What to do over the winter

[kirkyboy5]

Hi guys

Car is now SORN'd and I was wondering what to do over the winter in relation to keeping the car running well and good etc.

It is being kept outside (dont kill me) under a large gazebo and a tight fitting waterproof car cover.

So what can be done to ensure I keep it all ok?

At the moment im air'ing it out every week, cleaning it inside and wiping leather down and mopping up any little bits of water that enter. Im also turning it over to recharge the battery and moving it tp prevent brakes seizing and flat spots on tyres. Should the tyre pressure be increased? If so to what?

Many regards

Dan

[SteveD]

first make sure you cover is breathable ,dont cover it in a polly cover ,a polly cover will wreck your car , make sure you ahve anti freeze in it , reguarly start it up and let it run right up to tempreture drive backwards and forwards plenty

[pistonbroke]

mine goes in a (well vented ) shed every winter till spring comes along  

The only thing I do to preserve it is make sure its clean and dry before storage , oil and filter change and to keep the battery on trickle charge  

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

buy acf50 and spray it everywhere - except brakes

single best thing you can do for the underneath/ engine bay

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Don't run the engine unless you're actually going to go for a drive if you can help it, starting and idling, or revving on the drive isn't terribly good for them. (even if the temp gauge shows the normal water temp it just never gets them properly heated through). All you end up with is extra moisture and acidic compounds floating round in the engine oil etc.

You could roll back and forth, or support on axle stands. Certainly, a breathable cover is a must, even so, uncovering the car on any nice days and giving it a once over certainly helps. Be wary of just cleaning and recovering though, as you can just end up with extra moisture trapped under there for longer.

FWIW, mine has lived outside under nothing more than breathable covers since the day it was dropped onto its wheels as a rolling chassis six years ago.

It's never been issue, EXCEPT when the cover hasnt been fully secured in high winds.   But that's just operator error    

I do drive mine all year round when I can, but a few years ago a neck injury forced me to stop doing anything with the car for a bit over eighteen months. The car had no special treatment before the lay up - didn't expect the trapped nerves so didn't prepare   And for twelve months at least, of that time, I wasn't able to touch the car at all. Admitedly, shortly before the neck issue, the engine had been removed, (not connected), when the engine went back in well over a year later, and a full eighteen months later it was restarted and driven, the lack of "special" laying up precautions seemed to have made sod all difference   apart from the petrol being a bit stale. The tyres hadn't even lost any pressure  

[kirkyboy5]

thanks guys.

Ill buy some of that spray and give it all a good dousing!

Any ideas what the tyre pressues should be put to?

[Marcus Barlow - Show and Events Co-ordinator]

Car is now SORN'd and I was wondering what to do over the winter in relation to keeping the car running well and good etc.

Dont sorn it and keep using it  

[kirkyboy5]

hahaha im not brave enough!

The thing scares the S**T out of me in the sumer let alone when i hit black ice

Dan

[Captain Colonial]

OK, there's conflicting advice from two boardroom experts here, Honey Monster and Gadgetman.  One says start it and get it up to temperature regularly, the other says don't start it.

Will you two kindly have a reasonable debate about it and decide which is better?

And seeing as that's highly unlikely, a televised winner takes all fight to the death will suffice.

The snack bar is now open!

[Jenko]

I'm taking full advantage of the slight 'off' I had on a track day in Sept......So car SORNED, and engine out, but apart from replacing the drivers wishbones, I'm also giving the engine bay a tidy up, and trying to save a bit of weight (Alloy bellhousing just ordered, small alternator, etc).

Whilst engine is out, it's getting a full refresh and check over, I might try a few different things with my induction. Would also love a new gear box, but thats not looking likely at the moment!.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

OK, there's conflicting advice from two boardroom experts here, Honey Monster and Gadgetman.  One says start it and get it up to temperature regularly, the other says don't start it.

Will you two kindly have a reasonable debate about it and decide which is better?

And seeing as that's highly unlikely, a televised winner takes all fight to the death will suffice.

The snack bar is now open!

In my best Blatter's do a search mode, here's a post from a little while back Clicky that give a load of good tyre advice. Oh yes, and why starting it every so often is a baaaad thing  

And I dare you to have a look at post 26 for one of a certain "guests" more insane ramblings. (that still retains a tenuous link to actual science). At the time, I assumed it was a joke, later, not so sure  

[dombanks]

OK, there's conflicting advice from two boardroom experts here, Honey Monster and Gadgetman.  One says start it and get it up to temperature regularly, the other says don't start it.

Will you two kindly have a reasonable debate about it and decide which is better?

And seeing as that's highly unlikely, a televised winner takes all fight to the death will suffice.

The snack bar is now open!

In my best Blatter's do a search mode, here's a post from a little while back Clicky that give a load of good tyre advice. Oh yes, and why starting it every so often is a baaaad thing  <!--emo&

And I dare you to have a look at post 26 for one of a certain "guests" more insane ramblings. (that still retains a tenuous link to actual science). At the time, I assumed it was a joke, later, not so sure  

crap! id better start milking the weasle while i send the mrs out to catch me a whale!    

is there anything you can do to stop the discs from going rusty.

i was thinking of using the -150  freezers at work whilst replcing the atmosphere inside them with an atmosphere of bullcrapium but apparently the patient samples are "more important" and bulcrapium is too expensive!

[peterg]

QUOTE

When terminating the storage period, it is necessary to control the rate of atmospheric replacement, allowing the nitrogen to be displaced by the ambient gasses at a rate of only 2 cu meters/second. Any faster, and the vehicle may go into "atmospheric shock", which could adversely affect the electronics, and perhaps cause bubbling of the fuel.

Oh God, how did I miss that post    what a load of BS  

[Captain Colonial]

OK, there's conflicting advice from two boardroom experts here, Honey Monster and Gadgetman.  One says start it and get it up to temperature regularly, the other says don't start it.

Will you two kindly have a reasonable debate about it and decide which is better?

And seeing as that's highly unlikely, a televised winner takes all fight to the death will suffice.

The snack bar is now open!

In my best Blatter's do a search mode, here's a post from a little while back Clicky that give a load of good tyre advice. Oh yes, and why starting it every so often is a baaaad thing  <!--emo&

And I dare you to have a look at post 26 for one of a certain "guests" more insane ramblings. (that still retains a tenuous link to actual science). At the time, I assumed it was a joke, later, not so sure  

All good and well, and Post 26 is fantastic (I think they do the same thing to kill turkeys).

But I still wait for the Honey Monster's reply and the fight.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Ah but you forget, the Honey Monster never keeps a car long enough to store it over winter  

Besides after all the Baileys he had last night, I think I might be OK