More points to ponder. Your van is in a barn, and up on jack stands, and you are going to start and run it for 15 - 30 minutes several times a month. Make sure that you can adequately vent the exhaust or you will end up in the hospital or morgue.

With that said, I would not bother starting it, but if you choose to, do not let it sit and idle. It would be more beneficial to pull the spark plugs and spray a little lubricant into each cylinder and let it sit until you are ready to get it out of storage. When you do go to start it after storage you should pull the coil wire and let it crank first. This will let the oil pump lubricate the internals without the added stress form the cylinders firing, basically prelubing the engine the easy way.

Mark in AK

Nice, I'm hearing those suggestions, thanks.  The trickle charger I did
forget to mention...I will have that.  Can't and won't sacrifice that 90 dollar
marine grade!

Def. up on jackstands and watch the rat infestation and fill tank and
treat....and the tarp underneath...that's something I hadn't thought of but is
definitely necessary....it is a dirt floor indeed.  My aunt has let a beautiful GM
rot in her own barn for years thinking all is ok....I tried to tell her....oh
well.  Gracias for the reminder on that one.

My thinking on starting it and letting it run would be to let it run for a
good bit, like 30 minutes at idle.  Would that be bad for it as well ya think?
Perhaps I could run it for less time but keep the rpms up to around 1800 to
not only heat 'er up but get better circulation in the process?  If so.....twice
a month would suffice you think?

Thanks,
Dustin
'85 Vanagon, 1.9, "The Triple Betty"