 1:42 am Post subject:

Bob,

just think of the storage period as an old friend waiting to see you again!!
when you drive that beautiful green bus again it'll be like you never parked it!!! i wish you the best in a quick rehab and speedy recovery!!
happy christmas!
dave
_________________
"Go smell the wind, go far. Hear the marvelous strange chime of midnight" Kerouac

79 westy
78 westy

purveyor of refurbed westies and parts!!! inquire within!

.

twinfalls · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 8:37 am Post subject: Storage.

I am an experienced Camper storer. ( 1974 Westy ).
Camper stays in a non heated barn.
For a one or more year storage:
1_I do disconnect the battery ground strap, and now I take the battery out to store it in my appartement.
2_I never cared about gas, gas tank rust.
3_I put large styrofoam plates under the clutch housing. Clutch gets stuck after a year or two, this depends of moisture when you last ran the bus.
4_Park brake off. ( it gets stuck faster than the clutch).
5_I set rat poisonning. ( they can damage wires ).

Only troubles were, dead batteries ( cause I was careless ), clutch stuck ( ask if you want to know how to unstuck it ) , front brakes calipers badly jammed by rust, carb air leaks ( I was told: from dry gaskets, I do not beleive it, cuz they wet once gas is back there, I beleive leaks were from rusty EGR filter and or valve ).

Please comment about your way about storage.

ratwell · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 10:19 am Post subject: Re: Storage.

twinfalls · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 2:43 pm Post subject: Storage: Stuck clutch

To ratwell, about stuck clutch.
I store my Westy in a barn; the floor is not a concrete slab, the floor is compacted ground.
I suspect, moisture comes from the ground under the bus.
Overthere we fight cold and moisture with styrofoam plates.
I think it has some worthwhile retarding effect about the clutch stuck agony. I am not sure it works, but I do not know anything better.
Once I had it awfull, I drove more than 5 miles to free it, luckily, I noticed no damage later.

Actually, I would love to ear, here, about a trick to avoid the stuck clutch.

keifernet · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 3:26 pm Post subject:

I thought I heard a tip at one time to have someone depress the clutch fully and then while it is held down use wire to tie the arm back. that way the pressure plate is not holding the disc with such force and it is less likely to get stuck to the flywheel and pressure plate.

but moisture it still a factor in it sticking.

probably not that practical but a drop light with like a 40 watt bulb hung under the trans engine bell housing much like people keep lights burning in boats would likely do some good. although many storage set-ups might not be agreeable to let you do so.

twinfalls · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 5:07 pm Post subject:

To jam the clutch fully declutched like said in previous post.
This makes sense. It could be done as well with a heavy weight on the clutch pedal or a stick to jam it down.

The idea is to free the disk away from the sliding surfaces.
I had that thougt but did not dare because people were definitely telling me it would wear the pressure plate springs.
Springs wearing is non sense to me, we see no car lowering because of spring wear.
However, I do not dare to try it on my clutch: the steel for pressure plate springs might not be equal to other spring steels.

Please comment about spring steel and who ever tried the declutch jamming for storage ?


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