Moving overseas for a year. What do I need to do with the escort?

oysta · 20-02-2008, 11:50 AM

GDay fellow Escorters,

I'm moving overseas for a year and cant bare to part with my mk2. Is there anything I need to do before I let it sit, or perhaps when I come back.

Cheers

Sterling · 20-02-2008, 12:05 PM

do u mean anything big? or just small things...

cuz one thing is the clutch on the 2.0's has a habit of becoming strongly stuck. so there must be a way around this.

your battery... put it somewhere were it wont freeze to death.

dont know much about tyres but i no some cant sit in one spot for a year so having the car on stands might help. oh and put a mouse + bug keeper awayer... you dont want to get back 2 mouse poo and dead spiders all over your car do you? not 2 mention mice will eat your interior and sometimes rubber hoses. good luck

oysta · 20-02-2008, 01:01 PM

Thanks Sterling,

I'm looking for small and big things, specifically things like the clutch that you mentioned. With the clutch issue, do you think it could be overcome by either disconnecting the clutch cable or otherwise keeping the pedel depressed. I'm guessing it would be the second option since then the plates will not be in contact. By stuck, do you mean the plates become stuck or the rotation of the clutch becomes stuck if you understand what I mean.

Sterling · 20-02-2008, 02:30 PM

the clutch friction pad/wear pad glues itself to the flywheel.

dont see why it would be bad to leave the clutch pedal down if the engine wasnt running, so try that. if the clutch is left for a whole year it will definately have to be taken out and unstuck and in some cases the flywheel will need machining

krt10 · 20-02-2008, 07:25 PM

on stands, in a shed AND under a car cover with windows closed and what not. might be good to put some plastic over the interior. draining the radiator fluid will help prevent rust too. i would personally flush the system when i was ready to use it again though.

pretty much try and do everything to ensure its out of the weather. dont wanna come back and find rust

whooligan · 20-02-2008, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sterling

the clutch friction pad/wear pad glues itself to the flywheel.

dont see why it would be bad to leave the clutch pedal down if the engine wasnt running, so try that. if the clutch is left for a whole year it will definately have to be taken out and unstuck and in some cases the flywheel will need machining

I don't think you'd need to machine the flywheel. I had my Escort off the road for 18 months. Just had to charge the battery. Clutch freed up straight away. Sprayed a bit of lithium grease on the clutch cable and some WD40 in through the bellhousing and it was right within a few laps of the block. Change the oil and coolant before you head off and go for a long drive and it should be right.....Might have to replace a few seals when you get back though.

oysta · 20-02-2008, 10:55 PM

When you say to put it on stands, is that under the chassis to take pressure off the suspension or simply under the axles?

Yellow_Festiva · 20-02-2008, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krt10

on stands, in a shed AND under a car cover with windows closed and what not. might be good to put some plastic over the interior. draining the radiator fluid will help prevent rust too. i would personally flush the system when i was ready to use it again though.

pretty much try and do everything to ensure its out of the weather. dont wanna come back and find rust

A radiator should always be stored with water actually. Draining and leaving it dry will cause more harm then good.

To the person leaving the car. Have you a trustworthy mate that can take it out for a half hr drive every month perhaps? Or will you be unregistering it?

atec77 · 20-02-2008, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oysta

GDay fellow Escorters,

I'm moving overseas for a year and cant bare to part with my mk2. Is there anything I need to do before I let it sit, or perhaps when I come back.

Cheers

On stands with the tyres well inflated , fresh oil and radiator fluid with the green stuff added and if you can get some Toyota rad pink use it as well , pull the plugs and battery adding some light oil down the pots( spin it a little ) and replace the plugs then make sure the car is clean and covered with a suitable tarp in the garage... Battery will be shot when you get back but it should start easily

Sterling · 21-02-2008, 09:18 AM

um yeh put the stands at the chassis rails or crossmembers. it will give ur suspension a year long holiday anyway

oysta · 21-02-2008, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

A radiator should always be stored with water actually. Draining and leaving it dry will cause more harm then good.

To the person leaving the car. Have you a trustworthy mate that can take it out for a half hr drive every month perhaps? Or will you be unregistering it?

