How to presrve

DaveZ4richardson

DaveZ4richardson

Member
 Carlisle
Afternoon everyone, I've just had some news I wasn't expecting and an operation is iminant that's going to put me on crutches for up to 6 months.

My Zed sits on the drive covered, if I can't drive it for up to 6 months apart from Sorn the vehicle, what else can I do to preserve the car, my previous E85 suffered from the infamous rocker cover leak due to lack of use, whilst it's not a big job I'd rather try and avoid that if possible.

Is it best to bring the battery into the house on trickle charge or leave it on the car and run a cable from the house on trickle connected up?

Any tips gratefully received, car is a 3.0 6 pot, what else is there 😂.
 
Personally I’d just put the battery on a trickle charger in the car and just either you or someone else visually check for any water leaks, especially over the winter and also leave the handbrake off, just to limit the chance of it sticking, if possible you could roll it back and forth a few feet over the months, just to help reduce any flat spots on the tyres, then when you are ready to use it again possibly give it a service.
If you do remove the battery put a towel over the locking points or engage the locks with a screwdriver shaft before closing the boot.
 
I understand overinflating tyres by 10psi can help reduce flat spots. Obviously drop them back down before driving too far.
 
OP, wishing you good luck with your surgery and recovery.

Try finding a neighbour to start and/or drive your zed once a week. (I drove a neighbour’s car one mile once a week for 3 months whilst he was away. It was easy as pie.)
 
in the classic car world (something I know a little about) the idea of laying a car up for a prolonged period occurs quite frequently. Although I don't do it myself many are taken off the road during the winter from October to April.

The normal procedure is the fill the tank with decent fuel and then add a stabiliser, full tank means less vapour and less corrosion from the ethanol vapour. The stabiliser stops the fuel going off.

Inflate the tyres about 30% over recommended, not on axle stands which will stress the bushes, and park it up bone dry with the hand brake off.

If you must cover it then use a cotton sheet. put a Ctek or similar on the battery

Personally I'd rather add someone you trust to the insurance and get them to take it for a decent drive every couple of weeks. Not a quick spin round the block but a good 20-30 mile blast.

Hope the op goes well.
 
Worth checking insurance criteria aswell.
It turns out that many insurance companies don't cover a car if it is SORNed.
There was a very interesting thread about this a while ago on here.
 
Dont worry about flat spots on your tyres, if you do get them, which is unlikely they are only temporary and clear after a few miles. The whole flat spot thing is from days gone by when tyres were pretty much just rubber, not the modern polymer marvels we are lucky enough to have today.
6 months isnt that long, as previous posters have said leave the handbrake off, if its manual start it a couple of times and slip the clutch for a few seconds to stop any surface rust pitting on the clutch cover/flywheel.
I used to leave my cars totally unpreserved and uncovered on jetties whilst at sea for over a year on more than one occasion, never any real issues apart from batteries being flat, AA soon sort that
 
Obvious things to do before you put her to bed for a wintering. (This is my annual regiment)
  1. Change your oil with a good Liqui Moly (Leichtlauf High Tech 5W-40), oil filter
  2. Change/renew your cabin and engine air filters -- vacuum out any leaves or debris in the engine or intakes.
  3. Change your brake fluid - no need to leave saturated old fluid in your brake lines.
  4. Ensure coolant is topped off and you have proper winter washer fluid topped off.
  5. Fill the fuel tank with the best fuel near you, add stabilizer - your fuel pump will appreciate your attention to that detail.
  6. Full clean of engine bay, Paint clean/clay, wheels/barrels/wells, interior. Fresh sealant on paint, wheels, conditioner on leather, UV conditioner on tires.
  7. If indoors, a proper soft car cover or cotton sheet. If outdoors, a soft cover underneath a secure weatherproof cover.
  8. Ultrasonic or other rodent deterrent options.
  9. Proper battery tender.
  10. Park on something other than concrete - rubber pads, wood, foam, etc. Don't need fancy wheel savers, avoid carpet.
All that will ensure you don't leave things in or on your vehicle that will turn into residue that is appearance or performance impacting. Additionally, it will be spiffy and ready to drive when you are able to get to it again.
 
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