16 replies to this topic

[mambaman]

For future reference, if you ever store a mini and dont want problems when u start it up, its best to turn the engine over (not start) at least every few months. This will prevent rings sticking and oil draining out of beairngs (well drying up if its left for ages). Its always best to do a quick oil change aswell before you lay it up, lob some clean cheap stuff in to keep the bottom end sitting fresh, and change it again after everythings confirmed working and its been for a run.

Use fresh petrol when you start it up, or it wont start up/run properly. You might also find it'll smoke when u first start it up (if you've put oil in the cylinders it'll do this anyway), this is very common on engines which have stood for ages, infact my brothers pug did the same thing when i started it up the other day (had been left for a year without starting). If the engine continues to smoke underlaod when its warmed up then u can try using some redex to clean up the rings over night (tablespoon trickled down the cylinders), im not sure how effective this is not having to ever try this before.

When its all working properly, do a full service.

The above came from what i did with my ritz about 8 years ago when i layed it up to goto uni/college. Was the suggestion of a chap at the local garage.

[taffy1967]

I've heard of people putting Redex down the bores and they claimed a load of black muck and stuff came out the exhaust and then it was nice and clean again.

I did wonder wether it would have been better to use Redex to do the lubricating job instead of oil, but everyone recommended using oil, so i've now done that anyway.

But if I do need to use Redex, which one should I use as there's a few products about and the one I was looking at the other day was for lead replacement in the petrol tank. I guess there's an engine one available too then?