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MG MGB Technical - Winter storage

I have had my 1975 gt for about 5 years and have always stored it on its wheels because I start it up now and again and move it.Is this best or off wheels? Also is it best to change oil now or in spring? Is there a best oil?
R E Merrall

Keep it on its wheels - run it from time to time and move it out of the garage when the snow has melted. A dehumidifyer will help keep the terminal tinrot at bay. Change the oil when it needs changing (6 months or 3000 miles)
Roger Walker

Ditto.

I use mine all year round when road conditions are suitable i.e. dry after rain after salt. Can be a month or more between those.

I know people who change oil before and after a layup, not having driven it in between. If you are happy leaving the oil in there during the summer, then I don't see what is wrong with leaving it there over winter. Maybe if you started it up periodically and let it idle which contaminates the oil, but you should never do that anyway.

If you are not going to move it for several months then it's best to support it under the suspension or the tyres will go out of round. A good drive will reverse that, but it gives a very strange sensation while doing so.

Likewise disconnect the battery (I have cut-off switches on both mine), and maybe use a conditioner periodically (never used one). If you leave one on all the time you won't get a warning of battery weakening.

Any 20W/50 with a decent name, there as many opinions as there are oils. 10W/50 and 10W/40 are also suitable for our climate. Avoid ultra-modern and very low viscosity oils, they are a waste of money in our engines and will leak more. If you have leaks.
paulh4

I've been using Morris (made in Shrewsbury) 20/50 oil available from Telford Farm products for £11 for 5 litres. I was a little concerned that the ZDDP level was a little low at 700 parts per million so I added STP which is available at about £3. I'm contemplating buying Duckhams, mostly for old times sake, but it £30 for 5 litres, however it has 1300 ppm ZDDP. Does anyone else have a view. Am I just being too stingy?
Paul Hollingworth

ZDDP is another area where there are as many opinions as people, and many claims and counter-claims from manufacturers. If you look around you will see statements that STP only contains 5ppm which is nothing, others that it contains 1900ppm which is 'way too much'. Well it may be if you filled your sump with it, but adding a 15 oz bottle to 4 litres of oil will dilute that somewhat. Ask the manufacturer and see what they say. STP has been around so long I wonder if it has any to speak of, or if they are just jumping on a recent bandwagon. Plenty of other opinions saying not to use it anyway.

I remember in the 60s a mechanic fishing around in some brown sludge that turned out to be Duckhams, he said never use it.

Modern oils have reduced the level of ZDDP as it poisons catalytic converters as well as the environment, it used to be the case that the earlier the API the higher the ZDDP. Oils suitable for diesel as well as petrol engines kept it longer due to the high impact of diesel combustion. Motor-cycle oils ditto as there is a relatively small quantity circulating rapidly. Ditto 20W/50 oils as they were used in 'older' engines with flat tappets i.e. ours which need it more. But all of the old favourites have had it reduced as well. A pal had an engine rebuilt and serviced by his local garage and unbeknown to him they were using a modern low-viscosity synthetic, and 20k later his cam and followers had to be replaced. One of the oils intended for classics that claims high ZDDP at 1300ppm is https://www.classic-oils.net/Classic-Oils-Heritage-20W50

You need to consider how many miles you do, and how many it has done on the present cam and followers. If it's been a long time since a rebuild and you don't do very many miles then it's less of an issue. Under those circumstances tales of replacement in my experience are few and far between, and in any case cam and follower replacement when they are needed is not a huge or expensive job.
paulh4

For oil with "high" ZDDP and "cheap" price, you can also find this one : https://www.minispares.com/product/classic/GUL7005T.aspx

Will put in during my next oil change
CH Hamon

This thread was discussed between 12/11/2019 and 20/11/2019

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