Classic Mini DIY Guides
- Winter Preparation / Maintenance
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Winter
Maintenance Checklist
Winter
is fast approaching and the little darlings are starting to feel the pinch a
little now.
Here are
some simple suggestions that can be sorted out on a Sunday afternoon now
that the Rugby is over
Things
That Are Essential
Get that oil and
filter changed to a good 10/40. Magnatec will help on the cold mornings.
Get your cooling
system flushed and changed. 50/50 with the antifreeze!
Clean and gap your
Plugs and Points.
Check your
distributor cap for wear and tear. Put a thin smear of Vaseline around
the edge of the distributor cap before you re-assemble. This will stop
unwanted moisture getting in.
Make sure your
battery is in tip top shape with the occasional trickle charge
overnight. Lights, heater, rear de-mist and stereo on soon kills your
battery in the winter months.
Winter screen wash
time. Enough said on this one!
Tyre Tread Depth.
In winter it needs to be better than legal due to the extra water on the
roads and dare I say... SNOW!!!!
Windscreen Wiper
Blades tend to dry and crack during the warmer weather, and let you down
when you need them most. Get them changed now
Things
That Are A Really Good Idea
Tyre pressures
need to be checked more often, as the cold conditions will lower the
pressure quite dramatically. This also means your SPARE.!
Check your
windscreen washer bottle levels more frequently.
Give all your
grease points a good going over before the weather gets much worse.
Metal shrinks in the cold, and dry bearing surfaces are going to get a
right old hammering.
Clean your
headlights and windows more often and get into the habit of checking
your lights more often
Points
for Contemplation
Carry spare washer
fluid.
Carry pre-mixed
antifreeze and water. If you find this frozen in the cold mornings then
don't even contemplate starting your engine. You’ll probably blow a core
plug!
Carry spare bulbs.
Carry a blanket
and a torch at all times now.
Spray some silicon
spray around your door seals. I can almost guarantee that your doors
will always open when it starts to freeze.
Think about up
rating your thermostat to a 92 degree one for winter driving.
And finally, if
things do get icy and dare I say snowy, contemplate putting an old set
of steel rims on your car with narrower tyres just for the winter.
Narrower tyres cut through water/mud and snow better, and should you
slide into a curb, its better to dent a steel rim than your nice alloys.
A lot
of all this is common sense to old timers like myself, but people take
modern cars too much for granted, with their nice ABS and heated
windscreens. Minis have none of that, but a little bit of preventative
action now should see you surviving winter and not wanting to sell your
little pride and joy come spring.
