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Q I’ve recently bought a 1990 Mini Mayfair and intend restoring it over the next couple of years with my son. The car is a very low mileage example and from what we’ve seen, the engine is in very good condition. I’m hoping that we won’t have to do too much to it when it comes to getting the Mini on the road again.
What would be the best way to store the engine once it’s out of the car? I’ve drained the cooling system, should I drain the engine oil as well? Should I turn the engine over on a regular basis?
George
A If you haven’t already removed the engine from the car, we would strongly advise running a dose of engine flush through it, followed by a decent 20W/50 mineral oil. Get the engine warmed again and then drain this out. Refill with more of the mineral oil. Then, just spin the engine over without starting it. This will ensure any degraded oil has been removed and any corrosive chemicals will have been minimised or completely removed.
“This will ensure any degraded oil has been removed and any corrosive chemicals will have been minimised”
Turning the engine over, or at least turning it through 90 degrees every now and then will
