-
Hi Guest!
You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
There are some perks with a member upgrade!**Upgrade Now**
(PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
STOP!! Never post your email address in open forums. Bots can "harvest" your email! If you must share your email use a Private Message or use the 
smilie in place of the real @
Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
Proper Starting Procedure After Winter Storage
- Thread starter Steven
- Start date
Share this page
Bob Buxbaum
Jedi Hopeful
Offline
Ten months of WINTER storage?!?!?!? Where the heck are YOU?
No matter what the season, if the car has been sitting THAT long you should consider a few things:
1) Drain the now spoiled fuel out of the carbs.
2) Change the oil and filter.
3) If was MY car, I would probably pull the valve cover and oil the rockers real well.
4) Kill the ignition and crank the engine until you know you have oil pressure.
5) Assuming the fuel is NOT spoiled in the tank, make the ignition live and start the engine.
As long as Mr. Lucas has not struck by now
, go drive your car
.
No matter what the season, if the car has been sitting THAT long you should consider a few things:
1) Drain the now spoiled fuel out of the carbs.
2) Change the oil and filter.
3) If was MY car, I would probably pull the valve cover and oil the rockers real well.
4) Kill the ignition and crank the engine until you know you have oil pressure.
5) Assuming the fuel is NOT spoiled in the tank, make the ignition live and start the engine.
As long as Mr. Lucas has not struck by now
I'm way the heck up in the Rockies...North Idaho to be exact. I only drive the car 3 months out of the year. I put Stabil in the fuel to keep varnish and gums out of it, and that seems to really work well. I read on a Triumph website to pull the plugs and spray WD-40 down the cylinder walls, which stops any problems on initial startup. Then I put in new plugs, drive around for about 20 minutes, come back and change the oil and filter, and I'm good to go for another season. It works for me quite well actually. Thanks for the advice though.
Izual Angel
Jedi Trainee
Offline
Don't use WD-40. It's too thin. For best results you should pull the plugs and pour some engine oil down in the cylinders (about 1-2 tablespoons.) It's going to smoke a little more, but offers better protection.
aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
Offline
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Steven:
I just wondered if there were some collections of good ideas for the "initial" start of a TR6 after 10 months in winter storage.... <hr></blockquote>
Wow! And I feel bad with my car sitting for just 3 months. Anyway, hats off to you for true grit!
I would just add that it's a good idea to completely fill the gas tank before letting it sit (you may be already doing this). The fuel will be fine the next season, especially with the Stabil in it. Otherwise, I do pretty much the same thing as you do. The WD-40 is mostly based and kerosene and because it's light, it disperses well, keeping away any moisture. I do the same thing on the car and the plane. If you turn it over halfway through the "idle season" (as I do, to prevent valve sticking....I don't actually start it), you may want to respray with WD. Cranking with the ignition disabled, until oil pressure is developed, is a good suggestion.
[ 02-07-2004: Message edited by: aeronca65t ]</p>
I just wondered if there were some collections of good ideas for the "initial" start of a TR6 after 10 months in winter storage.... <hr></blockquote>
Wow! And I feel bad with my car sitting for just 3 months. Anyway, hats off to you for true grit!
I would just add that it's a good idea to completely fill the gas tank before letting it sit (you may be already doing this). The fuel will be fine the next season, especially with the Stabil in it. Otherwise, I do pretty much the same thing as you do. The WD-40 is mostly based and kerosene and because it's light, it disperses well, keeping away any moisture. I do the same thing on the car and the plane. If you turn it over halfway through the "idle season" (as I do, to prevent valve sticking....I don't actually start it), you may want to respray with WD. Cranking with the ignition disabled, until oil pressure is developed, is a good suggestion.
[ 02-07-2004: Message edited by: aeronca65t ]</p>
Good morning all:
A comment on the restart after a long winters nap:
Think about just filling up the fuel tank part way. Then in the Spring fill the tank up the rest of the way. Reason?? Your going to get condensation in the tank unless you can fill it all the way to the filler, which you can't. If there is some water in the tank a fresh tank will dilute the water considerably. Also one of the problems with the new fuels is that they lose their combustibility (sp?)octane. Sta-bil does help, but not completely.
I store my inboard V-6 Grady White for 6 mos every year with a 1/2 a tank or less and fuel stabilizer. It starts up beautifully every Spring. Of course I do use the marine fogging oil you drop down the carb. Maybe that eould help with your TR.
