Leaks

Now get down on your knees and check under the car for leaks. You are bound to find the odd drips of oil around the centre of the rear axle, the back of the gearbox, under the bell housing and, on 120s with original steering, under the steering box. If you haven't got any drips, you either have an exceptional car or lack of oil! If you have a lot, then you should check why.

More importantly check around the wheels and brakes for any sign of leaking brake fluid - especially if you have drum brakes.

Take the top off the brake fluid reservoir to see if that's up to the level and if it is very low find out why before you put the car on the road. You should of course take out the dip stick and ensure there's enough oil in the sump. Also check the coolant.

Finally, check the battery or batteries for electrolyte level and to see if the terminal posts are clean and tight. They sometimes get a bit furry and this can be cleaned off using a kettle and hot water - but be very careful. You may also want to put the battery on charge as it will probably need a boost.

Starting

Having done all that, turn on the ignition. The SU rattle should tell you that (A) the pump works, (B) it is pumping and (C) when it stops that you've got some fuel in the tank and that the carbs are full and are ready to go. Before pressing the starter, just make sure that there are no fuel leaks under the bonnet, as sometimes a float will stick if the car has not been run for a while. Petrol squirting out of a float chamber can usually be stopped by tapping it with something non-metallic, but turn off the ignition first.

All being well the engines should now start. Check that the oil pressure is OK and that there are no dreadful rattles or squeaks, drive the car into the open air and let it run for a while to warm up. Being very careful not to burn yourself or make contact with any moving parts, you can also check the thermostat is working by feeling the radiator. Also have another look round for oil and water leaks.

Brakes

Before disappearing into the sunset, carefully check that the brakes are working by gently applying them at a very low speed. Also make sure that the rear brakes are not stuck on because the handbrake mechanism has seized. Once driving, dip the brake pedal again before you have gone far and before you go too fast. This time check the car is not pulling to one side, which would indicate something seized in the brakes or a fluid leak on to the pads or linings. If you are still happy, off you go and gently apply the brakes two or three times to clean up the discs or drums as well as the pads and linings before getting up to speed.

Oil Change

A service is very much our recommendations. Changing oil and filter once a year at the start of the season, even if not many miles have been covered, has a lot going for it. You should ideally drain the old when it is hot, to ensure the maximum sediment and anything else undesirable is removed from the sump. A tip here is to make sure the sump plug is easy to loosen before you get the car hot or you may have an uncomfortable time trying to undo it later. Use drip trays when removing filters and dispose of old oil and filters in the proper places.

Our recommendation for engine oil is a 20/50 grade. Duckhams was once a favourite but it seems to be no longer made. In the UK, Millers offers a good classic 20/50 oil. Do not waste money on fancy oils. You will gain no benefit. We offer a range of filters from direct replacements for the originals to more modern, efficient and conventional varieties. My advice is to either use the original paper type, which does its job perfectly, or fit a full conversion to the cartridge 'spin off' type which is easier to change.

Grease and Other Oils

While you are under the front of the car, it is a good time to grease the steering, transmission and suspension - again look in the handbook to make sure you have not missed a grease point.

The engine oil we have covered but also check the steering box (if you don't have rack and pinion steering), gearbox and back axle. And remember too the grease points around the chassis and handbrake cables.

A Plug for Plugs

For those of you with longer memories of times before engines were encased in plastic, the three most important items to make sure were in good order were the oil, points and plugs. Spark plugs are deceptive in that they can look clean and in good order even when they are not and a new set in the spring is a wise investment. Also check the plug leads, particulary if you have resistor leads or caps, which can breakdown and cause misfiring.

Consider Electronic

Ignition points (contact breakers) on the other hand were what caused more breakdowns in the pre-electronic days than anything else. On the XKs they are a right fiddle to set correctly and need regular maintenance. So go contactless if you have not already done so. We offer a very simple kit that can be fitted in minutes and which, once fitted, needs no maintenance nor adjustment. We also offer full electronic ignition conversion kits that not only replace the points but also increase the spark, giving more power and greater reliability.

Now Enjoy!

That's our basic advice for putting your XK back into service and don't forget to check that everything else works - particulary the lights as, for some reason, lack of use seems to make bulbs more vulnerable to blowing.