As a recent new XJR owner I have a concern with storing my car for the next 4 months. First let me say that my storage area is heated (50F) with a concrete floor and I have stored my other cars for up to a year at a time with out issues. But none of them have been a Jaguar. So I have changed the oil, topped the gas tank with stabilizer added and disconnected the battery. That said, should I be concerned with the parking brake being engaged for the duration? Will it effect the disc? Should I start the car every month and idle to operating temp? Do the tires need to be spun to prevent flat spots. I have Michelin Pilot Super Sports inflated to 50psi for the time being. Any other items that I should have thought of? The forum member's suggestions are much appreciated.

 

Assuming the car's on the flat I'd leave the EPB disengaged.

"The EPB is automatically applied when the key is removed from the ignition switch. If you wish to keep the EPB off, press and hold the EPB switch down and, at the same time, remove the key."

 

Same.
And if possible, wheels chocked on specific rounded supports to avoid the flat spots.
Also I wouldn't start the car every month just for idling. Better run the engine and drive the car for say at least 20 kms/30 mins.

 

You've already done more than enough to prepare the car. I use a battery tender in addition, to avoid the hassle of detaching the battery and ensure that the car is ready to go in the spring. I don't release the EPB as there's no reason to.

Do NOT start the engine unless you're going drive the car a good long distance.

 

What a nice spacious garage is this home or storage facility? Lovely Jag too.

 

Tim,

If you don't mind may I piggyback off your question? I am also storing my car for the next several months. However; I needed to move it recently. It had been sitting for about 2 months and when I fired it up it, the engine made a knocking so loud it sounded like someone was taking a hammer to it. I shut it off immediately. Then naturally my impatience took over and I started it again after about 15 min. The loud nocking was gone but there was a much lower rhythmic knock.

The car is a 2005 XJR with 80k. It ran fine when put up 60 days ago. It needed some belt updating and new hoses but nothing has snapped. I know that diagnostic via an internet thread is tough but any ideas would be appreciated.

If this is highjacking the OP please disregard and I will create another thread.

Thanks, happy holidays,
Griff

 

Not running an engine during several months means taking the risk of no oil film between moving parts when restarting, especially if the oil is not of the right spec and "new".
Best is to take the car for a drive every ... weeks (make your choice, I don't go beyond 2).
Also in the case of the X350, there is a possibility that the air shocks are not perfectly tight when you shut down the engine, meaning that once the air reservoir is depleted, you run the risk to let the car fall down and the shocks remain in a position that may damage the air bladders. The car should be checked from time to time to avoid that.
Sorry if I also contributed to divert the thread

 

Sorry to be rude, but that's just not true. There's millions of cars, new and old that sits for months or years without being started and suffer no damage.

There's as much residual oil on parts that have been sitting for three years as there is for parts that have been sitting for three hours. This is a first handed observation.

 

Sorry to disagree, hoping not being rude.
There may be "oil" but not of the required quality because of oxidation/chemical evolution (which is aggravated in very thin films) upon time. Hence no real protection at start-up.
Each one his choice.

 

Yet there's hundreds of millions of engines that disagree. Theory vs. reality.

I spent 31 years in a professional capacity attempting to balance the two. Being retired does not excuse me from continuing.

 

It is not theory.
That's just called wear, it adds up upon the engine life, you notice the result at the end.

 

Tim, if you've stored other vehicles in the past, there's nothing mystical about the Jag.

I store mine in an unheated garage. I don't start it in the winter. I've never had issues in the spring aside from an occasional squeaky belt on initial startup.

I park it on plastic because moisture will leach up from concrete. I over inflate the tires, as you do. I put steel wool in the exhaust as a critter deterrent. I also throw mothballs around the perimeter and dryer sheets on the floor of the interior (additional critter deterrent). I add fuel stabilizer, leave the battery connected but use a battery maintainer, than lastly, cover the car and wait impatiently for spring. I change the oil in the spring.

Paydase, one of the problems we encounter here in the upper midwest of the U.S. is the use of corrosive chemicals, in addition to salt on the roads in winter. I wouldn't put my X350 through a car wash ever but even if Tim did, he's still have to drive back to storage, accumulating more salt on his car. So unless he has a car wash in that big ole heated garage, he's better off not starting the vehicle. (And no, neither you or Mikey are being rude)

 

I've been looking for this 'wear' for 45+ years (31 of which I got paid to do look) and am still waiting.

At midpoint of my career, a lawsuit was about to be launched against my employer about our strict rules for bringing engines back to service after prolonged storage. The thinking of the day was that old residual oil was neither sufficient in quantity or quality to permit start up with acceptably low probability of damage. Boy, were we wrong. Couldn't find even one case to substantiate the theory.

All our maintenance manual (FAA,TC, CAA and EASA approved) were changed in the early 1990s and no adverse change in reliability or durability has been noted.

We moved on to other things to worry about, most of which were also non-issues.

 

Salt is a good reason not to drive in winter.
Dry garage is a plus, when possible.
Electrical contacts and precise mechanical systems (e.g. carbs) rust when cars are stored in a non dry environment and are not used often enough, hence issues in ignition, fuelling, airco, brakes, etc. of undriven classic or youngtimer cars.
It is also valid for modern cars though time takes its toll later...
Now eveybody does as he so wants. I prefer driving/enjoying/maintaining my cars on a regular basis whenever possible (no salt here)

 

This is a private site of my friend just a few minutes from my house. I can only store a couple cars at my place before it becomes a hassle.

 

Paydase and Mikey I appreciate the friendly banter regarding oil protection at startup. When I was overseas for a couple of times, my cars sat for the whole duration. I still have them and even with the high miles the engines have been fine. Then again, I have used synthetic oil even in my classic American automobiles.
Thank you both for the input.

 

Sean W.
I could wash the car upon returning from a winter run. We are having a rather clear winter so far. The original owner prior to me had never driven it in snow/winter and it was evident when I put it up on the hoist. Clean as any Arizona car I've owned before. So yes it will remain in doors for the winter. I can't wait for Spring 2017. I hope it comes early. Thank you for the input.

 

I know the chemicals they're using here in MN on the roads is brutal on cars and it's pitting the hell out of my garage floor where my wife parks her SRX. I decided when I bought my Jag, I didn't want to subject the aluminum body to the chemicals, but perhaps that's just me. I'm guessing each State is using different chemicals and some are still just using salt.

Just a thought Tim. You may want to start another thread on car washing. I only hand washed my SV8 when I had it. I've read several threads where car washes played havoc with the electronics (I think MAF sensor, certainly the park assist sensors and the sun roof).
I prefer washing all my cars by hand anyway but since you're new to Jaguar, you may want to do a search or start a thread on this subject. I'm a bit removed from the model now and memory isn't what it once was.

Enjoy the ride and if you're ever nearby, look me up.

 

The engines would still be fine even with standard dino oil.

If there's one thing that will cause engine wear, it's cold start ups. Why people insist on starting them just for the sake of starting them is beyond me.

 

Regarding cold engine start up and wear when I started my Jag after two months it had a knock so loud I thought the lifters are going to blow and it doesn't have lifters. I've been starting it every day since I posted earlier in this thread and it purrs like a kitten, go figure. :eek