Service, now or after winter

[Noblebenn]

My last service was a full 12k done at St8 Six 13 months ago and I have done 4.5k since.

I am now due a 6k service, on an annual time scale basis only.

I am likely only going to cover maybe 2/300 miles max before the weather improves again so my question is should I service it now before it goes in to hibernation or wait until it comes out ready for it more frequent use, possibly May.

Through winter it will be kept under a thick custom cover and on trickle charge, would you fire it up every couple of weeks and role it or leave it be?

Thanks

[portzi]

If you're not using your beasty over winter ask str8six just to do an oil and filter change, then your engine has had a nice clean oil being pumped around it before it's hibernation. Then get the full 12,000 service next year ready for summer.

[glow worm]

I like to fire them up every month, just to get a bit of oil circulating, but not for long on a couple of minutes. It can be argued running up to temp and not driving does more harm by diluting the oil with petrol. Also I don't leave on charge all the time just every month for a few days to get it back and I don't leave it alarmed. Not sure I'd bother with an oil change now, just wait till spring and get a full service, I know it's said oil absorbs moisture but if you're not running it then maybe be it's a little OTT.
PS Mine are SORN'd so can't take them on the road

Edited by glow worm on Tuesday 25th October 17:11

[TR4man]

glow worm said:

I like to fire them up every month, just to get a bit of oil circulating, but not for long on a couple of minutes.

Edited by glow worm on Tuesday 25th October 17:11

That's interesting, because that is what I was under the impression you shouldn't be doing when a car is laid up.

[glow worm]

TR4man said:

That's interesting, because that is what I was under the impression you shouldn't be doing when a car is laid up.

Do you own a Speed Six ?

[TR4man]

glow worm said:

Do you own a Speed Six ?

No. is it a different procedure when they are "resting"?

[LeeT350c]

I drive mine every week or two so and never lay it up as such unless we're a foot deep in snow or they have dumped a mountain of grit! These cars and engines work better if you do.

Have a low mileage 6k oil and filter done imho.

[fredd1e]

From my own experience of TVRs and old bikes , more seems to go wrong when they are resting than when used, or bits are more likely to fail if not used regularly and then asked to do their jobs again. Seen this happen on my T350C when the throttle pots went bad after a break and odd relays failed on my old Ducati when that was woken from its slumbers (though that was a couple of years of rest).

[Incognegro]

LeeT350c said:

I drive mine every week or two so and never lay it up as such unless we're a foot deep in snow or they have dumped a mountain of grit! These cars and engines work better if you do.

Have a low mileage 6k oil and filter done imho.

^ THIS ^

I do the same but tend to have mine serviced in December with the instructions 'Take as long as you want, Im in no rush'. This means while the car is out of my hands and not going to be driven anyway due to dubious conditions its with the experts who have a duty to give it back to me running as it should!