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MG TD TF 1500 - Over the Winter

This will be our first full winter together. Actually, it will be the car's first full "real" winter after arriving from California last February.

During the winter, when the car ('54 TF 1500 - HDC46 6846/XPEG 797 - it's just fun to say all that) will not be driven much, which is best?:

To start it up once or twice a week and run it for a short period of time (sitting in the garage - with ventilation of course); or

Just leave it be and drive it around some as the weather permits.

I think I heard that the former can be hard on the motor, specifically the valves.

Thanks to all. Greg
Greg Van Hook

Don't start it up unless you are planning on getting it to full temperature for about 30 minutes. Plus you have to run it at operating RPM's not idle. If not you will accumulate all sorts of moisture in the oil, that in turn can turn to acid and you will cause more damage.

If you aren't going to drive it then you should probably go through a winter storage proceedure.

Chris
Chris Couper

Greg:

You could always drive it to Florida for the winter....and park in my garage along side my TF1500. Mine happens to be HDP46 7022/XPEG852. It too was a California car (Dads) They probably were built almost side by side! or just as yours was being rolled out of final assembly mine was being rolled in.

The offer stands!

Jim
Jim Rice

Chris,

Your good advice begs other questions for me. The car obviously has a thermostat suited to the southern California climate (e.g., it's rare when the air temperature falls below 40 F, and the average must be something like 75 or 80 F). When driving in cool weather here (40 - 55 F), the temperature gage needle never moves of the peg at 35 C. So, I'm wondering if during those conditions, does the motor even come up to operating temperature? Am I doing damage? Do I need a "winter" thermostat? Is there such a thing? Or should I change the ratio of antifreeze to water to suit the season? Now it's about 50/50 'cause I wanted to be safe when the car was transported last winter. On the other hand, even during the hottest summer temps here, the car never exceeded the 85 C mark.

Greg
Greg Van Hook

Are you sure your thermostat is closing? I would suspect that it should still get to around 60C even in 40-45F temps outside?

I think that you can replace the interal thermostats with other temps but I have not done so myself. You might do a archive search as I believe I had seen discussion on this topic below.

Chris
Chris Couper

Greg.....we drive our TF 1250 (HDC 46/6688, XPAG/TF 36351)on a year round basis. Weather permitting, above freezing, dry and salt free roads. In fact, one year I drove at least two days/month with the top down. Even took a spin on New Year's Day 2000. Only stupid bloody Englishmen do things like that, just so you know who you are dealing with.

Proceedure for winter:
Change oil and filter 20W-50. Lube.
Check Antifreeze for 50/50% blend
Fill fuel tank and add Stabil
Clean and reinstall plugs.
Put up top and curtains
Open the window storage compartment. (no creature nests).
Open 1 gallon of fresh ammonia and leave bottle in footwell. (anti creature gas)
Put car on large sheet of cardboard.
Disconnect battery leads and trickle charge.
Lubricate leather with Hide Food.
Cover with cotton MG Mitten
Turn on heater.

I now have a heated garage(50 deg), but I would put a 75 W bulb under the engine to reduce any moisture condensate.



colin stafford

Colin, I agree with every thing you mentioned about winter storage, but while the plugs are out, I put in a few healthy squirts of oil into each cylinder, then slowly crank over a few times with the hand crank. And, seeing that I don't have a heated garage, I put a plastic sheet under the car as a vapor barrier.
Steve

Greg - This has nothing, whatsoever to do with how to store your car for the winter, or whether or not to run it periodically. You need to check your temperature gauge. If it is never coming off of the peg at 35 degrees C (at 95 degrees F, that is not even body temperature), it would appear that your gauge is not registering. Since a thermostat (regardless of whether it is "winter" or "summer") only sets the lowest temperature the engine will run at and even with no thermostat, the TD should still be running at somthhing well above 35 degrees C. You may well have a thermostat that is stuck open as Chris suggests or have no thermostat in the system at all, but you should still see something registering on the gauge. Stick a meat thermometer in the neck of the radiator after the engine is well warmed up and see what the temperature really is, then proceed from there. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Colin,
Agree with all of your list with 1 notable exception! As the Chief of Safety at my unit, I would advise against a 75W bulb under an engine that both leaks (by design!) and runs on gasoline!!
Bob
Robert Dougherty

I would not use 20W-50 oil in a vehicle that would even be used little in the winter. 20W-50 will peg the oil pressure gauge when the engine is started in a cold garage. You could also shear an oil pump drive. I don't know of any manufacturer recommending that heavy an oil for winter use in northern climates, although my newest vehicle is 1981. I would use 10W-30. It's heavy enough for cold weather unless one is driving many hours at high speed. The lighter weight also makes for easier starting as the engine will crank faster.
Blake J.

Our Tf1500 gets left sitting for up to a couple of months at times, never seems to do it any harm. couple of seconds for the petrol pump to stop ticking and it always starts on the second pull. Its about the best starting car weve got, certainly the best starting english one
Paul

JB in SD.......I only have ever put 20W-50 in our car, but remember I have a heated garage that never goes below 48 deg. I like to have fresh oil in the system before winter and don't want to be bothered with two oil changes. By the way the TF has a oil pressure relief valve set at 75 psi, so I never peg the oil gauge even with the 20W and cold temps. Car starts very easily. Even in the summer my OP is at the max. of 75 psi when running about 3500 rpm. Its a good soild 33,000 mile moto
colin stafford

With the optional high pressure spring (80 lbs.) in my TD's oil pressure relief valve, the engine oil pressure would peg the gauge if run over 2000 RPM when cold started even with 10W-40 in a semi-heated garage. I had to be very careful that the engine RPMS were kept quite low until the engine warmed up. That's why I took the extra spring out. Hot summer running temp with the extra spring would usually be 65 lbs.

Even though you're starting the car in a heated garage, the operating temperature in cold weather is much lower.

Again, I do not know of any car manufacturer recommending 20W-50 for winter use below 20 F.
Blake J.

This thread was discussed between 31/10/2002 and 13/11/2002

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