What to do over the winter

[Captain Colonial]

We'll call it a win for you by evidence and default then... the car shall stay unstarted until spring, when I have to do my scary trick to unfreeze the clutch - run the engine until it's hot, put the rear on axle stands, start the car in 3rd gear and get it up to 40 mph in mid-air, then stand on the brakes with the clutch pushed in....always good for the heart rate.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Rather you than me  

Nothing to stop you working the clutch every so often though if it's that predictable?

[Captain Colonial]

I do, but it doesn't always help.  Pretty effective, though.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Perhaps wedge the clutch pedal down with an empty Pringles can braced against the chassis.  

(This is not sound advice, and I reserve the right to call anyone following it a Muppet   )

[kirkyboy5]

How confused do you think i am now

[SteveD]

The best place is in an underground vault, with a proper HVAC system that maintains an ambient temp of 20C in an atmosphere of pure nitrogen.

I accomplish this using a vehicle pit, serviced by a "Phantom Lift", that lowers the machine into a vault beneath the garage. Then, the N is pumped in, displacing the ambient atmosphere.

Of course, make sure that you place the battery on life support, which requires the use of a float charger.

If possible, crank the engine in the nitrogen atmosphere in order to distribute the inert gas throughout the engine.

Levitation of the vehicle on jack stands is recommended.

Top the fuel tank with fresh petrol, to eliminate any large air pockets that might form condensation, which settles to the bottom of the fuel tank, causing the engine to attempt to run on water, rather than petrol. Prolonged storage, or bouts of storage with an empty or near empty tank can cause a large amount of water to settle to the bottom of the fuel tank, and inhibit proper running of the engine component, and subsequent damage to fuel pumps, fuel injectors and carburetors.

The engine should be "pickled", using a shot of storage oil (made from whales which have donated their bodies to science) into each cylinder. If no thoughtful whales are available, a product called "Marvel Mystery Oil" is good for keeping the rings from sticking to rusty bores, and only smokes for a few minutes on initial start up after the storage period is over. My personal cache of whale oil depleted, I used the Marvel Mystery Oil for a 6 year storage of my Alfa, and found that after it was started and run, the machine suffered no ill effects from the prolonged storage.

Prior to storage, the hides should be dressed, along with the tires and any soft bits, in "Mink Oil" or "Weasel Oil". The machine should be cleaned thoroughly, so as to remove any tasty morsels that may attract rodents into the pure nitrogen environment. This is, of course, to protect Nature's Creatures, as no vehicle eating rodents can survive in the pure nitrogen storage atmosphere.

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.

If your storage was successful, the engine should start on the second cranking, and belch smoke into the air for a couple of minutes as the Whale or Marvel oil is burned off, and the rings are freed.

Remember to check the tire pressures, and do a complete visual inspection before driving off. Look for puddles beneath the machine. Yes, do press the brake pedal a couple of times, along with the clutch pedal, to validate the pedal pressures, then inspect the master and slave cylinders for signs of leakage.

Them, enjoy your drive.

       i missed this gem        

and this is why the d******d (xi129)is banned ,and a good reason for all the people who backed him up to have a long look in the mirror

[kirkyboy5]

hahaha quality!

Iv just got my hands on a load of Nitrogen so this will come in good use. Might have to use a tent instead of the lowered level. So i can see it now... a tent around the westie whilst having Nirtogen pumped into it!

Wont that look cool

[chippo]

used mine today a little cold and with more power great fun  

[blitz]

Nitrogen should presumably of the White Spot   (a White Spot on the black neck of a grey Nitrogen bottle) type which is low moisture content gas.  Mine lived outside for ten years though I used regulary and just avoided days when the roads were salted.  Although it was a xflow so corrosion resistance was a standard feature.

[Martin Keene]

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  

How did I just know who wrote that before reading the post...

[robo1968]

buy acf50 and spray it everywhere - except brakes

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

Is acf50 better than WD40? Or are they basically the same thing?

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

acf50 is much stickier and therefore clings on - it also supposedly neutralises salt  

So yeah it is much better for this purpose - you can use wd40 on all the readily accessible stuff though

[kev91]

Where is the best place to get acf50? What's the general price of it?

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

ACF50 is sold through bike places and eBay. It seems to be designed for what we need for protection, whereas WD40 is a bit more of a cleaner/protectant.

[robo1968]

Spray or grease? Spray Grease Grease looks perhaps better value - but which is better?