Since I work and live in two cities, 450 miles apart, I always have a car or two sitting for weeks or sometimes even months. I don't worry about the Corvair battery draining as the only thing connected is the radio. But my 88 BMW will run down the battery in a couple of weeks, so I always disconnect it. I once used a trickle charger, and when I got there the wires had melted and fortunately not started a fire. Now I just disconnect. When I get there, if it starts, great. if not, I put the charger on it til morning.

Techron is great for cleaning up the gummed up carbs and tanks. No stabil available here.

Looks like you've been a long time lurker. I lurked for about 3 years before ever posting anything. And really I didn't post much at first. Glad to see someone has made their garage into a killer man cave.

 

I had a single car garage for a couple years and hated dealing with it. So props to you for making it work. All of that said, I kept my mini in the garage for those 2 years and only took it out on nice days and when it was running well. I let it sit and didn't touch it. If it's going to sit for months, I'd put it up on stands to preserve the tires. If it's going to sit for over a week, I'd put Sta-Bil in the gas to keep it from gumming up your carb. You're already unplugging the battery to keep it from slowly draining, but instead, I'd install a trickle charger/battery tender. A good one (i.e. not harbor frieght) will keep the battery charged but not over/under charged.

Now tell the truth, do you also have to put your hand down on the ground to exit the car as I do ? (I see carpet on that side of the garage floor)

Nice cars but not built for people over 6'.

Maybe we should ask you to check out the mini on San Diego craigslist to tell us if it's legit or pure bull sh*t.

PS Looks like a nice car.

-Took the Inno out for a nice long drive yesterday morning. Weather was beyond glorious here in San Diego. The Mini performed perfectly as it always does. Such a great car! Thanks for the good advice. I have been on this forum for some time but remiss about posting. This is my second Mini which I've owned for 12 years. I had my first in the early eighties. I seem to haunt my Lotus forums mostly since it is my daily. To answer...those are Frisbees on the garage wall and I can get out of the Evora as it is parked in the garage just fine. I have a pad on the side wall so the door can touch it and thankfully, I'm slim and can squeeze out pretty easily. The reason we are all here is our common love of the marque and the friendly exchange of information...that's my take anyway. Enjoy!

And what are all the brightly-coloured items on the left wall? A Frisbee collection or les objets d'art?

I'd like to know how you get out of the lotus.
Do you push the car in, or is the picture decieving?

Nothng to apologize for! Welcome, by the way!

I am reminded of an old Monty Python bit titled "Spot the Loony" You can play too!

As the GOOD advice in this thread says, when you drive it, allow everything to warm up before "exerting" the mahinery. As for storage, unless you need to charge the battery (which you disconnect) use fuel stabilizer and don't start it until you plan to run it or work on it. The condensation referred to is water vapour, a by-product of combustion. If you're fussy, you want to warm it until the exhaust system is warm enough to not have condensation form inside it. when you do go for a run, the hot exhaust should evaporate off any mosture in the exhaust system. If the exhaust is warm, then for sure the engine will be. If he engine is warm, then the oil will be too. Since the gears are in the "oil sump" transmission case, their lubrication and parts will aslo be warmed.

No amount of weekly starting amd warming for 3 to 5 minutes will alleviate problems condensation from the surrounding environment, which might occur on the outside of the engine and the rest of the car - if your garage is cold and damp (it doesn't appear to be!). The fuel system is closed except for perhaps a tiny vent hose on the fuel tank and on the carb. The engine is a closed except for perhaps the crankcase breathers - some valves are open at any given time but the throttle is closed and the exhaust system is a pretty long passage, so not much moisture will get into the engine from the atmosphere. When you shut off the engine after a run, the cylinders are slightly lubricated by engine oil, so mosure won't affect them unless you store it for a long time, say the winter. In such case, you can use one of the fogging products to add a protective coating, or you can emove the spark plugs, squirt a bit of oil into each cylinder, then crank the engine with the plugs still out to coat the cylinders above the piston rings.

