i am thinking of puting my xk in long term storage for a while . working 7 days a week dosent leave much time to go out with the top down . has any body done this? and what kind of things should i expect when i want to put it back on the road in a while? i don't realy want to sell it just set it off to the side for a time. or would i be bettet to let it go and get a second one at a later date ? all the best Dan L.

 

Storing it yourself or putting it into a vehicle storage facility?

Also is 'long term' likely to be months or years?

Graham

 

These cars hold up better when driven regularly. Be aware that one of the most common issues to occur during long-term storage of these cars is fuel pump failure. Drive yours when you can and forget about trying to store it....

 

+1 on daily driver if at all possible - mine is driven 7 days a week - top down 90% of time. why not rotate vehicles every couple days?

 

Living in Canada means storing summer toys for six months a year and winter toys for the other six months. It's not complicated.

How long do you want to store it?

 

thanks for the quick reply guys . as it stands i havent had time to even start her up in 2 mts. as far as a daily driver i am a heavy equiptment mech and don't want to trash the interior.my daily car catches the brunt end of some perty bad days . i can get the in side of that car cleaned up perty easy it is basicley plastic and cloth. as far as how long in hopes a little over a year .i havent made up my mind yet on witch way to go. thanks again for the coments. all the best Dan L .

 

I store mine for 6 months every year. Winters can be pretty awful here.

1. Battery Maintainer, Not a trickle charger. One that shuts off when the battery is full
2. Raise tire pressure to 50psi
3. Fuel Stabilizer, Follow recommendations on the bottle. always run the car after putting it in so it flows into the fuel pump.
4. Mouse traps under the car, damn rodents. Check Weekly, nothing worse than dead mouse smell in the car.

We have stored several cars this way for years and haven't had an issue.

 

There is no way you can find time to drive it for 30 min or so a few nights a week? It is so true you see threads here all the time of folks having these cars not starting after sitting for a long time. Fuel Pumps, batteries, etc.
If it is sitting a year plus maybe you should sell it and buy another when you can drive it frankly.

 

Pretty much the same practice as me, except the stabilizer. No need on modern cars with sealed fuel systems. It's exposure to oxygen (and it's moisture) that causes fuel to go off. My older toys with open systems and/or small carbs get drained completely.

 

I can see the results in the old Carbureted motorcycles, I've accidentally left a bit of gas and what a mess it leaves in just a few months. I suppose I'm hoping that the stabilizer will keep the fuel pump from seizing on the Jag. Might be wishful thinking but it makes me feel better.

 

There's nothing inherent in pure gas or E10 that would promote fuel pump seizure. There's also nothing inherent in stabilizers that would prevent it.

The E10=water=corrosion mantra is way out of control. Assuming the fuel is not contaminated when put in the tank and the cap is properly installed, there's no path for moisture to enter. If there is some residual moisture already in the tank, the ethanol in E10 will absorb/suspend it rendering it harmless.

(Flame suit on) it might just be better to store with E10 than with pure gas. (ducking for cover)

 

All gas will go "off", but as ethanol free gas will not go
"off" as fast, try to use that in the tank before storage
and during storage. Fuel stabiliser is a good idea.

How bad is ethanol in a fuel system during storage?

All of the major North American market marine engine
vendors will check for ethanol in a spring no start
warranty situation. If they find ethanol ....
no warranty. Period.

I also believe a dose of marine TC-W3 two stroke oil
in the tank at 1:500 helps to protect the fuel pump
both during normal use and storage.

I practice what I believe.

 

Source please? Actually don't bother, I've already looked in my owners manual (Mercury) and there's no such thing. In fact Mercury specifically endorses the use of E10.

I practice what I preach too.