Car sitting for six months

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Nov 9, 2009 | 05:42 PM

Milest

Thread Starter

Racer

Joined: Oct 2000

Posts: 405

Likes: 31

From: Houston, Texas

Car sitting for six months

I am about to start driving my 72 again after being out of the country for six months, and was looking for advice on what to check before starting her up and taking her for a spin.

I plan to check all fluids (oil, coolant, brake, power steering etc.), tire pressure and charge the battery. I did add Stabil before leaving.

Anything I am forgetting?

Thank you

Nov 9, 2009 | 05:54 PM

SIXFOOTER

Le Mans Master

Joined: Jan 2006

Posts: 9,192

Likes: 27

From: Boca Raton Florida

That should work, just don't try a power slide out of the driveway until your sure the brakes work!

Nov 9, 2009 | 07:05 PM

SanDiegoPaul

Race Director

Joined: Sep 2002

Posts: 10,362

Likes: 5

From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milest

Fluids aren't going anywhere with it sitting six months -save possibly brake fluid if you have a bad caliper or two.

I hope you ran it low on gas before you parked it. If so, then fire it up & head down to Chevron for some Premium fuel. You'll be OK.

About 3 years after I built up my '70 Nova, I went to Germany for 20 months. When I came home, I reconnected the battery, fired it up & burned rubber up & down the street. Drove it four more years after that and it never hurt a thing... being parked. There was an additional six months after the 20 months (about 2 years later) where it sat covered, just waiting for me to get back.

Heck that second time, I didn't even bother disconnecting the batt. It still fired right up w/no problem. HTH

Nov 9, 2009 | 07:43 PM

stingraymyway

Race Director

Joined: May 2007

Posts: 11,334

Likes: 136

From: Out of Site...Out of Mind. Corvette: anything else is just transportation.

St. Jude Donor '09 thru '20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milest

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIXFOOTER

That should work, just don't try a power slide out of the driveway until your sure the brakes work!

Sounds like you did all the right things. Just remember SIXFOOTER's advise. Make sure the breaks are OK.

Nov 9, 2009 | 09:05 PM

427V8

C6 the C5 of tomorrow

Joined: Nov 2000

Posts: 6,665

Likes: 2

From: Twin Cities Minnesota

Yep this spring I started mine up after 2 1/2 YEARS of storage while I painted it.

It smoked a little but cleaned up in a few miles.

Nov 9, 2009 | 09:15 PM

Jeff_Keryk

Drifting

Joined: Feb 2005

Posts: 1,879

Likes: 38

From: Los Gatos CA

Expect a white exhaust cloud for a short time. This is due to condensation build up. Enjoy your car!

Nov 9, 2009 | 09:24 PM

SteveG75

Race Director

Joined: Jun 2000

Posts: 10,046

Likes: 675

From: FL

Mine sat for eight months while deployed.

One trick I have is that I disconnect the coil (or 12v power on HEI) and crank till I start getting oil pressure. Then reconnect and fire it up. That is just to make sure that oil gets back in all the passages before it fires. Also helps fill the fuel bowls if they have dried out.

Nov 9, 2009 | 11:18 PM

Jim Shea

Le Mans Master

Joined: Jul 2000

Posts: 6,001

Likes: 113

From: Saginaw Michigan

One real simple trick that I used to do with my '75 vert. I always duct taped baggies over the exhaust pipes and also taped a garbage bag over the carburator/air cleaner. Here is the reasoning. With a V8 engine there is always one cylinder where both the exhaust valve and the intake valve are both open. This can allow an exchange of air up the exhaust pipes, through that one cylinder, and up through the carb and vice versa.

This is why an engine that has seized or locked up after storage; it is usually only one cylinder that is rusted to the bore. All the others are fine.

Jim