[GBlalock]

....and I don't even live up north! I'm in NC...the south! But I think it's too cold...it is for me anyway. My red 260 has been sitting in the garage - all covered-up for at least 2 months now. I got it out once....around Thanksgiving, I believe. It ran really rough at first...but after a while - it was OK. My blue 240 - has a character all it's own. Back last Spring - I was driving it a lot. It ran great! I could go out...fire it right-up and it worked fine...everything. But when I stopped driving it so frequently - it's very hard to start. It will run on about 3 cylinders....then eventually 4th and 5th will start firing...but I'm having trouble getting all 6 to fire.....they will for about a day after a new set of plugs....but that's it. I know I am much too rich on the carbs. But other stuff, too...electrical, etc. quits working like it did.
It's supposed to get up to about 60 degrees tomorrow...I was thinking about driving one of them to work. Maybe I should drive them more often....or is there something else I can do to keep them in top running shape while they sit?

 

[79_280zx]

well i used to have somewhat the same problem. i have had my ZX since i was about 16 and i just got my licenses but in the mean time i fixed it up but still it just sat there so what i did like every other day maybe or even once a week and once on the weekend i will just start my car and let it run for about 20 min or so....so that when i went to start it next time it had no problems..but i never had any problems with my cylinders.....well good luck.....

 

[Matt 78Z]

GBlalock

I'm in NC too, Western side Asheville area and heck yeah it gets cold here, I've been driving my 78 on snowy, icy roads but now its nice. I have a race prepped Z with tripple webers, no chokes and I start and run fine everyday. Usually the first turn of the key without pumping the gas but on really cold mornings when the cars been sitting out in the wind overnight I have to pump the gas once or twice. The main thing is keeping fresh gas in it and keeping the carbs in tune. I drive mine everyday and have no problems these things actually go pretty good on ice and I think they do remarkabley well on snow.

Sitting in the cold damp air does nothing good for your electrical contacts and the gas that sits in your carbs. Drive them


Matt

 

[Core]

Re: GBlalock

I live in Delaware and it's generally 10 to 15 degrees colder then in NC, though I think in the winter the difference can be bigger. Anyway, I'm still driving my 240 every day, although I came very close to putting it away for the winter the other day. We had hail and sleet. I don't have a garage, just a canvas carport and a car cover. But then I saw the temps were going to warm up (to the high 40's/low 50's) so I decided to keep it out for now. So far it's still running great - after the engine gets fully warmed up.

I do have a question though. Should I be using the gas pedal when starting the car? I know this is standard for non-fuel injected vehicles, but the owner's manual says not to.