Hi All,
Wasn't to sure where to put this question but here seemed as good as anywhere. I have 99% built Mac 1 ZR over in my parents garage and because of
one thing and another I'm still trying to sort my garage out so I can bring the car over to mine. It's been over at my parents for about 3
months now (it's driving me mad!) and I wondered if I should be doing anything to keep the motor etc in good nick while it's stuck in the
garage. It hasn't got a fuel tank in at the moment (it leaked) so thats something thats worrying me too. What do you fellas reckon?
Cheers
Dave
I would turn the engine by hand (using a socket set) 1 & 1/4 turns every two weeks just to make sure nothing seizes up, and I wouldnt leave the handbrake on either for the same reason
I'd also lift the car off its wheels to protect the tyres. If left on the same spot for a long time the tyres become distorted, voice of
experiance here...
I also let the air out the tyres and coat the sidewalls with tyre treatment stuff from Meguiars. Its also a good idea to spin the wheels now and again
to stop the the disks sticking.
That all sounds like good stuff to me, cheers guys. Anymore for anymore?
Turning the engine over is defo good advice. Might be worth squirting some WD40 or similar in spark lpug holes to keep bore lubricated and protected
from dampness (prepare to be smoked on firts fire up - someone might propose better stuff).
Reason to turn irregular turns is so that the same valves arent alays left open in the head. The seats can corrode after a while.
Bare steel bits can be sqirted (of course not getting oil on brake pads etc). Unless it is standing for months on end i doubt much harm will come to
it.
Other than that as it is a truly magnificent marque worthy of any exotic car collection you could consider an air conditioned tent for it.
You could always get one of these: http://www.carcoon.co.uk/
i think that for up to 6 months there no need to worry about the engine. Id not use wd40 myself, no proof but im sure it chases out other better oils. Some nice thin oil down the spark plug holes will do it nicely. This is a fairly relevant thread to me as im going to help a mate start his locost soon - not run in 3 years! Stale fuel and all sorts. Tyres havent deformed though, i guess the low weight has saved them.
Cheers guys I really appreciate your help. Will popping over later in the week to do some oiling and engine turning
Cheers
Dave
Good advice, all...but don't use WD40, as it contains kerosene, and will definitely remove the motor oil from the cylinder walls. It's great for starting to turn over a stuck motor, but regular motor oil protects the cylinder walls better than anything else. What works the best is to remove the spark plugs and spin the motor over using the starter every so often...this ensures the entire lubrication system works, and also lubricates the camshaft(s), followers, bearings, etc., because it spins fast enough to get the oil pump pressurizing the entire system...
Thanks for correcting the WD40 bit. I wasnt sure hence the wording. I guess at worst case a couple of cap fulls of engine oil down spark plug hole and
turn engine over by hand a few times every so often is good?
To evolve the thread a bit - lets assume the engine has now been stored. Turns over freely by hand but there is some very light corrosion on the bores
- probs best described as staining that is almost smooth to touch rather than scaly rust. What do you do assuming it cant be stripped down and honed.
Do you try and remove using 2000 W+D and oil?????
[Edited on 5/12/06 by DarrenW]
quote:
Originally posted by macnab
I'd also lift the car off its wheels to protect the tyres. If left on the same spot for a long time the tyres become distorted, voice of experiance here...
I also let the air out the tyres and coat the sidewalls with tyre treatment stuff from Meguiars. Its also a good idea to spin the wheels now and again to stop the the disks sticking.
I've done basically that in the past darren, but I'd use slightly coarser paper than 2000, that will prob be a bit fine.
1500/1200 should do it.