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Hi There...
My Dad had a 1992 Jaguar. I do not know anything about cars. He is in assisted living. I would like to jump start this car and move it to the front of the building, so he can see it.
I know how to jump a regular car, but if anyone has any advice, I would appreciate it.
It has been sitting for 6 months, prior to that it was driven on a regular basis. I also think it's out of gas.
It has been a difficult few months, and I just need some solid, simple advice to get it started.
Thank you so much.
Jump-starting a car with a completely dead battery is a risky (for on-board electronics) process. I recommend charging battery first before attempting to start the car. The simplest way to do it is to connect both cars for boosting, but then leaving it connected (and boosting car running) for ~10 minutes. This should partially charge the dead battery if it can still take charge. You can also try fresh battery. So don't try to start Jag right away after connecting it.
Another issue is old gasoline. Since the car will be sitting a lot, add fresh premium fuel and some fuel stabilizer (e.g. Stabil, SeaFoam). Also try to make sure the tank is as full as possible - less air in the tank, longer fuel will last. Stabil + full tank of premium should last for at least 1 year, maybe 2.
I am so grateful to all of you!!! I know this car was/is very special to him. I am honestly afraid to drive it. I don't feel I have the right, but it's something I have to do.
I will keep reading until I get the courage to try.
Thanks again for your suggestions 🙏
Sincerely,
wendy
Welcome to Jaguar Forums Wendy, Good to have you with us. Enjoy the forum.
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I'm kinda worried my father may be there in a few years too. One more thing I would do for safety sake. Once you get it started, test drive it gingerly around the parking lot and if it feels OK, take it to a nearby mechanic and have the brake fluid flushed. Don't know when dad did it last, but its supposed to be done once every two to three years. Brake fluid is hydrophilic, meaning that it absorbs moisture from the air and contrary to popular belief, the system is not really sealed, rather its designed to keep brake fluid in, not keep humid air out. After three years, brake components can start rusting internally and either leak or worse, jam. If you put fresh fluid in the system, then the car should be safe until the next flush is due in three years.
Also, you need to figure out a storage/maintenance plan as it sounds like it may sit there for a few years with minimal maintenance as dad can no longer maintain it himself. This is a different situation from most of us on this forum with collector cars. Obviously you want to leave it outside dad's window as opposed to storing it indoors and this isn't your hobby. #1 - DO NOT park it under a tree. It may be tempting to keep it out of the sun, but the accumulating debris out of a tree will do far more damage over time than the sun. #2 - I'm assuming dad took excellent care and it still looks pretty good so let's keep it that way. I'd suggest to wash it and then put a good coat of some sort of extended life sealant over the paint. That's probably another forum search unless one of our detailing experts cares to advise you what to use. I'm thinking at this point that its not necessary to polish it till all the swirls are out and it shines like a new dime, but rather the important thing is just to coat it with something better than ordinary wax to protect it from bird poop, acid rain, etc. #3 - similarly for the interior, I'd go ahead and treat the leather with a conditioner to try to keep it from drying out and cracking. #4 - Its going to get hot sitting outside with the windows rolled up. A good quality outdoor car cover would be the best thing, but kind of defeats the purpose of keeping it there. At least get some of those reflective windshield shades, put one in the back window too and cover the seats, steering wheel and console with old bed sheets or blanket. #5 - to keep the tires from flat spotting, air them up to say about 40 psi, or whatever the "MAX" inflation is listed on the sidewall. That will keep them round. #6 - disconnect the battery. Its going to self-discharge anyway, but won't go completely flat if its disconnected and should be able to be recharged. If its left connected with the clock, radio etc pulling even a little current and allowed to fully discharge to zero, it might not come back to life. Best thing to do is to remove the battery, take it home and connect it to a CTEK maintainer, but that may be more work than you want to deal with but at least disconnect it. #7 - Lastly, and there's really no way to sugar coat it, but really its simply not good for a car to sit un-driven for long periods of time. Seals dry out, grease hardens, fuel coagulates, rubber bushings take a set, etc. I'd plan on starting it once a month, let it run till it reaches operating temperature and at least drive it around the parking lot, maybe around the block. Catch-22, you need to keep the fuel tank full to prevent rust and minimize oxidation, but on the other hand, that's a whole full tank of gas that's getting old. Driving it periodically does at least "stir" the fuel and help keep the additives in suspension.
Dad's car...need advice
