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One reads of members worried that their TR, stored over winter, will see its battery as dead as a doornail when they come to give the car an airing. The usual advice is to fit one of these clever battery chargers.  However, when we moved house 2 months ago, I put my TR4 into a 20' x 8' secure metal box in a storage unit at Chalgrove.  No power in there of course, but my car does have a battery isolator, which I use whenever I park. The car has an alternator, which keeps the battery fully charged, and my battery was supplied by Halford's 3 years ago, so is just out of guarantee.

Today, Maddy and I went to the lock-up into which I placed 4VC on 17th September - more than 2 months ago.  I went prepared with tools to get the car started, even if the battery should be discharged.  My multimeter showed 12.65 volts - a very promising start!  As the car was parked very close against the left wall, I couldn't prime the carburettors, so had to let it churn for a good while before numbers 1 & 2 caught, then, when the rear float chamber had filled, all 4 fired - yippee! 

This 20' x 8' box was completely sealed, has very strong doors and locks, and the car was as dry as a bone, which was very pleasing.  Staff very helpful in shifting their ramps - I could not have lifted these, I think they would take the weight of a Rolls Royce!
 
Does one need a battery conditioner?  I don't own one and have never felt the need for one.  I do have a very ancient battery charger which has had 2 outings this year when SWMBO left her High-and-Dry sitting in the drive overnight with the ignition ON. Whoops! Fortunately, my old-fashioned battery charger (probably selenium rectifier) can cope with a battery showing 5 volts, it just needs 24 hours to do its job!
 
Ian Cornish
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Ian,

Due to living up north, with its frequent wet salty roads, my car also sits unused for a few weeks at a time and I too use a battery cutoff switch.

Usually it fires after a few turns and some choke....brass top H6 SUs and mechanical pump. On the  odd occasion when it has not fired I have resorted to using one of the small high energy jump starters (make is Energiser) which work very well. They will fit in a glove compartment or small tool bag, cost around £50 from Screwfix or Aldi etc and give about 6  goes at getting a car started. Only slight downside is that you have to charge them , or at least the one I have, via your computer.

If you do not have one they make a good Xmas present from  a wife , partner, etc.

What is the max length of time that an engine should sit for before you remove the spark plugs to turn it over?

John S

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Winter layover, November until April.

In a normal world we wouldn't think twice about leaving a modern car for a considerable period of time before deciding that it needed " babying" by plug removal or turning over to spread oils again. 

If you cover carbs inlets with a sealed bag, or remove air filters and jam clean rags into it and seal the top of the rocker cover breather preventing free air access I've never found engine interior parts damage to be caused. If you want to turn the engine over monthly with ignition leads disconnected to spread oil knock yourself out, I'm off to the pub !

Mick Richards

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My engine (& car) sat in a garage untouched for 20 years before I got my hands back on it in 2013.

Fresh oil, new plugs, new petrol, re-built fuel pump, & new battery & it started. Been running just fine ever since.

I don't "layup" the car over winter, I use it when weather is suitable - i.e. no salt on roads, & preferably no rain / snow.

Re battery charging, a lead acid battery will slowly self-discharge over time, once the voltage goes much below 11 volts it will "sulphate" which is bad news, it reduces the effective capacity of the battery, & is permanant.  Much better to keep it topped up either by occasional charging with an "old fashioned" charger, or by connecting a modern "maintenance" charger to it. I do the latter on my small cruiser, which spends the winter on a tralier in my driveway, also my pre-war Hillman (which does not get out much) is on one.

Bob.

Edited by Lebro
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Talking of battery life. The test station (APK yearly test) commented that the battery on my Jaguar X-type was still its original - from 2004!

Another big battery (Varta) I have bought in 2002 or 2003 is still used in other cars, amazing.

I had to replace the battery in the TR4 three times in its lifetime with me (21 years). New one fitted summer 2015. 

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