Stag laid up for winter - To turn (the engine) or not to turn?

[Dieter H. Marschall]

Hello everybody,

I know here we have two different "religions": Some drivers say you should turn the engine by habd (without petrol pump and ignition). Others say this has more negative results.

What do you say? As always, your advice is highly appreciated.

Kind regards, Dieter.

[peter f]

imported post

Hi Dieter,

Had a run in mine last weekend afterbeing laid up for a couple of months.

I always take of the lead from the coil, after a lay up, and spin the engine until the green oil light goes out, then reattach the lead and fire it up as normal. I believe this helps oil to get to the camshafts before it fires.

regards,

Peter

[NickA]

imported post

I simply run mine up to temperature every month or so in the garage over the winter Nothing fancy I just let the engine run for 30-40 minutes

[european voyager]

imported post

I run it up every so often as well , Ive let it sit before and not touched it and found it ticking which I think was a sticking piston ring so Im with the start it up side now.

[whereufromnosecity]

imported post

I run or try to use mine once a week during the winter months

Idon't like the thought of just leaving it the garage for months with no use, itcan't do any good

Stu E

[V8 Rumbler]

imported post

The best thing to do is drive it. Even if it is once a fortnight---go for a drive of at least 30 mins

Darren

[Guest]

imported post

V8 Rumbler wrote:

The best thing to do is drive it. Even if it is once a fortnight---go for a drive of at least 30 mins

Darren

HERE HERE - but enjoy yourself and make it an hour

Dieter, is there any point in you laying it up ? Do they salt the roads in Germany ? Martin.

[GDPR]

imported post

I think they do Martin, but if I remember right our wonderful government commandeered a huge shipment of salt bound for Germany a couple of weeks ago...

Just another example of the incompetence that hopefully we won't have to suffer from after May.....

[Dieter H. Marschall]

imported post

Hello,

You can rely on one thing: our roads are heavily salted as soon as snow or ice are forecasted. So driving the Stag in winter might help the engine, but not the rest of the car.

Funnily enough the same government that turns our roads into "salty dogs" prohibits the use of salt on private pavements.

Kind regards, Dieter.

[Moraystag]

imported post

Gent's this topic comes up again and again "to start or not to start", and I have found myself asking this question a few times recently. Good point from Dieter though regarding the damage the salt may do to the rest of the car.

There is absolutely no way I will take mine out on the roads here {Northern Scotland}at the moment, they are laden with salt and generally soaking wet most of the time with melt water running from the fields. I could'nt justify covering the old lady with salt after paying out for respray at the end of the summer.

I have been starting mine as regular as possible, no problems encountered so far, would like to take her out if the bloody roads were better



Mike

[Ian B]

imported post

Unless you are trying to save road tax or petrol cost then take the car out, I have taken my Stag out on a regular basis every winter since it was restored and salt or no salt still shows no signs of body workproblems.

If it has been outon a particularly salty road then just jet wash the wheel arches and under car; surely we have thesecars to enjoy 12 months of the year not to be locked away forthe winter.the engine will always be better if it is used on a regular basis.



the other alternative is Grahams, park the stag at the back of the garage and buy a Trevor for the winter - but that is the expensive alternative.

Ian

[Moraystag]

imported post

Gent's weather turned out nice today so guess who took the Stag out for a run. Not far mind you but enough to blow the cobwebs away. She was however a little reluctant to start, but hopefully this is just a result of the recent weather. Great to get the old beast out, felt like a wee boy again, amazing how a little Stag R & R gets the juices flowing again LOL LOL LOL



mike

[sax player]

imported post

If you are going to lay her up for a while , i would remove the plugs, get some engine oil in the cylinders. Then once a week turn her over on the ignition key until you register an oil pressure.

shaun