Mickydripin Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Hi all, I have a 2004 2.5 Fiat ducato Trigano tribune camper Would it be ok to start it up now and again and leave running for a while would it cause any problems. I do not think my van has any of the modern engine things that go wrong if not taken on a good run to get the engine warmed up. I have put the Milenco tyre savers under all wheels, I have a solar panel that helps to keep all the batteries charged and I also put the electric hook-up on overnight once a month. Is there anything else that I have forgotten or am I just going over the top. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Chock the wheels and leave it in gear with the handbrake off? Maybe over inflate the tyres a bit to prevent flat spots? If legal drive it a bit to circulate the oil and help keep the wheels running free? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Tracker - 2020-04-23 6:04 PM If legal drive it a bit to circulate the oil and help keep the wheels running free? Is it illegal to drive a motorhome (or a car) for the purpose of keeping it in good condition? (I mean just short trips, possibly to a supermarket for food). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 spospe - 2020-04-23 6:14 PM Tracker - 2020-04-23 6:04 PM If legal drive it a bit to circulate the oil and help keep the wheels running free? Is it illegal to drive a motorhome (or a car) for the purpose of keeping it in good condition? (I mean just short trips, possibly to a supermarket for food). I don't know - we are housebound due to age and health but I drive our cars about half a mile up and down our road which is a no through road once every 2 to 3 weeks? I only do it on a dry day to keep the water out of the brakes and if ever I get stopped I will apologise and cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don636 Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 I don’t believe it is necessary to regularly start up a vehicle and run it to keep it in good condition and I certainly don’t think taking it for a run just for this purpose would be classified as essential travel in accordance with the Coronavirus guidelines. Not sure if that actually makes it illegal though. My van sits on the drive between November to March each year with no obvious detriment. Nothing to stop you using it regularly for going to get your weekly shop although others might assume you are out and about on a holiday and take exception to it. I suppose it depends on how bothered you are about others perceiving you to be flouting the rules in place at the moment. Personally I wouldn’t and don’t and my van is sitting still on the drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 This March 2020 discussion may be of interest https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Catalytic-Converter-/54735/ Given Mike’s statement I have put the Milenco tyre savers under all wheels, I have a solar panel that helps to keep all the batteries charged and I also put the electric hook-up on overnight once a month. I can’t see any benefit in starting the motor unless the motorhome is to be driven for some distance immediately afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deneb Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Tracker - 2020-04-23 6:21 PM I don't know - we are housebound due to age and health but I drive our cars about half a mile up and down our road which is a no through road once every 2 to 3 weeks? I only do it on a dry day to keep the water out of the brakes and if ever I get stopped I will apologise and cease! If you have to drive half a mile or even a few miles for an essential purpose then needs must, but to be honest unless you go for a run of 30 - 50 miles or so to get everything thoroughly hot and burn off contaminants from a cold start etc. you are doing far more harm by starting it than leaving it parked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 Deneb - 2020-04-23 10:55 PM If you have to drive half a mile or even a few miles for an essential purpose then needs must, but to be honest unless you go for a run of 30 - 50 miles or so to get everything thoroughly hot and burn off contaminants from a cold start etc. you are doing far more harm by starting it than leaving it parked. The other benefits of a short run is to move the tires, work the suspension and redistribute the oil in the gearbox / axle. I doubt that the number of short runs being mentioned here will harm an engine much (just imagine how many short runs the vehicle had whilst it was being converted by the likes of Auto-Sleeper and the dealer you bought it from). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deneb Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 spospe - 2020-04-24 11:14 AM The other benefits of a short run is to move the tires, work the suspension and redistribute the oil in the gearbox / axle. I doubt that the number of short runs being mentioned here will harm an engine much (just imagine how many short runs the vehicle had whilst it was being converted by the likes of Auto-Sleeper and the dealer you bought it from). Pump an extra 10 - 20 psi into the tyres or push the vehicle half a revolution forward or back every month or so. Why do you want to place additional wear on the suspension unnecessarily? Why does gearbox oil need to be "redistributed" if the gears and shafts aren't turning? It will be redistributed just the same when driven after several months as after a couple of weeks. All that repeated short trips do is cause engine wear at each startup and dump corrosive pollutants into the engine oil which don't get burnt off or evaporated as they would in long journeys, and so accumulate with each subsequent "trip". Of course, no more wear is initially caused at each startup than would normally be the case, but if you start the engine 10 times for no particular reason that's ten times more than just starting it once, and you start circulating contaminated oil after a while. Of course short runs or periods of idling on a motorhome whilst it's being converted or even sitting in dealer stock may be unavoidable. That doesn't mean they're ideal ;-) I had