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Sports car chat

Anyway, back on thread (sort of).
My Z4 has been on a trickle charger for 4 months (green light on charger so healthy battery) and I pumped up the tyres to 40psi all round and laid up.

Apart from reducing the tyre pressures back to normal, what else should I do, other than start it?

As some of you know, my health has been up and down so I've been unable to drive.
 
I would be tempted to turn it over, with the fuel pump disabled to build up oil pressure.
Start it. Warm it up gently and get some fresh fuel in it.
I would drive it for a short period, and then get an oil change done.
 
CageyH said:
I would be tempted to turn it over, with the fuel pump disabled to build up oil pressure.
Start it. Warm it up gently and get some fresh fuel in it.
I would drive it for a short period, and then get an oil change done.
Click to expand...
Thank you.
It had about £15 worth of premium fuel in before laying up.
Had an oil change in September 2022 but only driven 600 miles on it.

Do I disconnect the fuse on the fuel pump to build up oil pressure?

Thanks again
 
I'm no mechanic but I'd be wanitng to drive it a few yards at least, and turn the power steering a few times a year.
 
Previous sporty car that I was a bit meh till you went silly speeds, which are just silly, so I went with half the power.


and went for one of these:





The 996 was lightly tuned and was punting out mid 500bhp with loads of turbo torque.
The Elise has been lightly fettled by its previous keepers. Of course I've had to keep up that tradition.
I've had it on a hub dyno at a hair below 280bhp but with quite a benign toque curve, nothing like the turbo.
 
Okay, guys.

I've had cars standing still off the road during the winter many, many times. Once for a year and a half. This is what I do, some of it I've learned the hard way.
Before:
- Preferably have an oil change done, or at least a recent one. Same with brake fluid.
- Fill up the tank with petrol. Yes, it should be full of petrol. Why? There will be water condensation in the tank, the less amount of air inside, the less water. In old car with steel tanks it can even start to rust (it has happened to me).
- Have a salt moist collecting thing inside (don't know the English word, please help me). Most important if it's in the summer.
- Be ware of mice, don't leave anything open.
During:
- Regularly charge the battery. New cars can be tricky if you disconnect the battery.
- Change the moist collecting salt regularly.
- Check tire pressure.
- Give the car a pat or two.
After:
- Check tire pressure.
- Start up normally and drive slowly away.
Don't:
- Start the engine to 'warm it up'. It only wears it down a bit more. If you insist on this stupidity, really do warm it up before switching off again.
 
firestorm said:
Previous sporty car that I was a bit meh till you went silly speeds, which are just silly, so I went with half the power.


and went for one of these:





The 996 was lightly tuned and was punting out mid 500bhp with loads of turbo torque.
The Elise has been lightly fettled by its previous keepers. Of course I've had to keep up that tradition.
I've had it on a hub dyno at a hair below 280bhp but with quite a benign toque curve, nothing like the turbo.
Click to expand...
How have you got the Elise to 280 - supercharger?
 
RJohan said:
Okay, guys.

I've had cars standing still off the road during the winter many, many times. Once for a year and a half. This is what I do, some of it I've learned the hard way.
Before:
- Preferably have an oil change done, or at least a recent one. Same with brake fluid.
- Fill up the tank with petrol. Yes, it should be full of petrol. Why? There will be water condensation in the tank, the less amount of air inside, the less water. In old car with steel tanks it can even start to rust (it has happened to me).
- Have a salt moist collecting thing inside (don't know the English word, please help me). Most important if it's in the summer.
- Be ware of mice, don't leave anything open.
During:
- Regularly charge the battery. New cars can be tricky if you disconnect the battery.
- Change the moist collecting salt regularly.
- Check tire pressure.
- Give the car a pat or two.
After:
- Check tire pressure.
- Start up normally and drive slowly away.
Don't:
- Start the engine to 'warm it up'. It only wears it down a bit more. If you insist on this stupidity, really do warm it up before switching off again.
Click to expand...
The moisture reducing device is a " dehumidifier. "
Otherwise I'd go with this, more or less. I'm of the view that if I can crank it over without it firing then that's good news, but you haven't drained it so the oil pump is full and it will pump up quickly. Engine loads at idle are low so I'd just let it run slowly for a few seconds, don't rev it, then drive off gently. Are the brakes free? Handbrake off I hope. Likewise the clutch, check it's not stuck.
 
Great advice. Thanks again.

My car is automatic so has been left in PARK with the handbrake off on a level floor.

I'll check under the bonnet for rodent evidence but I have no oil dipstick on the engine (digital display that only activates once the engine is warm).

Question. Tyre pressures are 40psi. Should be around 34psi.
Shall I drive it a few miles at 40psi, without hooning it. Allow the tyres to get to ambient then drop to 34psi?

