greasegun

I will be leaving the country for 4 months and I will be back on March 2011, Do I have to take out my battery while I'm away? And what else do I have to do before I go? It has 5,000 kilometers and I had it since November, recommendations please.

Diesel Benz

I would either remove the battery ground cable or have a trickle charger plugged to prevent the battery from running flat (the latter would be preferable to avoid resetting several things once the battery is reconnected).

BPhillyBenz

I'll take it off your hands and return it with a full detail when you get back.

220S

fwiw, I've stored cars often and I do this with success:

1) Trickle charger on the battery (CTek brand is very good and the MB branded one is a CTek; but you don't need to buy the branded one as it's more expensive.) You could take the battery out, but for only four months it's more of a PITA than just using the charger with the battery inside the car. Connect the cord to a surge protector before you plug it into the wall socket.

2) Either raise the tire pressure to 50 psi in all tires or buy some tire cradles and park the car on them (or do both.) This will help prevent flatspotting. Tire cradles are pretty expensive, so the 50 psi will do the trick. Be sure to put a note on the windshield to remind yourself (or anybody else) to return the tires to normal pressure before driving again.

3) Add some fuel stabilizer (such as Stabil) to the tank and drive it around for several miles before finally parking it. Fuel can gum up and get sticky over time.

4) You don't need to cover the car if you have a solid and clean garage. But if you might have rodents or other animals, a good cover can help from getting droppings, etc.. on it. Birds can get into a garage that's not 100% secure. Bird crap can destroy paint.

5) If you have a dirt floor or a floor that might weep moisture, then place a plastic tarp under the car to keep moisture away. Lay down a large plastic tarp and then drive the car into the garage over the tarp.

6) Put down mothballs under the car. This will help keep rodents away. Rodents (mice) love to nest in engine bays and they also like to eat wire insulation. Also tape up the exhaust tip openings to keep mice out.

7) Don't set the parking brake. (with a manual tranny, put it in second gear.)

Do the above and you will be fine. Four months isn't really that long; you don't even have to go to that extreme (although I'd do the tire thing, the battery charger, and the fuel stabilizer.) I stored a 1987 930 Porsche for three years that way and it was all fine.

lyjw88

I left my E350 for full 3 months over the summer and nothing happened.
Most importatnly, battery wasn't dead.

K-A

What's the parking brake thing about? Why's it bad to leave it on for a long period of time?

greasegun

@220S thank you, very helpful tips. I'm scared that if i remove the battery i will erase all my settings and might screw up the computer too.

pb_mb

It can lock up if it sits too long, especially during winter

Dema

The above tips are suitable for real long time storing a car like a year or more. However nothing wrong will happen if you apply them for shorter storage. In my experience nothing happens with car after 3-4 months, although first start after storage can be a bit longer.

El Cid

Thanks to Congress and its welfare plan for corn farmers and ethanol producers, the tip on StaBilt or comparable stabilizer is important.

Tjdehya

I parked my W211 for 4 months. I didnt remove the battery or anything. You dont need to prep the vehicle if its less than 6 months.

petee1997

My dealer told me the system goes to sleep after being parked a short period of time. Unlike the older models the car can be parked for extended periods of time without draining the battery.

mg-E550

I think these are all excellent suggestions. notnecessarily overkill if you think there's a risk of rodents getting at the car. I had a good friend who had rodents get into his Acura RL and it took 2 weeks to fix including the need to pull the engine out.

If memory serves there is also a section in the manual about storing the car.

BenzBee

Also, to avoid condensation, make sure the tank is full before you put the car into storage.

ttus

by now most states by federal law require all gas stations use 10% ethanol (E10). now they are trying to increase to E15 (15%) which will surely damage mercedes and AMG that were manufacturered after 2007!

And storing the vehicle will ALLOW ethanol all the time it needs to eat and break away at our mercedes vehicles! And i don't thinik AMG engines were designed for ethanol mixture in mind espcially @ 15% or more or even at 10%

IS THERE ANY ETHANOL FREE STATIONS LEFT? IN ALL STATES?



ethanol fuel mix is damaging the mercedes-amg enginess especially those prior of 2003 and older and also cars from 2001-2007. The EPA is now trying to increase ethanol upto 15% or over from cars 2007 and newer. This amount will surely show signs of engine damage.
ethanol is hydrophilic and thereby corrosive to the engine and entire the fuel rail system! one should very rarely ever have to replace a fuel injection system and internal engine parts with low milage.
A hydrophilic membrane will not be fouled or stopped oil, grease or other hydrophobic substances. The membrane is highly attractive to water so the water molecules will push away other molecules in order to gain access to the membrane. Once formed, hydrogen bonds are quite stable and reluctant to break apart.(for the chemist buffs)
everyone needs to muster and contact their necessary representatives and manufacturer's, technician's, etc and put a stop to this ethanol mixture. Or at least many stations that are absolutely free of ethonal!
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/AP-sources-EPA-expected-to-OK-apf-1210895536.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=1&asset=&cc ode=
http://www.masterresource.org/2010/08/ethanol-counterattack/
http://www.reporternews.com/news/2010/sep/29/ethanol-in-autos-being-questioned/
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/tesoro-sues-california-over-ethanol-mandate-1527/
http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&conten tId=35692
http://blog.thetruthaboutethanol.org/?p=35

this is what happens when your fuels lines are over time eaten up by ethanol regardless if it is for boats or small engines or etc......
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/apr...ne/news-metro/
the key is point is that regardless on what engine vehicle its the resting phase of the engine that causes the damage!

