Driving A Car Thats Been Sitting For 18 Months
Discussion
Check the cam belt and servicing record to ensure it's not overdue. Check the wiper blades, bulbs, washer jets and fluid levels. Then drive it to the MOT test the long way around, ensuring you thoroughly exercise the engine (once warm), the foot brakes and the hand brake on the way.
Once it's been tested you know what you're dealing with. That's when you do any necessary repairs and servicing.
Once it's been tested you know what you're dealing with. That's when you do any necessary repairs and servicing.
Strip it completely to its tiniest component parts. Rebuild with new parts for everything except the gear lever gaiter and rear seat covers. Pay particular attention to the headlining as that model has one made from special plastic that degrades if the car is not used and will poison you both on the way to the test centre.
If you don't do the above you are a crazy irresponsible idiot and a danger to society.
Alternatively, just fire it up and rag it to the test centre! It'll be fine, it's a car not an antique wristwatch!
If you don't do the above you are a crazy irresponsible idiot and a danger to society.
Alternatively, just fire it up and rag it to the test centre! It'll be fine, it's a car not an antique wristwatch!
doogz said:
HustleRussell said:
Doogz- really? On a modern car after 18 months? Strikes me as mountain out of a molehill.
Brakes seized on? very unlikely- It's possible the handbrake might be a bit sticky but exercising it will solve it.
Really? it's not been moved in 18 months, and as a precaution, I check the engine turned over freely, before rogering it with the starter motor, and checking to make sure the brakes work properly?Brakes seized on? very unlikely- It's possible the handbrake might be a bit sticky but exercising it will solve it.
The brakes on my ten year old MR2 siezed on the last time I left it sat for a fortnight.
As for oil down the plug holes, that really is out of the ark. Again, it has it's place, but on a modern car? After 18 months? It probably has pocketted pistons, so the oil will just sit there going no-where near the bores, and then when the engine does start it'll cough and splutter it's way through it, blowing the partially burned residue into the catalytic converter. Of course, the kind of person who asks a question like the OP will receive this advice and might just go for it- but how much to put in? too much and you'll cause mechanical damage to the extent the engine is scrap... and if you get it right? a small quantity of oil, which finds it's way off the piston top and onto the piston compression ring? It's not going to unseize a seized engine. At the very best it'll cling onto any oxide from the cylinder bore, and any carbon debris washed off the piston top by the oil, and any dirt/grit/swarf which has been washed into the cylinder when the oil was poured down the plug hole, and retain it, like a grinding paste.
Sorry, but I think it's bad advice.
With regard to brakes- there will be some stiction on the handbrake shoes (or pads) which will be broken the moment the car moves off and the footbrakes are applied for the first time. Yes, the pistons could have become sticky- but once you've spent the best part of a morning removing all manner of trim, undertrays, splash shields etc so you can pour oil down the top of your engine and get a socket on the crank nut, how is the knowledge that the brakes are a bit sticky going to change matters? Maybe you'd spend the rest of the weekend painstakingly re-building the calipers with new seals (which you have sourced from a specialist because the dealer would only quote you for a new caliper), re-fitting and bleeding them? That's great- except;
-Simply using the brakes, in most cases, will get them moving again
-The car is on it's way to the nearest MOT test center for a brake test anyway
-The end outcome is the same, you need a new caliper/pins etc
-The car is due a service/fluid change so it's going straight to a garage for work before it's pressed into use.
I know I sound like I'm being deliberately contrary here, but I don't mean to.
Edited by HustleRussell on Thursday 28th March 13:12
doogz said:
Pull the plugs out, drop a little bit of oil down each plug hole, leave the plugs out, and get a spanner onto one of the crank pulley retaining bolts, and use it to turn the engine over by hand, to make sure it's not seized. If it's ok, plugs back in.
You're really supposed to drain engine oil when it's warm, but I'd be inclined to change the oil and filter before you tried to start it.
Rubber perishes. More when it's not being used/subjected to and loads/deflections.
So I'd also jack the car up, get it on some stands, and have a right good nosy around all the bushes and whatnot, make sure everything seems in good working order, that nothing's about to fall off.
