Putting 2.8 back on the road. Advice needed.

[Acousticplayer]

Hi All.Been a while since I've been on the forum.Had a few life setbacks,been in hospital and lost my wife within the last two years. Can't believe I've had the Zed over 10 years and barely used it.Been Sorn for the last two years. Hoping to put it back on the road this summer and looking for advice on how to proceed. I'll do an oil and filter change and generally check all the fluids. It still has petrol in the tank so I need to take that out and renew it. Does anyone know if the pipe has a baffle in it preventing me from syphoning it out? What are the main things I should be paying attention to? Will be looking to have a new hood fitted,who are the current favourites to do that? Any help appreciated,thanks.

 

[Rudyrov]

You should also flush the Cooling system and Brake and clutch hydraulic system, you might need a new battery as well, I would replace it unless you have had it on a tender. In general, I would go through all systems by checking all functions before you drive it. So sorry to hear about your loss!

 

[andyglym]

Jack Smith in Swansea, circa £350 for a new roof and rear window fitted, great reviews.

 

[Althulas]

As above, I would also check your brake pipe lines underneath the front wheel arches and near the rear beam being so they are the out of sight places when you check over the brake system. Also remove the calipers and regreese the slide pins and check the pistons for corrosion. Being so it’s advisable to rebelled the system squeeze the piston all the way back while the calipers is inverted to expel all the old fluid in the chamber out of the bleed nipple. If you find corrosion around your pistons you can get spares from biggred and do deliver promptly. You may want to check all the vac pipes etc in the engine bay for any splits etc and relubricate you throttle linkage if it’s mechanical as mine is sticky on my ///M. Cheapest place for a roof is still Jack smith trimmers in Swansea as I’m aware.

 

[DavidM]

Service - bodywork - stance = a great looking running Zed!

 

[bear2020]

Sorry to hear of your loss

As for the car as the rest have said but as for the fuel when I have left cars standing I never drain it out I add an inhibitor before I store it and again before I start it. Get it serviced and do the bits I need take it for a drive and then top up with a premium fuel. Been doing that for 30 years and never yet had an issue. Even in a car I stored for 6 years and it had a little bit of pinking on initial start up and then ran fine. I also rotate mine by hand to get the oil flowing around the engine if its been stood for a while

 

[Steve Medlock]

As above, I wouldn't bother draining the fuel. My Jeep stood for 4 years unused and started on the first turn of the key on the stale fuel. FI copes much better than carburated engines.

 

[Acousticplayer]

Hi All. A belated thank you for your advice. Well for once all is going to plan,more than I can say for my daily drive,which has just had it's catalytic converter stolen. I've done the oil and filter change and managed to remove all the old petrol and replace with new. Injected some oil into each cylinder and turned it over by hand to make sure it was all freed up. To my surprise it started on the button. Made a few tappet like noises for a while and burned off the oil in the cylinders. Been trying to work out how long it's been standing and best guess is 4 and 1/2 years . Going for an MOT on Tuesday.

 

[t-tony]

Good luck on the MOT, hope it goes well.

Tony.

 

[Andyboy]

I rescued a 1994 318iS from a driveway where it had been stood since 2007. I chucked some 6 year old fuel in, clobbered the fuel pump, cranked it over with the plugs out until the oil light went out and the bugger started and ran with the plugs refitted.

 

[Acousticplayer]

Hi All. Just an update and looking for a little more help. Well the MOT went fine,passed with no advisories and I've taken her out for a few runs to loosen her up. I appear to have made at least one mistake when I laid her up . Stored her with the hood down. All that time in a closed position has set in rigor mortis and the hood has gone stiff and now won't quite close,about half inch short of the closure plate.Anyone suggest how I might loosen it up and give it a bit more stretch?

 

[jaguartvr]

Aim for a hot sunny day (may have to wait until next yerar!) leave it with the rear window angled to the sun with the roof as closed as possible. Run the engine with the heater in full blast for 30 minutes. You want the rear window as warm as possible so that it doesn't crack.
You can adjust the hood closer hooks, there is a mall allen key grub screw, loosen it and wind the hooks out.

 

[Nodzed]

Welcome back, sorry to hear your loss, been there! Great you are getting the Zed back into service.

As for the roof wet it best you can and leave for 30 mins then start nursing back into position, once closed leave closed for at least 3 days to stretch it back. (advice given to me by a roof installer)

 

[Acousticplayer]

Thanks for the advice. Soaked it well and with a pair of extra hands managed to close it up. I'll leave it for a few days and hope that does the trick.

Here is a photo of her first outing after four and half years.