a car for many years that would often sit for 9 or 10 months at a time without being started or driven. It didn't do it any harm and I never had to replace any bearings, suspension components or other moving parts throughout that time. It's engine had been professionally rebuilt a few years before I bought it, and in the interim the previous owner had done very little mileage, but had started it and let it idle for 20 minutes once a month, or driven it a couple of miles to the shops and back. It was using a litre of oil roughly every 400 miles and my first job when I bought it was to strip and rebuild the engine again. It needed new pistons and rings, crank and camshafts regrinding, and new bearing shells. Some of our specialist emergency support vehicles used to spend most of their life sitting idle apart from annual servicing. It didn't do them any harm either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 Perhaps I was just lucky but in over 50 years of Motorhoming in many European countries covering quite a few thousand miles I never once broke down. So on the basis of if it works don't fix it I will not change my own preferred methods but I do accept that vehicle technology has moved on a lot over the years and that running a modern diesel with DPF and all sorts of politically rather than engineering motivated gubbins over a short distance from a cold start may well not be a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickydripin Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share Posted April 24, 2020 Tracker - 2020-04-23 6:04 PM Chock the wheels and leave it in gear with the handbrake off? Maybe over inflate the tyres a bit to prevent flat spots? I did ask if I had missed anything I have chocked the wheels and left it OUT of gear and put Milenco Tyre savers under all wheels Do you rate them or are they a wast of time and could I still get flat spots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 Hi Micky, Until you mentioned them I had never heard of these 'ere tyre savers so I can't comment on whether they work or not. I remain unconvinced and I doubt I would ever buy them because whatever you stand the van on it is still standing with the load at the same point and I would rather carry on moving it a time or two over a winter lay up to stand it on an uncompressed portion of tyre, as well as raising the tyre pressures to give the tyre walls a bit more support. You could mark with chalk the low point before moving so you know where they were? UV degradation of the rubber can also be an issue if the tyre(s) face strong sunlight for a long time so a cover is worth considering - nothing expensive or fancy for us - just an old towel or curtain to shield it? A Motorhome is an expensive asset so I don't consider sensible precautions to protect that investment is ever over the top. The old 2.5 diesel was indeed a very sturdy engine in it's day but like all things age wearies them so a bit of tlc is never a bad idea and in my (non expert) view once started it is better to warm it thoroughly before stopping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 Here's a cheap method of transferring charge from leisure battery to engine battery while on extended lay up for several years I just had a flylead clipped between both batterys + terminals but now have one permantly wired which I can use as required if parked for a few weeks http://www.motts.org/BRIDGING%20FUSE.htm The tyre savers look like a good idea and should work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Allen Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 Obviously if you are going to buy a new or pre owned motorhome from a dealer after lockdown you should take into consideration that it probably hasn't been started or moved (square tyres/drained battery/ mouse nest in the air intake?) in about 3 months minimum. Is this likeley to be a problem? Cheers, stay safe John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 Mickydripin - 2020-04-24 3:05 PM I did ask if I had missed anything I have chocked the wheels and left it OUT of gear and put Milenco Tyre savers under all wheels Do you rate them or are they a wast of time and could I still get flat spots? The potential benefits of Milenco “Stacka” tyre savers are described here https://www.milenco.com/products/levelling/stacka-tyre-savers I can’t see the Stacka products doing any harm and (as the advert says) they should help prevent flat-spotting. Inflate the tyres to their design maximum as that should also help. (And, if you normally use inflation pressures lower than the tyres’ design maximum, make sure that you reduce the pressures appropriately before putting your motorhome back on the road. (It’s usually advised that a vehicle that is to be static for an extended period should have its HANDBRAKE disengaged, but I cannot see any benefit in deliberately leaving the vehicle in neutral gear. In fact, if the handbrake is to be left off, it makes good sense to leave the vehicle in gear.) Regarding Clive Mott’s ‘bridging fuse’ ploy, this is OK if a motorhome’s leisure and starter batteries are located reasonably close to each other, but that’s often not the case. My Rapido has its starter-battery under the cab floor and its leisure-battery in the rear garage. Connecting together the two batteries would be far from straightforward and, if I wanted to do this so that the batteries ’shared’ charge, it would make better sense (though more expensive) to use a ‘Battery Master’ type device rather than a simple fuse. In an earlier thread Mike mentioned that such a device had been installed in his Tribute https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Camper-vanVehicle-battery-charger/54451/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deneb Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 John Allen - 2020-04-24 8:45 PM Obviously if you are going to buy a new or pre owned motorhome from a dealer after lockdown you should take into consideration that it probably hasn't been started or moved (square tyres/drained battery/ mouse nest in the air intake?) in about 3 months minimum. Is this likeley to be a problem? Cheers, stay safe John Bearing in mind the way in which some converters block purchase back to back cab units or bare chassis for conversion, the base vehicle part of some shiny "new" motorhomes may have been sitting around for a great deal longer than 3 months in normal periods, notwithstanding lockdown. 