Long term storage
 

I did the search and could not find anything on this topic.

I will be leaving Canada for a year and need to store my 1982 300D Euro 5 speed manual. It will be in an unheated garage. I just changed the oil and will fill the fuel tank. I think I should remove the battery to the basement and probably put a trickle charger on it. I also have four jack stands and could put it up on them, but is this really necessary?

Anything else I should do or consider?

Thanks.

I wouldn't put a trickle charger on the battery. The one winter I did that with the battery for my boat, the battery was dead the next year. When I didn't, it survived.
I would take the load off the tires, and put it on the jackstands for that length of time.

I would check to see if Sta-bil is compatible with Diesel. I would dump some of that in the tank. As far as your battery, buy a Battery Tender Jr. It is more of a battery maintenance thing. It has a microprocessor of some sort that monitors the charge of the battery. It only trickle charges when the battery dips and them shuts off when it comes to a complete charge. I found mine at Motorcycle Accessory Warehouse for like $20.

A year, that is a long time. I would consider removing the glow plugs and squirting some light weight oil into the cylinders to keep the rings from drying out(ok, the prechamber but the oil will make it to the cylinder). When I put the JetSki up for the winter I used a product, the name escapes me know, to oil the top end of the cylinder.

There is a product called 'Fogging oil' which is sprayed into the intake engines destined for long term storage just as they are being shut down. I suspect that this product is close enough to diesel fuel, that it is just as easy to let the injectors do the job for you.

You could store it in my garage and I would be happy to take it out once or twice a week for a spin and keep the fluids fresh ! :D