"The problem is that most boats sit for long periods of time without use. When ethanol-blended fuels sit in a gas tank for a long time, the ethanol begins to separate from the gasoline.
When engines consume pure ethanol, a highly corrosive solvent, the results can be disastrous. In addition to unraveling fuel lines, it can loosen sludge, varnish and dirt inside the gas tank, causing fuel lines and carburetors to clog."

"ethanol eats away at the fuel line, causing it to fail, like a collapsing tunnel"
"if water is in the gas tank or engine, the ethanol will separate form the gasoline and bond with the water, that means pumping a mixture of ethanol and water into the engine, if this happens there could be stalling or more jittery engine repsonses....the key is none use of vehicle...the less you use the engine, the more that the ethanol will separate from the gasoline(petrol).

Some people are so dead, they don't vote, they write letters to respective district city or counties officials; they just expect others to fix the fixes. every concerned voice must be heard. but then again most people probably don't have true sports car? this is not about clean energy.
its about corrupted politicians and officials hurting the economy and regular middle class person's. Germany makes some of the most cleanest car--without ethanol! if people don't speak up...soon this country will be deader than dead! All the successful people might just flea due to over-regulation after over regulations.

if nobody takes on these issues what use are these amg engines with out pure petrol!

ttus

i would think the tank should be empty, regardless, ethanol will attract more moisture with the tank full? ethanol is hydrophilic! and they are bound to form hydrogen with or without but more with a full tank!

ttus

i meant if STORED no store

ttus

NGK Canada published a TSB in 2006 in which they state that due to ethanol being introduced in gas, drivers have been reporting these symptoms:

1. Reduced gas mileage
2. CEL light, code showing lean condition

They recommend the following to remedy both issues:

A. One step colder
B. Narrower gap by 0.010", not to go below 0.035"

For my vehicle, I've done the following:

- One step colder
- Narrower gap by 0.004" (factory spec for my M119.982 is 0.032")

So far, after two tanks of gas (several hundred miles), my mileage seems to be better, the insulator is still too white for my liking (indicating still a lean condition), and the ground electrode reading shows color change at the turn of the elbow (but closer to the ring, which indicates it's still slightly hot).

Btw, the spark plug gap is a debatable topic. This is my take:

Reduction of the gap is necessary in E10 gas for the reason that ethanol--while it is detonation-resistant--is more susceptible to pre-ignition at higher compressions. My M119 having 11:1 compression ratio and achieving greater than 100 KPa, the possibility of pre-ignition with ethanol is greater. (Maybe this is why Mercedes says their knock sensors can't handle lower octane gas?) The possibility becomes even greater knowing that gas stations sometimes goof up and pour the wrong octane gas in their underground tanks.

However, my M119 uses non-resistor plugs, and the coil connector provides 2K Ohms. Narrower gap effectively decreases resistance. This may cause potential electronic interference with the ignition system. When reducing the gap, using resistor plugs (which will have 5K Ohms) might be a good idea.

I'll report more on my experiment as time goes. After evaluating this set, I'll try going another step colder with a resistor plug.


NGK technical bulletin: No. NGKSP-0506-3 (from may 2006)

www.ngksparkplugs.ca info@ngksparkplugs.ca

505 Apple Creek Blvd. Unit 1 Markham, Ontario L3R 5B1

Toll Free Phone: 1-877-2-SPARKY (1-877-277-2759) Toll Free Fax: 1-877-3-SPARKY (1-877-377-2759)

Waitzar

I have 2010 E550 and I will be gone out of country for 2-1/2 months. I will be hooking up trickle charger to it. Is it still recommended to fill the tires up to 50 psi to prevent flatspotting?

I already washed my car and filled the tank full. Is fuel stabilizer still recommended in my situation? It is raining in Seattle now and will be for next 3-4 days and I will be gone by then so I don't really want to take my car out and get it wet.

petee1997

I store my Porsche for five months every year and all I do is plug in the battery maintainer and fill the fuel tank. My Porsche dealer recommended I add air to 50lbs but I don't bother. It's certainly not required for only 2.5 months. You won't develop a flat spot in such a short period of time.

RNBRAD

Battery will still lose significant charge. It may be a gamble on whether it will start or not, depends on battery health when stored.

Waitzar

Thanks for the info guys. I will definitely miss driving my E550 for next 2-1/2 months!

LaicepsYdobon

I'm gonna chime in with two "dumb questions". Why fill up the tank of the car if you are just going to store it and not drive it for a while ? A) If I recall correctly fuel starts to break down after six weeks so you'd just end up with not-so-fresh fuel in your gas tank at best and B) why have the extra weight of the fuel tax the suspention of the car unnecessarily ? Wouldn't it be a better idea to lighten up the car to go easier on the suspention and tires while the car is parked ? Mind you I never storred a car long term; I'm just thinking out loud...

Texas993

Full tank of gas = less condensation in the fuel tank. Water is bad.