A comment on the restart after a long winters nap:
Think about just filling up the fuel tank part way. Then in the Spring fill the tank up the rest of the way. Reason?? Your going to get condensation in the tank unless you can fill it all the way to the filler, which you can't. If there is some water in the tank a fresh tank will dilute the water considerably. Also one of the problems with the new fuels is that they lose their combustibility (sp?)octane. Sta-bil does help, but not completely.
I store my inboard V-6 Grady White for 6 mos every year with a 1/2 a tank or less and fuel stabilizer. It starts up beautifully every Spring. Of course I do use the marine fogging oil you drop down the carb. Maybe that eould help with your TR.
so far condensation hasn't been a problem because the car is garaged and covered in a nice warm garage....but also good ideas....I've had more problems with keeping batteries charged up on my recharger. WD-40 as an initial lubricant shot down the spark plug holes prior to startup seems to really help. I haven't had any problem with the fuel losing combustiblity. One time i let it sit with stabil in it for 2 years, and it started right up.
Dick Sobielo
Freshman Member
Offline
I could be wrong, but I always thought the reason for topping off the fuel tank before storage was to prevent condensation from forming on the interior walls of the tank and thereby preventing rust from forming there.
I also always use Stabil.
I also always use Stabil.
tony barnhill
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
You might want to read my article "Awakening a Sleeping MGB" on my web site
https://www.theautoist.com/awakening_a_sleeping_b.htm
https://www.theautoist.com/awakening_a_sleeping_b.htm
Not an expert here, but from what I understand, gasoline "goes bad" because it oxidizes in contact with air. Its rate of oxidation is relatively slow, but it is temperature dependent. So, if you store the car in a warm garage, the fuel is more likely to "go sour" than if you store your car in a cold garage. And, the more surface area you allow in contact with the fuel, the greater the rate at which the fuel decomposes.
So, to avoid the condensation problem, and to reduce the deterioration of your fuel, it stands to reason that the best bet is to fill your tank all the way to the very top before storage. As an added measure, it helps to add a fuel stabilizer.
As for oiling the cylinders before starting--again, not an expert here, but most lubricants have a certain characteristics allowing them to act as a solvent, as well as characteristics which allow them to act as abeing a lubricant. These solvent characteristics may generally also be called penetration (or penetrant) characteristics). WD-40 is a well known penetrant lubricant. It is able to flow and penetrate into areas that a 50-weight would only dream of. But even though it may excel at penetration, it's lubricating capabilities are lacking, with respect to a standard motor oil.
So, I would assert that possibly both WD-40 and a motor oil would be an appropriate start-up regime. If I were starting up a car which had been sitting (and I've got four in storage for more than 15 years which were not properly stored in the first place) I would probably use WD-40 first, then add oil.
So, to avoid the condensation problem, and to reduce the deterioration of your fuel, it stands to reason that the best bet is to fill your tank all the way to the very top before storage. As an added measure, it helps to add a fuel stabilizer.
As for oiling the cylinders before starting--again, not an expert here, but most lubricants have a certain characteristics allowing them to act as a solvent, as well as characteristics which allow them to act as abeing a lubricant. These solvent characteristics may generally also be called penetration (or penetrant) characteristics). WD-40 is a well known penetrant lubricant. It is able to flow and penetrate into areas that a 50-weight would only dream of. But even though it may excel at penetration, it's lubricating capabilities are lacking, with respect to a standard motor oil.
So, I would assert that possibly both WD-40 and a motor oil would be an appropriate start-up regime. If I were starting up a car which had been sitting (and I've got four in storage for more than 15 years which were not properly stored in the first place) I would probably use WD-40 first, then add oil.
I learned my lesson about storing my car with less than a full tank. It ended up that condensation caused me to have to purge the fuel out and change the fuel filter. Since I've stored it with a FULL tank and Stabil...NO problems!
Over a period of 5 plus years..perhaps the fuel loses necessary properties....but from my experience..when stored with Stabil after 2 years, no problems. In fact the fuel performed very well.
Over a period of 5 plus years..perhaps the fuel loses necessary properties....but from my experience..when stored with Stabil after 2 years, no problems. In fact the fuel performed very well.
Turn it over on the starter until the oil pressure warning light goes out by disabling the LT side of the ignition. Otherwise youll get startup rattle which kills the bearings. I fitted a switch in my Herald to do this each time i started her up after a lay away. Oil the bores if you change plugs, depress clutch for easier turnover.