Storing over winter
Discussion
I have made the plunge and handed over a very large cheque for my Elise. Everything on my tick list: 2000 on a W plate, Titanium with black hood, 18,000 miles FSH. Black leather, MOMO, chrome bits, drilled disks dustless pads, Janspeed twin lightweight exhaust. Not too many chips.
Thing is I now need to store it until spring. Any advice on the best conditions (covered/uncovered), what needs routinely doing over the winter to prevent problems when awoken in the spring (battery on a trickle charge, moving it, starting it up, oiling and greasing bits?)??
Thing is I now need to store it until spring. Any advice on the best conditions (covered/uncovered), what needs routinely doing over the winter to prevent problems when awoken in the spring (battery on a trickle charge, moving it, starting it up, oiling and greasing bits?)??
Seems like a shame to me but hey...
[quote=Dave Massey (Lotus' Senior Technical Author)]
How to lay up your Lotus for winter: Don’t! Use your Lotus all year round. But if you must:
Thoroughly wash the car using a pressure washer to clear any salt residue from the underside and chassis crevices. Allow drying completely, then waxing - polishing the paintwork. If garage stored, leave the windows open slightly to ventilate the interior. Use protective silicone spray ( e.g. WD40 ) over the engine to inhibit corrosion and moisture getting in. Consider the use of a dehumidifier.
The Battery must be kept in a charged state to sustain its performance. Modern mains operated battery management charges may be left connected to the installed vehicle battery to continuously monitor battery charge and provide a trickle charge only as when needed. If the car is stored with on mains access, the battery should be removed from the vehicle and bench charged.
Fill the fuel tank to reduce the air space and cover the interior walls of the tank which are susceptible to internal rusting.
Inflate the tyres to 44psi to reduce "flatspotting" and if possible, roll the car occasionally to a different tread patch.
Chock the wheels and leave off the parking brake to prevent the pads from sticking. Lightly spray the brake discs with WD40, but beware of the first subsequent brake application!
[/quote]
Nick Adams said:
It's a good idea to give the car a run every week or so just to keep it ticking over. The battery is known to last only about 2 weeks if the car is left undriven, so a battery charger/conditioner is recommended.
When leaving for prolonged periods, it is recommended to leave it in neutral.
[quote=Dave Massey (Lotus' Senior Technical Author)]
How to lay up your Lotus for winter: Don’t! Use your Lotus all year round. But if you must:
Thoroughly wash the car using a pressure washer to clear any salt residue from the underside and chassis crevices. Allow drying completely, then waxing - polishing the paintwork. If garage stored, leave the windows open slightly to ventilate the interior. Use protective silicone spray ( e.g. WD40 ) over the engine to inhibit corrosion and moisture getting in. Consider the use of a dehumidifier.
The Battery must be kept in a charged state to sustain its performance. Modern mains operated battery management charges may be left connected to the installed vehicle battery to continuously monitor battery charge and provide a trickle charge only as when needed. If the car is stored with on mains access, the battery should be removed from the vehicle and bench charged.
Fill the fuel tank to reduce the air space and cover the interior walls of the tank which are susceptible to internal rusting.
Inflate the tyres to 44psi to reduce "flatspotting" and if possible, roll the car occasionally to a different tread patch.
Chock the wheels and leave off the parking brake to prevent the pads from sticking. Lightly spray the brake discs with WD40, but beware of the first subsequent brake application!
[/quote]
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