Just want to make sure there's no flat spots (don't expect any).

TIA
 
myles said:
How have you got the Elise to 280 - supercharger?
Click to expand...
Rotrex, chargecooler, injectors, fuel pump


AnilS said:
Great advice. Thanks again.

My car is automatic so has been left in PARK with the handbrake off on a level floor.

I'll check under the bonnet for rodent evidence but I have no oil dipstick on the engine (digital display that only activates once the engine is warm).

Question. Tyre pressures are 40psi. Should be around 34psi.
Shall I drive it a few miles at 40psi, without hooning it. Allow the tyres to get to ambient then drop to 34psi?

Just want to make sure there's no flat spots (don't expect any).

TIA
Click to expand...

I'd lower the tyres to operating pressures before taking it out.
 
AnilS said:
Question. Tyre pressures are 40psi. Should be around 34psi.
Shall I drive it a few miles at 40psi, without hooning it. Allow the tyres to get to ambient then drop to 34psi?
Click to expand...
No. Absolutely not. 34 psi is the safe pressure while the car is in use. 40 psi is not approved as a safe pressure for operation, so deflate them to ~34 before going anywhere. The 40psi has done its job.

Obviously check that the brakes are working adequately at low speeds , they will be but they might stick a bit at first.
 
firestorm said:
Rotrex, chargecooler, injectors, fuel pump
Click to expand...
My VX is supercharged/charge cooled and I could go up past the 250 but I'm concerned about the reliability of just being told it had Eagle rods fitted a while ago! 300 is risky ground with stock internals.
 
myles said:
My VX is supercharged/charge cooled and I could go up past the 250 but I'm concerned about the reliability of just being told it had Eagle rods fitted a while ago! 300 is risky ground with stock internals.
Click to expand...

Nice, always liked the type 116.
Mine has been rebuilt, Mahle LC forged pistons, new oil pump, but I don't know anything about the rods or crank. I was given the option of pushing it past 300bhp, I know of a couple with 330 ish, but it's plenty quick already. Mine doesn't have loads of low down torque, it feels like a much bigger NA engine that likes to rev. I've chosen to keep it at 280bhp.
A weak point on these is the gearbox, the one I have has Jubu internals and a Quaife ATB LSD.
 
AnilS said:
Great advice. Thanks again.

My car is automatic so has been left in PARK with the handbrake off on a level floor.

I'll check under the bonnet for rodent evidence but I have no oil dipstick on the engine (digital display that only activates once the engine is warm).

Question. Tyre pressures are 40psi. Should be around 34psi.
Shall I drive it a few miles at 40psi, without hooning it. Allow the tyres to get to ambient then drop to 34psi?

Just want to make sure there's no flat spots (don't expect any).

TIA
Click to expand...
Good luck Anil.

Cheers BB
 
AnilS said:
Thank you.
It had about £15 worth of premium fuel in before laying up.
Had an oil change in September 2022 but only driven 600 miles on it.

Do I disconnect the fuse on the fuel pump to build up oil pressure?

Thanks again
Click to expand...
The problem with the fuel is the ethanol content. It will absorb moisture over time, especially as the tank was not full.

Remove the fuse for the fuel pump. Build up oil pressure. Refit fuse. Start engine. While the car is idling, set the tyre pressures.

Next thing on the list is to clean the corrosion off the brakes. Do this by driving slowly, and applying a light brake pressure. Do this several time until you can no longer her the noise of corroded brake disks. At this point you should now be safe to drive normally. If it were my car, I would drive to the nearest petrol station and fill the tank to be sure that the fuel is ok.
 
firestorm said:
Previous sporty car that I was a bit meh till you went silly speeds, which are just silly, so I went with half the power.
and went for one of these:




The Elise has been lightly fettled by its previous keepers. Of course I've had to keep up that tradition.
I've had it on a hub dyno at a hair below 280bhp but with quite a benign toque curve, nothing like the turbo.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't like to have seen it if they'd decided to go for some heavier fettling instead :)

That's serious shove. A friend of mine had one of the early factory Exige S/C cars, and went the full upgraded charger, injection route through Christopher Neil's place. It was a weapon. I remember at the time being amazed and appalled in equal measure that the damn thing straight out of the factory put out more torque at about 3500-4000 rpm than my N/A one did at peak - never mind bolting on another 50-80bHp :)

After he got the work done, it would accelerate harder in 4th than mind did in 3rd. On the local track days, it was actually a proper Ferrari-eater.

Love that one of yours: the weight of the blower will be lower down than with it stuck up at the top of the engine in the Exige, so a better solution - and - it looks utterly innocent from the outside
 
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