Dear Corvette brothers,

For some reasons, I was away from home for work for 5 years, my C5(auto trans.) was in storage. I did start my covette once or twice a year, just to ensure it's running. I am now going back home and will "use" it.

Now, I believe I will have to do:
1. oil change
2. oil filter change
3. automatic transmisson fluid
4. battery check
5. air filter check

What other services do you guys recommend? spark plugs?

Thanks,
Belden

 

You might as well skip the test and just get a new battery. Even if it was sitting on a tender, 5 years is just too long.

The coolant is also rated for 5 years, I would recommend a flush for that as well. So far as I know, the ATF *should* be fine, but it never hurts to change the fluid in anything. Your air filter should also be just the way you left it.

You didn't mention your gasoline, hopefully there wasn't much in the tank before storage and you can just add a 5-gallon can's worth to it immediately. If your tank is near full, I would drain the tank and start with some fresh gas. I'm sure you can find a procedure for that somewhere on this site if you search.

I'm sure others will chime in, but this should get you going in the right direction...

 

Wow...I thought six month "business trips" to the Middle East were hard on the Vette...I would think that belts and hoses need to be replaced, probably plugs too

 

Belts, hoses, and plugs need to be replaced because of use (heat/cold cycles for rubber, purely 'use' for the plugs). If his Corvette was stored in a dry area that didn't get serious extremes of heat and cold, the belts and hoses should be fine. I can't think of any reason the plugs would go bad just sitting in the motor, but I suppose it's possible I am wrong on this....

 

Thanks for suggestions!

Here's my updated to do list:
1. oil change
2. oil filter change
3. automatic transmisson fluid
4. new battery
5. coolant flush
6. fresh gasoline

More comments/suggetions are welcome!

 

If you intend to keep your car for some time to come, you would do well to drain and replace your brake fluid. Look at the fluid inside your master cylinder--I bet it is dark, maybe prune juice dark. That means it is contaminated and while it will continue to function for quite a while, it is slowly and quietly doing unpleasant things to your brake system.

Of course, if you plan to trade the car relatively soon, you can save the $ ('tho any knowledgeable prospective buyer of your car would look to see the condition of your fluid). Changing the fluid isn't hard to do yourself if you are up to accessing and opening each caliper's bleed screws (having a helper is nice but there are alternatives).

 

You might want to remove the plugs and squirt something like MARVEL MYSTERY OIL into the combustion chambers. That will provide lube to the rings on start up. It'll smoke for awhile on start up. You can also use it in your fuel. Hopefully you had added STA-BIL to the fuel before the long term storage (?).

If the car still has the oem tires, check them for age degradation and/or verify air pressure.

Depending on where/how you stored the car, you should check for insect and rodent infestation (engine compartment wiring, heater squirrel cage, etc).

 

i doubt the op needs to replace any of this..

Swap the oil, OLD GAS and coolant. Brake fluid could use a change @ 5 years but should be fine if it's just been sitting.

It might be fun to just do the plugs if you haven't driven your car in 5 years anyway though.

Belts/hoses and tranny fluid are fine assuming there were no problems before you parked it.

Also, if your battery cranks it over and starts it...run it!

If it starts it up after sitting that much, it's fine

 

Geeze, if you have been starting it a couple of times a year for these 5 years then just drive it. I'd suggest first to a gas station and fill up the tank with some Ultra 94. You can do the oil and filter first or get it done somewhere.

The other fluid changes are just maintenance recommended due to the age of the car and can be done whenever you decide, none of it will have an effect on being able to drive the car or not. There will likely be millions of vehicles out there with the coolant and auto trans fluid and brake fluid all in worse conditions than the stuff in your car and yet these vehicles all still function fine.

I would just check that the engine, coolant, brake, trans and diff fluid are all still there in the right amount before driving.

Battery is your choice. It's still starting it so it's probably just fine. If you are really worried then you could get it tested to see how good it is.

People worry way too much when a car is stored.

Peter

 

On most of this post I agree with you, but coolant and brake fluid degrade with age as well as with use. The oily fluids (trans, diff) don't really degrade with age, but with use. Same with engine oil, but engine oil is so cheap (relatively, of course) and easy to change there's no reason not to after storage.

Because of this, it makes sense to flush the coolant, and at least check his brake fluid for obvious contamination. These don't necessarily have to be done before he moves the car 1 inch, but they should be on his 'to do' list within the first 100 miles or so.

The gasoline on the other hand is something that he needs to do before he moves the car, as it degrades rather quickly in a vented tank, and if its 5-year-old gas in his tank he really should not be running that through the motor.

 

True, change it when you can or get it done when some other service is being done. There is no real need to change it before driving it or even within a certain number of miles, just whatever makes you comfortable.

Well, if you read the whole origional post you'd know that he's been starting the car a few times every year so it's too late to not run that gas through the engine and it's obviously still capable of running on that gas. So, add as much new as possible and keep running it. I'd say driving it easy on the old gas would be a good idea.

Peter

 

Once again, thanks everyone!!!
The car has been stored in a good garage. I am planning to keep the C5 for life (or at least another 10 years), so transmission fluid should be replaced to ensure smooth running in the gear. The car still have original tires, I don't drive it hard, so I guess the old tires are fine.

Here's my updated lists:
MUST do:
1. oil change + filter
2. automatic transmisson fluid
3. fresh gasoline
4. check tire pressure and all fluid levels

Optional good to have list:
1. coolant flush
2. brake fluid
3. new battery
4. spark plugs
5. Add STA-BIL
6. diff fluid

More comments/suggetions/experiece are welcome!

 

Oil is probably fine, but what the heck, it's cheap and can't hurt. Don't bother with the filter.

Automatic transmission fluid tends to degrade with use more than with time. I probably wouldn't bother.

Fresh gasoline is a must before driving hard. "Stabil" won't do any good at this point. It needs to go in at the beginning.

If the battery will take and hold a charge, and not cause any electrical malfunctions, save your money.

Brake fluid might be a good idea, but just as good an idea is to suck out the clutch fluid reservoir, replace the fluid, and do this a few times after some in-between driving time.

Plugs, well screw that. They deteriorate with use, not with age.

Yes, check tire pressure and fluid levels, but if there's no dripping under the car, fluids are probably fine.

Hell, my car went through ten years of hard use without anything but clutch fluid change, oil and filter change, and one new battery. If I'd road-raced the car, brake fluid would have definitely been on the "to do" list.

If the car had been sitting for 5 years without being started, I'd say pull the plugs and squirt a little oil in there. I'd also say pull the coil connectors and crank the car until you maintain oil pressure for 15 seconds or so. But since you've been starting it every 6 months anyway, one more start, 6 months from the last one, probably isn't worth the trouble.

There's an easier way to crank the car without it starting, but I'll let someone else weigh in on that.

 

Thank you everyone for the suggestions!

If I just go to a mechanic, I think they are gonna tell me to do major tune up...

You guys really saved me a lot of money.