20 odd years ago, when I was on a course with the Met Police, we were shown a large hanger containing hundreds of mothballed brand new cars. This was before the days of fleet consortiums and lease agreements, when the Met used to bulk buy large numbers of vehicles, store them and convert them to patrol cars as and when required. It happened to a much lesser extent in my force, but we would occasionally get a "brand new" car that was an old shape, having been replaced on the market by a new model 12 months or more beforehand. It didn't seem to do any of them any harm. I'm not aware of commercial airliners being taken for a short spin or run for 20 minutes to warm up the engines on airfields either (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
23addy46 Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 Hi Deneb - Agree - But will the (Ryanair/Easyjet etc. etc.) airline planes all have tyre 'Flat Spots' ???????? Iv'e just put my MH up on timber blocks for the duration ! Dave Adams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 This 2006 forum discussion may be of interest https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Static-motorhomes-tyre-flat-spots-/2994/ Incidentally, tyre 'cradles' are not just made by Milenco... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deneb Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 23addy46 - 2020-04-25 12:46 PM Hi Deneb - Agree - But will the (Ryanair/Easyjet etc. etc.) airline planes all have tyre 'Flat Spots' ???????? Iv'e just put my MH up on timber blocks for the duration ! Dave Adams I've never experienced permanent flat-spotting on any modern radial tyres. I do pump an extra 10 psi into my motorhome tyres over the winter, but it sits for several months without being moved or started, and no apparent detrimental effect as I say. Whilst I wouldn't go as far as to say it is a myth, I agree with the tyre manufacturer's comments in Derek's linked thread above. As to whether there would be any other permanent damage, my instinct tells me not as long as the tyre pressures were kept at or above the minimum recommended cold pressures for the vehicle and the tyres were otherwise in good, serviceable condition before the lay-up. Incidentally, if you're thinking of covering them to minimise sun damage, avoid non-breathable coverings. Hessian sack cloth is probably the best material for the purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 spospe - 2020-04-23 6:14 PM Tracker - 2020-04-23 6:04 PM If legal drive it a bit to circulate the oil and help keep the wheels running free? Is it illegal to drive a motorhome (or a car) for the purpose of keeping it in good condition? (I mean just short trips, possibly to a supermarket for food). I wouldn't try that down here 8-) ........ You'll prolly get stoned by the local vigilantes :-| ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 Deneb - 2020-04-25 2:13 PM Incidentally, if you're thinking of covering them to minimise sun damage, avoid non-breathable coverings. Hessian sack cloth is probably the best material for the purpose. I use old sweat shirts/tee shirts almost made for the job stretch fit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 Deneb - 2020-04-25 2:13 PM 23addy46 - 2020-04-25 12:46 PM Hi Deneb - Agree - But will the (Ryanair/Easyjet etc. etc.) airline planes all have tyre 'Flat Spots' ???????? Iv'e just put my MH up on timber blocks for the duration ! Dave Adams I've never experienced permanent flat-spotting on any modern radial tyres. I do pump an extra 10 psi into my motorhome tyres over the winter, but it sits for several months without being moved or started, and no apparent detrimental effect as I say. Whilst I wouldn't go as far as to say it is a myth, I agree with the tyre manufacturer's comments in Derek's linked thread above. As to whether there would be any other permanent damage, my instinct tells me not as long as the tyre pressures were kept at or above the minimum recommended cold pressures for the vehicle and the tyres were otherwise in good, serviceable condition before the lay-up. Incidentally, if you're thinking of covering them to minimise sun damage, avoid non-breathable coverings. Hessian sack cloth is probably the best material for the purpose. I have had experience of square tyres in the past ;-) ......... When I neglected Horace for 18 months whilst playing with boats :$ ...... Which cost me a new set of tyres We now leave a car and caravan in covered storage in Spain for 6+ months .....So far no issues, but like you I do pump them up a bit :D ......... Worst case scenario I'll need to buy some more rubber :-> .......... Even worse case scenario I wont be here to buy some more rubber 8-) ....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 Just received the following advice from Toyota .................... "Start your car once a week Maintain the battery by leaving your car running for 60 minutes once a week. Make sure you’re in a well-ventilated area and stay with your car until you’re done". It came as unsolicited advice right out of the blue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 The AA advises here https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/laying-up Toyota’s advice is here https://blog.toyota.co.uk/coronavirus-toyota-hybrid-car-maintenance and more guidance here https://www.t3.com/news/8-tips-for-maintaining-your-car-while-not-driving-during-lockdown Plainly, if a motorhome is to stand idle for a long time, something should be done to prevent its batteries from going ‘flat’. But if its batteries’ charge-state can be maintained via an EHU, a solar-panel system or by using a stand-alone charger, regularly starting and running its motor for an extended period while the motorhome remains static will be unnecessary (and undesirable.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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