Hi Guys

Its almost that time of the Year to Start laying up my XJS for the Winter and as the Road Tax has just run out on my Grey XJS.

I won't be using her for the rest of this Year, so does anyone have any useful Tips for putting her in 'Mothballs' for the Winter?

 

1) change the oil and filter if they will become due over the winter.

2) fill the petrol tank

3) wash and wax exterior surfaces, vacuum the interior

4) once home, inflate all tires to the max rating indicated on the tire sidewall

5) attach a battery tender

6) pat her fender and wish her a pleasnat slumber.

That's about it.

 

Have to agree with that.

We dont Winter our cars, so any advice from that side of the world would be worth following.

 

I usually take the battery out of the car, but otherwise as Mikey said. I'm assuming the car will be in a garage, rather than standing outside?

 

Hi Mikey

Cheers!

Tank already filled to the MAX

But I don't agree with the Oil Change right now, as I imagine that Condensation may find its way into the Sump during the Winter.

So I think it would be better to do an Oil and Filter Change after I have Re-Taxed Her in the Spring.

 

I would get 4 oily rags and stuff them up the exhaust and intakes of the engine... Just make sure no rodents or critters can get in there. Personally, when I used to make a car ready for a longer stand, I would put the body on jacks and take weight off of the wheels. No flat spots then. If stored in a dry garage or store, I'd leave a window open a little bit to allow for ventilation.

Regarding the oil change: you already have condensation in it... Fresh oil will have lesss in it, even after say 6 onths of standing.

 

OB,

Good points from Mikey. If you're doing a really comprehensive layup, I would also

- Pressure wash underside and check for any oil leaks which can then be monitored
- Check all fluid levels and top up as necessary
- Consider removing battery and running a desulphation cycle on it.
- Wax car but don't polish off
- Put the car up on 4 axle stands & remove the wheels
- Put a couple of coats of Collinite 845 wax on the wheels, particularly the back of the wheels, stack them up horizontally and cover to avoid light exposure
- Put some fuel stabiliser in the tank
- Thick coat of wax or corrosion inhibitor on any brightwork and leave unpolished, esp. under bumper chromes, door mirrors etc
- Leave handbrake off
- Spin hubs to make sure brake pads are backed off
- Plastic bags wrapped over front brake discs
- Windows cracked open to allow airflow and avoid moisture inside
-
..and then start the car up every month, run fully up to temp to ensure no moisture buildup in engine and to dry out water in exhaust system. Move box through all positions to reprime and cycle oil through valve block and torque converter. Check for any fluid leaks from engine box, diff, PAS.

...OR keep it taxed and take it out regularly in the winter with the roof down on those bright crisp days, heater turned up, flying jacket on and go and have some Fish and Chips down at the beach! It doesn't get any better and the car will love it! That's my winter regime!

Cheers

Paul

 

No, used oil also contains all the nasty acids and other contaminates that accumulate during normal motoring. Condensation is not a factor unless the common error of running the motor while in storage is made. Please don't do that.

 

Ywp. Lay it up or drive it. No mix and match...

As soon as you regularly start it up and let it run, that is when you introduce condensation and co to the car. Let it cool down and leave it cold

 

Hi Paul

Cheers!

Really sad to put her away for the Winter, as She looks so lonely sitting there and I intend to follow your advice, although I won't be taking the Wheels off.

As I will be needing to access 'The Ice Princess'

But 'Cherry Blossom' is still Taxed until the end of December and although I don't have a Flying Jacket, we've got a couple of 'Nurseys' Sheepskin Coats.

Which we bought in a Sale in their Shop in Bungay, so they are going to come in very useful.

 

I wouldn't start it unless you're going to drive it. It takes a good 10+ miles of driving to get the transmission oil up to temp, idling the engine won't do it.

I've always left the windows closed to keep any critters and dust/dirt out, but I also have nothing like the humidity in the UK. Mine generally stays in a heated garage during the winter too, but I only heat it to 5-10 degrees. Just enough to keep the chill off it. I've never had humidity/moisture problems that way.

 

This puts tremendous torsional stress on the suspension bushings unless the jack stands are positioned under the wheel hubs.

Tyres will not generally flat spot if inflated to the max rating on the sidewall.

 

Agree with most of Paul's suggestions. As for the battery, I use a Ctek maintainer (there is a winter mode) for both the XJ-SC and my XKR. Never had any issues even with older batteries.



I have always been told to never start up and let idle - most of the fluids won't reach operating temperature by idling. Also introduces condensation even if you idle for a long time. Better to just let it sit through the winter. Also not sure about jack stands, as I think this would put a lot of stress on various suspension components. Any flatspotting I get works itself out after first long spring drive.

As far as protecting the paintwork, I use a Modesta ceramic coating for all of my cars, which is stronger and provides better/longer lasting protection than traditional waxes. This is getting more into a detailing discussion now, but thought I would mention it.

MODESTA - Advanced Liquid Glass & Protective Coatings

Of course nothing wrong with traditional wax, this is just a newer alternative that I've found not everyone is aware of. There are other good brands as well.

Also highly recommend the satin stretch cover from CoverKing, if it will be stored indoors.

If it wasn't for the highly corrosive salt and beet juice used on the roads here in the winter, I would be driving mine too!

 

OB, this is why I could never move back to the UK. What do you drive the other 10 months of the year?

 

Don't know what your current situation over there is with ethanol, but really do not want that in the tank for winter storage. Whatever the fuel, I have always had good results adding Sta-bil, or an equivalent.

 

I think ethanol's just an American thing to subsidize their corn farmers. Certainly the 98 octane in the UK is ethanol free.

 

EU standards have mandatory ethanol levels in all fuels... Exceptions being the 100 and more octane rated one.

95 has 5% or 10% (depending on station)
98 has 5%

 

Ethanol is very unlikely to cause issues with the tank in the time of storage. Heck, my XJ8 has a steel tank and it has a partially filled tank of E10. No rust at all in there. And water? The XJS and XJ8 suck their fuel from the lowest points via gravity feed... So water, should it accumulate, is removed basically instabtaniously and is also recirculated once the fuel pump is running...

 

Hi Flint

I did have a Merc 190e as my daily driver but after 10 years of Happy Motoring without any problems whatsoever.

The engine will now stall at any speed, anytime and anywhere it feels like it, including road junctions and Traffic Lights.

Yesterday I was very slowly creeping out of a Supermarket Car Park, when She suddenly stalled without warning and I nearly got rear ended.

By a Car that was following me out.

The only reason I mention this, is that the V12 seems easier to work on, as well as being much easier to fix.

 

Hi OB
im going to have to get mine mot'd soon and i will then lay mine up with a slight problem.
we are going to have our garage roof off to do an extension so it will have to live outside over winter.
ive got a cover on it but I'm not sure how it will fare with the strong winds we get in suffolk blowing across the fields.
did you get your tyres in the end, I haven't got mine yet I think it will be a next year job as on the last mot it was only an advisory and ive hardly driven it due to diy issues. Im tiling a bathroom at the moment so im covering the keyboard with tile adhesive while "she who must be obeyed" is giving me dirty looks.