Winter Hibernation advise please

[Clarkey]

Just wondering if anyone could pass on a few tips as how it's best to look after the 6 during the winter months.

I will be taking delivery of mine next week(hopefully)and as the weather is about to turn I was wondering what you do with regard to the petrol left in the tank. I know that petrol will separate if left for a couple of months, do you use a stabilizer or do you just drain the tank?

do you run the engine up once a week or once a month? or do you just chance there being good weather and take the car for a run. Any great tips will be greatly received.

I had thought about putting the car on axel stands and running the car up and also engaging the gears for a while until the car is warm.

I will post some pics when I can

Regards

Martin

[Guest ntc]

If there is no salt on the road best thing for the car is use it

[Clarkey]

If there is no salt on the road best thing for the car is use it

I am hoping to , But they do go mad around me with salt

[Guest ntc]

I am hoping to , But they do go mad around me with salt

 

Martin

Then make sure it is well protected fit wheel arch liners and wash it down after every trip, still say better used than not

[charlie74]

with mine which hibernates every winter, i put fuel stabilizer in a full tank of fuel. i have installed a fuel cut-off before the filter which i turn off. fresh filter and oil in the sump. some oil is squirted down the spark plug holes. the battery is removed and stored in a warm placed and charged monthly. i jack the car up enough to put cinder blocks underneath to take the weight off the tires/suspension. the car is parked on small squares of scrap laminate flooring to keep moisture from impregnating the tires. finally i cover it with my wifes favourite quilt.

i do not start the car (unless there is a need) until the spring because it will never get up to operating temp and impurities will build up in the oil. in the spring the plugs come out and i crank over on the starter until oil pressure builds on the guage.

YMMV, and i am sure that there are as many methods out there as there are cars.

c74

if i could i'd use it year round but the winters are pretty severe here so that is a non-starter.

Edited October 9, 2009 by charlie74

[Pogo]

Just wondering if anyone could pass on a few tips as how it's best to look after the 6 during the winter months.

 

I agree with Neil - use it as much as you can!

 

There is nothing much better than a blast out on a cold, sunny day with the roof down.

 

 

Roger

[poolboy]

Of course down here in the Deep South of the USA, we drive year round, but I do have farm and lawn eguipment that does get seasonal use and I have become a believer in fuel stabilizer, specifically Sta-bil. You do have to run the engine until the stabilized fuel has entered the carburetor for the full effect.

[dykins]

You might find the following links worth reading

 

No 1

 

No 2

 

Regards

 

Peter

[Clarkey]

You might find the following links worth reading

 

No 1

 

No 2

 

Regards

 

Peter

 

Thanks for the response, there seems to be a lot of good ideas out there

[Manmail]

I agree with previous posts, use it if you can. I would however, never use it if there is any salt on the road. My car is well waxoyled but a TR specialist drove it on well salted roads last winter and what this does to anything not protected was quite incredible. It only became apparent to me at MOT time in April this year. Any sign of salt, leave it well hidden in the garage.

[BrianC]

Easiest, cheapest and most satisfying way is to just use it regularly. Avoid the worst of the salt, but even so it only takes a few minutes to give it a good hosing underneath. Winter driving in a TR can be highly therapeutic and keeps the car and driver in good shape (best done topless of course )

[Clarkey]

Easiest, cheapest and most satisfying way is to just use it regularly. Avoid the worst of the salt, but even so it only takes a few minutes to give it a good hosing underneath. Winter driving in a TR can be highly therapeutic and keeps the car and driver in good shape (best done topless of course )

Thanks Brian

It does seem that it is better to use the car than just have it stood, I am hoping to use the car as much as I can.

The car I am buying has been kept in a nice dry/warm garage for the last 5 years,so as my garage is not quite as luxurious would a good coat of wax-oil be in order

Edited October 11, 2009 by Clarkey

[alan57]

If you plan storing and not usin - beware the clutch sticking to the flywheel!!!!

