Covid has all given us weird new problems to deal with. Here is one C3-related.

Before the pandemic hit, I had a 69 that was in decent shape with a weakening engine. It would still run but it was unreliable. I live in Southern California so it's a great environment to drive the car in.

Long story short, at the beginning of last May, I dropped everything and fled Southern Cali to go ride out the pandemic with family. I left my C3 tucked away in an underground parking garage, completely out of reach from the elements. I figured I'd be back in two weeks...

Flash forward a YEAR, and I'm just now returning. I'm preparing to get the C3 back running. My two big concerns are battery quality and the fuel having gone bad.

I'm fairly certain I unplugged the battery terminals before I left last year. It was pretty new,, so I think that bodes well for it being salvageable. I also have a battery charger at home, but should I even expect the battery to be able to hold a charge after all that time without use?

My main concern is the fuel. I don't remember how much I left in the tank. I'm betting it was low, as I almost never run with a full tank. But I know for certain there is some in there.

I am guessing it's gone bad. Suggestions? I have read about fuel stabilizers helping counterbalance bad stored fuel? Should I look for any other problems such as fuel line blockages?

Aside from those two issues, anything else I need to have my eye out for?

 

Also worth mentioning I had a tarp over the car on top of it being in an underground deck. It seems redundant, but I mostly wanted to hide it from potential car jackers.

But I mention it because the tarp might have made a slight difference temperature wise, as even though it was far from the sun, those garages can get some heat in the 100 degree summers.

 

First, put your battery charger on that battery and see what happens, what do you have to lose? Then while the battery is charging, remove the gas cap and sniff. does it smell terrible? does it smell like gasoline? if it smells OK. top up the tank. pull the float bowls off the carb and clean em out, install float bowls with new gaskets. before hooking up fuel line get a rubber hose of some sort over the end of the fuel line and crank engine to pump out some fuel into a bucket. Thus flushing the line. if However your tank Stinks real bad. pull it out and clean it really good. then back to cleaning the carb and flushing the line. If the battery doesn't take a charge, oh well, you tryed.

 

This "new gasoline stinks" in more ways than one. I let my Harley sit for 6 months with fuel in the bowl.
The engine wouldn't start/the spark plugs were dry after cranking and blipping the accelerator pump.
The carb was "stopped up" and smelled like old varnish/the bottom of the bowl had a sticky black substance coating it and the brass tubes.
I would hate to see the 20 gallon Vette tank.

Rookie question: Would "Premium" gasoline give better results...or would it just have a "nicer stink"?

 

I would drain 5he fuel and start with some fresh gas
. Recharge the battery. When you go to start it spray some stating fluid down the throat and it should fire right up it may be a little gummy in the carb until the old gas gets flushed out

 

Premium generally has the same levels of additives as do the other grades. It just has more octane. The best is to find a local source of ethanol free gasoline for use when storing cars.

I have a place nearby to get ethanol free gasoline which I use all the time in my small engines (lawnmower and such). I had too many issues with ethanol in my small engines to do otherwise. I've not had any known ethanol issues in my '73 although I am able to drive it regularly enough to keep the gas from getting stale. However, I usually fill up with ethanol free gas going into the winter just in case.

DC

 

A can of SeaFoam in the tank will dissolve a lot of the gum, etc.