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You can actually buy petrol refreshing compounds - in theory they prevent modern fuels "going off"
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I do up to a point
However I know people can be well meaning initially over things like this then find it a bit of a chore after the novelty wears off, esp as the storage location is a few miles away, I don't have a driveway otherwise a neigbour could have done that o'k
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Thanks, has anyone here tried petrol refreshing compounds?
I'll look up my manual about oil change.
Edited by Will Marshall on 30/08/2009 at 10:54
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If 'twer me i'd make sure the vehicle is clean and especially salt free underneath, maybe good oportunity to give those brake pipes a grease up.
6 months isn't long, cars stand for years in compounds sometimes and they just connect a jump pack and away you go, once it's been in the valet bay you'd never know....except for the state of the discs.
If you can try and cover the wheels in some black plastic...to keep dierect sunlight off the tyres and to stop the rain forcing in and rusting your discs too much.
I'd be inclined to give it an oil change before storage, clean fresh oil won't have any nasties up to no good during standing.
Also check the antifreeze is up to full strength including the washer bottle and jets unless you want to drain that.
Can you leave a bit of air on, maybe a window cracked open to stop too much condensation doing damage to leather?...presuming the car is outside.
Try not to leave under somewhere that birds congregate unless you are going to purchase a breathable cover.
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....and a mouse trap or two !
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Good thought PU, and put at least one under the bonnet too.
Another thought here, try to leave the handbrake off, don't want that sticking on.
Secondly if it's raining very heavily on route to storage slip the clutch a little when you stop to make sure it's dry, and try not to park on grass if you can possible avoid it.
A rusted solid clutch really is a pita.
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When I lived and worked in South America many years ago I used to have a flat in the UK. My car would stand outside it for months at a time. I would disconnect the battery to stop it being run down by the clock or whatever. Apart from that though I would simply connect it up again on my occasional trips back to the UK and drive the car as normal.
Precautions of course would include checking fluids and tyre pressures on my return. It was never a problem despite stretches of three to six months standing punctuated by maybe a short week of use in between.
That car, a Mk2 Golf GTi had a strange life. It would sit as I have described for ages and then maybe be taken on a holiday trip skiing in the winter or a trans Europe run in the summer. It didn't seem to mind.
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6 months is nothing
id suggest a fresh oil change and a good pressure wash underneath , then take it for a good blast to make sure the exhaust gets hot and is dry inside
pump the tyres to 40-45
battery off
a good coat of wax would be nice too
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I agree six months is not long at all. The main things that I would say to do are to pump the tyres well over their normal pressure, disconnect the battery and all should be well. The petrol in the tank will be fine for six months, I've had cars that have stood for years and fired up on the same fuel. I'm not even sure whether I would change the oil (unless it is about due anyway). I can't see it degenerating much in six months sitting in the sump doing nothing.
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My daughter's MX5 stood in the open for ten months.
I pumped the tyres to about 45 PSI, disconnected the battery,sprayed WD40 around the engine bay (as advised here - rodent deterrent), left it in gear with the handbrake off and wheel chocked with a brick. It had it's hard top on. I wanted to change the oil, but she wouldn't let me.
When we collected it, I put jump leads on it while I gave it a general check-over and adjusted the tyre pressures. Re-connected the battery, pulled out the fuel injection relay and gave it several long bursts on the starter motor until oil pressure had come right up (oil pressure gauge, no oil pressure warning lamp). I then put it in gear and operated the starter with the clutch depressed, just to make sure the plate hadn't stuck. Re-fitted the FI relay and it started and ran fine. I then ran it up and down the road for a bit using the brakes (they felt and sounded awful).
It only had about a quarter tank of fuel, so we brimmed it at the nearest garage.
I got it home, gave it an oil and filter change. Had the wheels off to check the brakes (I've seen better and also much worse).
It seems fine.
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