[BrianC]

If you plan storing and not usin - beware the clutch sticking to the flywheel!!!!

Wedge the clutch pedal down with a length of timber or angle iron, and don't leave the handbrake on.

Discovered both problems the first winter we had Lynda's TR4A - the one and only time I've left a TR garaged imstead of just driving it regularly (never again!).

[88V8]

... would a good coat of wax-oil be in order.

Yes, every two years or so as it does not adhere well over existing rust.

I think Dinitrol 3125 is better than Waxoyl for inside the chassis, as it has better creep and penetration. For the outside, 3125 followed by Dinitrol 4941 which resists road blast.

When you spray, keep it off the tyres. And beware what the overspray lands on, it is very hard to get off some modern paintwork, and I mean your shopping trolley as well as the TR.

 

Ivor

[Clarkey]

Yes, every two years or so as it does not adhere well over existing rust.

I think Dinitrol 3125 is better than Waxoyl for inside the chassis, as it has better creep and penetration. For the outside, 3125 followed by Dinitrol 4941 which resists road blast.

When you spray, keep it off the tyres. And beware what the overspray lands on, it is very hard to get off some modern paintwork, and I mean your shopping trolley as well as the TR.

 

Ivor

Hi Ivor

The car has not been done, at least I don"t think so, It does appear to have been used to show more than use so I am keen to keep it in really good condition, will wax-oil or dinitrol detract from this, if not is it worth getting it done professionally.

The body work does seem very rust free apart from a tiny bubble on the passenger door and a couple of small bubbles on the inner wings.I know that with rust bubbles it can be like an iceberg but i am getting the car looked at buy a pro in the next week or two

[88V8]

I am keen to keep it in really good condition, will wax-oil or dinitrol detract from this, if not is it worth getting it done professionally.

Unless you wax it, it will self-detract in short order. I remember someone commenting on these cars when new, saying that they could rust 'from showroom to scrapyard in seven years'.

The doors are already warning you that they may lack appropriate internal protection. When you take the door cards off for painting & waxing (pry them off with a melamine spatula which the wife will happily provide ) check that the water curtains are in place, they are sometimes omitted.

 

In addition to waxing, I would fit wheelarch liners. Best £300 you'll ever spend on the car.

Revington make & sell them. There have been some threads on the subject. When well fitted they give full protection to the most vulnerable areas of the body.

 

Also check what's happened to the drains from the plenum. As originally built, they drain into the inner wing and rust it plus the sill. There are mods for this. Likewise the back bonnet drains.

 

Oh, professional waxing... errm, there's Before n After, I think some members have used him. Reckon on £600+ I guess.

 

Ivor

[BrianC]

I think Dinitrol 3125 is better than Waxoyl for inside the chassis, as it has better creep and penetration. For the outside, 3125 followed by Dinitrol 4941 which resists road blast.

I visited Rustmaster on Monday to get a quote for both cars as they are much closer than Before'N'After (who also have good reviews). Rustmaster use a professional version of Waxoyl rather than the stuff we can buy in Halfords.

 

Typical farmyard/barn location but very friendly, knowledgable and helpful guys. They showed me how they work as they were doing a Dolly Sprint at the time and also had a Vitesse (or Herald) waiting. Another customer told me they had done a great job on his mate's TR6.

 

Cost for TR4A or TR3A is £395 with £50 discount for second car. I forget whether or not this includes VAT, but they can do a much better job than I can and as I vowed never to do this nauseating job again after the last experience, I'll be taking Lynda's TR4A there after we've made sure there's no chassis problems requiring welding (all the recent discussions of trailing arm, diff and wishbone mounting failures has me worried).

 

I'm still in two minds as to whether I will have my TR3A done as the underside is stone-chipped and 2-packed and the chassis (whisper) powder-coated, but as both cars are used all-year round it's probably a good idea and even more incentive to have both done professionally rather than DIY.