Here’s our guide on what to check when you’re getting your classic VW out of winter storage.
Spring is supposedly just around the corner, and many of us are looking at easing our classic Volkswagens out of our garages, lock-ups, and vehicle covers.
Like a Blue Peter tortoise, many older VWs prefer to spend the cold, dark months of winter stashed away somewhere warm and dry. And, like a Blue Peter tortoise, there’s a number of things you should check over after their hibernation to make sure your VW is still fit and healthy!
How to Check Your Classic VW After Winter Storage:
Checking your tyre pressure
If you’ve had your VW parked up over the winter, a good first check is to take a look at your tyre pressure.
We always recommend that, if you’re putting your Volkswagen away for a few months, you set the tyre pressure to the maximum to prevent them from deforming.
Give your tyres a quick looking over and a squeeze to test whether they’ve let air out over the winter, and re-inflate them if needed.
If you find that they’re really flat, you’ll need to start looking for any damage on the tyres and get that sorted before you hit the road.
Take a look at your wiper blades
Before we stowed our T2 Bay for the winter, we put a couple of cloths under the wiper blades to keep them away from the glass to prevent any damage. While removing these cloths, we took the opportunity to check over the condition of the wiper blade rubbers, to make sure they’re good enough to cope with those unexpected spring showers.
It’s quick and easy to replace your wiper blades, but there’s nothing more annoying than realising they’re just smearing your windscreen rather than clearing them!
Check the brakes
A pretty important one, this! If you can, lift your VW up on axle stands (or a ramp, if you’re lucky enough to have one!) and check that the brakes aren’t binding on.
It’s possible that they might have become stuck after weeks or months of disuse, and may need a bit of gentle attention (with a hammer…) to free them up again if this is the case.
You’ll also want to have a good look at the flexible brake hoses, to be sure that they haven’t perished or been damaged while your vehicle has been in storage.
Reconnect your battery
It’s always best to disconnect your vehicle’s battery before it goes off for a long sleep over the winter, to prevent it from being totally drained by the spring. The cold weather can also sap the power from your battery, so it may need a quick recharge before it’s up to capacity again.
If this is something that keeps happening to your battery, you may want to look at a solar trickle charger, which will keep your battery topped up with no hassle.
Test your lights
A test of all your lights is quick and easy, and vital for keeping you safe on the roads when you do head out in your classic VW.
If any of them have stopped working, check the fuse box and the bulbs – hopefully it will have been one of these which has blown, rather than mice getting into your Volkswagen and feasting on those delicious wires!
Check your oil
It’s always best to put your Volkswagen away for the winter with a full measure of engine oil. Checking it before you take it out for a spin when the weather improves in spring is a great way to find out if you’ve got any issues with your engine system.
If you find you’ve somehow gained oil, it might be that your fuel pump has leaked into the sump. If you’ve lost oil, you’ll likely find it in a puddle underneath your vehicle!
Other checks in the engine bay
While you’re poking about in the engine bay, have a look at your HT leads and rubber pipes – these are considered delicacies by some mice and other rodents, who can’t help but chew away at them if they get the chance. In the how-to video we shot to guide you through all these checks, our resident mechanic Mark B referred to this as 'rodent abuse', which would make a great name for a punk band!
Top up all your fluids
Adding in fresh fuel and refilling your brake fluid and washer bottle are quick and easy, but the latter two are easy to forget. Best to get it all done at once while you’re getting your vehicle ready to hit the road, before you run into problems on the way to your first VW show of the year!
Other checks in the engine bay
While you’re poking about in the engine bay, have a look at your HT leads and rubber pipes – these are considered delicacies by some mice and other rodents, who can’t help but chew away at them if they get the chance. In the how-to video we shot to guide you through all these checks, our resident mechanic Mark B referred to this as 'rodent abuse', which would make a great name for a punk band!
Top up all your fluids
Adding in fresh fuel and refilling your brake fluid and washer bottle are quick and easy, but the latter two are easy to forget. Best to get it all done at once while you’re getting your vehicle ready to hit the road, before you run into problems on the way to your first VW show of the year!
The big moment – firing up your classic VW!
It might take a moment for your Volkswagen to get going when you try to start it up after a winter spent hibernating. This isn’t a bad thing, as it’ll give the oil a chance to work its way around the system. You could also disconnect the main HT lead from the coil before starting the engine up for the first time, to let the oil work its way around without the spark plugs igniting, if you want to give your engine some extra time to get everything flowing again. Do this for about 20 to 30 seconds, then switch the engine off, reconnect the HT lead, and fire her up again.
The carburettors will also need to refill with fuel before the engine fires up, so don’t panic if it takes a bit longer than normal.
You’re ready to hit the road!
Hopefully you didn’t encounter any major issues while running through these checks, but with them all done, you’re free to get out there and enjoy your classic Volkswagen and the year ahead.
There’s a massive amount of cool stuff happening this year, and we’re excited to get out there and enjoy it right alongside you.
We’ve put together a calendar of VW shows and events for the coming year, and are planning to attend loads of them ourselves – whether ‘officially’ as Just Kampers, or just as visitors there to enjoy the show.
Click here to see our shows & events calendar for this year.
There’s also our list of 100 things to do for under £100, if you’re looking for an affordable day out – or even a free one!
Our list covers events and activities right across the UK, with none of them costing more than £100 for a family of four to take part in, and many of them being totally free.
If you’re after some inspiration for a cool day out or weekend away with friends and family, it’s a great start!
Click here to see our full list of 100 things to do for under £100.