It will be unregistered. $600 in rego is a bit steep if I wont be driving it. Might get the old man to start it every once in a while.

JamesR · 21-02-2008, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oysta

It will be unregistered. $600 in rego is a bit steep if I wont be driving it. Might get the old man to start it every once in a while.

just make sure it will pass roadworthy no worries then.
remember that it will have to be roadworthy checked and re-registered, could end up costing more in the end.

whooligan · 22-02-2008, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

A radiator should always be stored with water actually. Draining and leaving it dry will cause more harm then good.

To the person leaving the car. Have you a trustworthy mate that can take it out for a half hr drive every month perhaps? Or will you be unregistering it?

You should NEVER use water in a radiator, other than to flush it out. Always use coolant!!!!!

krt10 · 23-02-2008, 10:58 PM

some coolants have 50/50 ratio or more. you can also get the coolant concentrates where you only use a few hundred milliliters and fill the rest up with distilled water. using just coolant can harm your cooling system depending on what type you use.

Yellow_Festiva · 24-02-2008, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whooligan

You should NEVER use water in a radiator, other than to flush it out. Always use coolant!!!!!

I was meaning coolant, I just refered to it as water...

:

melbzetec · 24-02-2008, 09:24 AM

Got this off an American Honda site. I take no responsibility for its content!!!

However, most sources I've seen say you shouldn't leave petrol in the tank, as after 3 months it will start to break down and leave residues.This one suggests a fuel stabilizer which I quess prevents this

The suggestion on adding light motor oil to your tank (below) is an intereting and slightly frightening one!

I also remember some oil companies made an engine oil specifically for storage, or an additive to add to rfresh engine oil. Worth ringing one of the oil companies for advice on that

(From Honda US forum)

Re: LONG TERM STORAGE

Storage Checklist:

Drain and flush the radiator, refill with new antifreeze.
Place a cover of some kind over the radiator overflow line, bugs will make a home there and plug the line.
Change the Engine Oil and filter. Used oil is acidic and may harm your engine over a long period of time.
Lubricate all the grease fittings, the door, hood & trunk hinges.
Pour a couple of quarts of light weight engine oil into the gas tank.
Start engine and run it until you get lots of blue smoke out the exhaust. (This coats inside of the Carb, intake manifold, cylinders and the exhaust with a light coat of oil to prevent corrosion.)
Top off the gas tank, add fuel stablizer. If the gas tank has a vent line, be sure to cover it.
Cover the ends of the exhaust to prevent critters from making a home in the exhaust.
Remove the aircleaner and cover the top of the carb with light plastic and then reinstall the aircleaner.
Remove the battery and store it away from the car.
Put a light coat of wax on the paint and chrome.
Clean the interior of the car.
Adding moth balls (every where), a open box of baking soda and some rat poison in the car to deter rodent making it their home.
Use a rubber lubricant on the door and trunk seals.
Put the car on jack stands just high enough that the tires do not touch the ground.
Make sure you release the hand or parking brake.
Cover the car with quality car cover. Be sure the cover does not go all the way to the floor or ground, it is important for air to circulate under the car.
If you are worried about theft, remove the rotor from the distributor and store it with the keys.
Place a copy of the storage checklist in the glove box to use when you remove the car from storage.

When you are ready to remove from storage:

Reinstall battery.
Remove the cover on the carb and radiator oveflow line.
Reinstall the rotor in the distributor.
Drain the engine oil, replace the oil filter and make sure you fill the ne oil filter with some oil before placing back into its location.
Fill the engine with oil.
Check the dip stick to verify that the oil is flowing freely onto the engine.
Drain your cooling system completely and replace with new cooling mixture.
Remove the bag from the air intake, remove the air intake and check the trottle body for any rust, there shouldn't be any, prime the trottle body by putting about 2 ounces of gasoline directly.
Place the air intake back properly,
Move the key from lock to just where you can hear the fuel pump working do this at least 10 times and try starting at the 11th time.
Only turn on for about 10 seconds and turn it off, check your oil level and top up.
Now you can turn it on and go for a ride making sure to test your brakes by doing a few go and stops at slow speed before you decide to go far.

This is just a general checklist to look into.
Might missed out some stuff.