Laying up your
Petrol.
Modern petrol has ethanol which will
become less volatile more quickly than older petrol and will erode old fuel
systems. We recommend draining the whole system. Alternatively add Ethanolmate
if you do not already have it in the petrol and make sure it reaches the
carburettor.
Water.
If you have antifreeze of a reasonable
strength it will protect the water system and can be left in the system.
Otherwise drain all the water out and leave the filler cap on the bonnet or on
the driver’s seat to remind you not to start the engine until you have replaced
the water.
Oil
Oil will deteriorate over time but not
just for a few months. If laying-up
for longer and if it has oil that has done some considerable miles, drain and
put fresh oil in.
Engine
Even if there is petrol still in the
tank, it is not advisable to keep starting the engine for a few minutes in, say,
the garage as it will not get to a high temperature just turning without a load
and will encourage condensation.
Instead turn it over on the starting handle or on the starter motor before
recharging the battery every month.
Tyres
Tyres will develop a flat spot if they
are left standing in the same place for long. So either jack the whole car up
and put it on axle stands or over inflate the tyres to 35-40 p.s.i.
New cars coming off the production
line, usually have the tyres over-inflated so they do not flat-spot while
waiting for delivery.
Battery
Batteries will naturally discharge
slowly even when disconnected. Disconnect the battery and keep it fully charged
either by the use of a battery charger that has the facility to automatically
keep the battery fully charged or make a note in your diary to put the battery
on charge every month. Do not discharge and recharge it, as advised in some
publications, this will only harm a car battery. They are not designed to be
fully discharged, known as deep cycling, as in caravan batteries.