Yearly Maintenance ideas

[crooster]

Pull the front bumper and clean out the radiators!

[clickman]

Here's my annual winter bedtime list:

- Fill gas tank.
- Wash, dry and wax
- Top treatment
- Clean interior
- Check CV boots
- Warm oil. Change oil and filter - 8.75 L (with filter). Torque drain plug 19 ft-lb (IMS Guardian or LN magnetic)
- Record mileage of oil/filter change and put sticker in window (+8000 km with Castrol Syntec 5W-40)
- Cut open filter and check for debris.
- Add fuel stabilizer.
- Drive just long enough for oil and stabilized fuel to circulate (5-10 minutes)
- Inflate tires to 58 psi, or max allowable (50 for current tires)
- Place in storage location.
- Leave out of gear. Emerg brake off. Block wheels.
- Block open frunk. Hook up battery maintainer.
- Put on cover

During storage:
- Move to avoid tire flat spots once a month

Spring start-up:
- Adjust tire pressure
- Drive!!

[Perfectlap]

Honestly, unless you live in the North Pole, you should try and take the car out for an hour drive every few weeks at least. These engines need to stay lubricated and that happens best when they are under load. If you have a somewhat heated garage where the engine can start up at a relatively warm temp (to reduce wear) it's a no brainer.
Obviously best to pick a day when the Sun is out and the roads are good.

But yeah keeping your an engine stewing in used oil for months is asking for double trouble.

80K car? Are you on the original water pump? Have you at least replaced the coolant cap? (especially if the coolant was flushed). Did the inspection of your 2.5 prior to purchase you include a compression and leak down test?

[Mark_T]

Originally Posted by clickman

Spring start-up:
- Adjust tire pressure
- Drive!!

Uh-oh... you forgot to unplug the battery tender and you're driving off down the street trailing an extension cord with the plug ripped off!

[clickman]

Mark, you know me only too well. Just stop telling the rest of the forum!

[cardiffgiant]

While flushing the coolant is not a bad idea, keep in mind that there is some preventative maintenance that will require flushing the coolant anyway. Changing the thermosatat and water pump, and possibly replacing the collant reservoir would cause yo uto have to replac the coolant again anyway.

Originally Posted by Mark_T

Uh-oh... you forgot to unplug the battery tender and you're driving off down the street trailing an extension cord with the plug ripped off!

Hey, the advice that I always see is to drive it like you stole it....