The "mayo" in the oil passages is more likely to occur (except for a coolant leak) with repeated starts of a cold engine where the internal air and oil tempertures are not raised enough to evaporate condensation. 3 to 5 minute warmups may do that.

Of course it ALL depends on where you live. Are you on the foggy, snowy. rainy side of California? (didn't think so....)

 

This guy is probably one of the regulars trying to have fun. Even misspells words to make it look like he is foreign or something. He keeps throwing out bad advice and 'old wives tales' about cars, trying to see if anyone rebuts it, or otherwise responds. I do not understand how some of the other forum members thinks this is entertaining or legitimate. It is fake

Utterly dreadful advice.
All that will do is clog up the breathers and rocker box with mayo formed by condensation.  If you can't get it out and drive it properly for half an hour or more to really get everything properly hot, don't even bother starting it.

Robster - please stop posting bollocks like this. 
It may well be that the problems with the breaher system are car-specific, but until you have some time and experience with Minis under your belt, all you are doing is making yourself look like a tool, and pissing everyone else off.
I realise that you are probably doing it on purpose as a troll, but on the remote chance that you're not and you're just stupic, knock it off.

Just do as you are. Don't start it just to run it, nor idle it more than a minute. Just as the engine needs to warm up, so does the transmission and differential, plus the grease in the bearings. Long idles drip extra gas into the oil. Don't pass 1500 rpm for the first few miles if you can.

I drive my Corvair that way. It spends Monday through Sat am in my office parking lot. Bring it home to wash and drive to club meeting on Sat night, drive sometimes Sundays, and back to the office on Monday am. Since I only live 1.2 miles from the office, I prefer that to driving such a short distance.

Nice car David.

Probably the best equipped classic MINI ever factory produced

ya may wanna remove your licence plates in the pics to avoid having unsavory characters paying you a visit

Apologies for stirring up trouble. To answer...there are drip pans under my Mini so none get on the Lotus. And the lift is not bolted do the floor. Such a beautiful day here, we're about to jump in the Mini and take a nice "Sunday" drive on Thanksgiving. I'll look into the fuel stabilizers. Thanks....

As you can see Harv, it's time again to quit posting info on this board. If people have an email address in their profile I'll reply direct. This does not hurt me at all. There are no longer enough informed people here willing to post and have to deal with the static. Drop by the shop and we can corner weight and ride height check you car. We can also check for rear toe and see if it's crabbing. Steve (CTR)

bf, just dont listen to this two stupet people, lankford and coppertone( sunblock) they think they know everything, they put down and look down to all newbies here , they dont give opportunities to newbies to learn and give advice, these two underestimate capabilities of newbies, he calls me fake? well sorry i own a 19977 mini special, yes special.. and i actually work on my mini , goes underneath my car and wrench out, not like you who just sits in front of your computer and munch on cheese curls while giving estupet comments and advices... ahhh its thanksgiving day, you two need to repent!

 now where was i??  before i got interrupted by these to wannabe's. 

these two dont know how long 3minutes is,  both of you try to submerge your head under the water for 3 minutes lets see if you will survive... condensation ? shoot!!!!  condensation occurs when you dont start your engine at all mind you, somebody need to go back to school really.

Always gentile....then you become Jewish? Sorry, couldn't help myself. 

Harv, while you were busy climbing to the top of the world we were busy dealing with this guy. Just another QS type who thinks his rights are more important than those of the group. These guys are so attention hungry they are proud of how many forums they can screw up. If people would just ignore them ( no attention no reason to stay ) they would move along. Just my thoughts. Steve (CTR)

idling for 3 minutes will just put water condensate in the cold crankcase and the exhaust sysytm, dripping onto the Lotus underneath.

This Robster guy is a fake who says things like this just to see if anyone is paying attention

let it idle for 5 minutes before you drive it, if you dont think you can drive it everyday just start and let it idle for 3 mins at least 3x a week, just so that the internal parts are being lubricated.  

i use seafoam for my cars and boat and i use stabil for my weedeater and mowers. 

Nice garage.

There's another forume rwith the same car combination, Cheese.

Is your lift bolted to the floor or just free standing?