I'd also quite like to know the brake calipers aren't seized, or that the seals haven't perished/split, before I'm heading down the road at 30mph and need them, so I'd probably whip them off for a quick look.
Maybe I'm a bit OTT, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
REALLY? You're really supposed to drain engine oil when it's warm, but I'd be inclined to change the oil and filter before you tried to start it.
Rubber perishes. More when it's not being used/subjected to and loads/deflections.
So I'd also jack the car up, get it on some stands, and have a right good nosy around all the bushes and whatnot, make sure everything seems in good working order, that nothing's about to fall off.
I'd also quite like to know the brake calipers aren't seized, or that the seals haven't perished/split, before I'm heading down the road at 30mph and need them, so I'd probably whip them off for a quick look.
Maybe I'm a bit OTT, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
I'd say just throw a new air filter on and drain/replace the oil, then have a look around the obvious perishable bits with some common sense.
doogz said:
Pothole said:
All this talk about brakes 'seizing on'...do you mean the pads got stuck to the rust on the discs? Hardly seized, then.
No, I mean the pistons stick and need replaced, or at least, removed, cleaned, possibly sanded slightly to remove any rust/other deposits, and reassembled with new seals.And one one side the seal on the back of the slider bolt has gone AWOL, and fills up with dirt/junk slowly.
That makes it sound worse than it is, but they do need seen to.
Oil..... Horrible things can happen to an engine if you drive it after sitting around so long without atleast changing the oil.Here goes my 2 pence worth.
New battery, as 18 month old one that has not been used will prob be toast.
Check oil and water maybe consider adding fresh fuel the engine should be fine and turn over no problem, in my experience engines only sieze when prolonged parking for many years or direct exposure to the eliments and even then I have started engines that have be parked up for decades without issue.
A quick check by putting the car in top gear and rocking it will tell you if the engine siezed if you are not sure.
My concerns would be persisable items such as wiper blades tyres etc so pay close attension to such items, brake binding may be an issue but the MOT test will be a sure way of finding out as they test for binding, balance, hose/pipe condition, leaks and efficency this will give you some peace of mind to the condition of the system.
When I park a car for a long time I tend to leave the handbrake off and chock the wheels to avoid handbrake cables siezing.
Once the mot is passed give the cat a good major service oil/filters fluids cam belt etc, some people may say service before hand but if the car fails the MOT badly and is beond economic repair you will have wasted your money on chaging the oil etc.
Lastly when a car is parked for some time there is a possiblity that there will some problems that may surface, my advice would be to use the car locally for a few journies to check that there are no unexpected problems.
New battery, as 18 month old one that has not been used will prob be toast.
Check oil and water maybe consider adding fresh fuel the engine should be fine and turn over no problem, in my experience engines only sieze when prolonged parking for many years or direct exposure to the eliments and even then I have started engines that have be parked up for decades without issue.
A quick check by putting the car in top gear and rocking it will tell you if the engine siezed if you are not sure.
My concerns would be persisable items such as wiper blades tyres etc so pay close attension to such items, brake binding may be an issue but the MOT test will be a sure way of finding out as they test for binding, balance, hose/pipe condition, leaks and efficency this will give you some peace of mind to the condition of the system.
When I park a car for a long time I tend to leave the handbrake off and chock the wheels to avoid handbrake cables siezing.
Once the mot is passed give the cat a good major service oil/filters fluids cam belt etc, some people may say service before hand but if the car fails the MOT badly and is beond economic repair you will have wasted your money on chaging the oil etc.
Lastly when a car is parked for some time there is a possiblity that there will some problems that may surface, my advice would be to use the car locally for a few journies to check that there are no unexpected problems.
doogz said:
Pothole said:
've never had that happen, you've had it happen once...chances are it ain't gonna happen here.
I've only had it happen once? I don't recall saying that?I spent a lot of my youth messing about with scabby old cars, I've learned pessimism is safer than flippancy.
The car in question will very possibly start first time, and be absolutely fine, with no issues whatsoever.
But the OP did ask, so I gave my opinion, that's all.
These threads always fill up with tales of doom and gloom and yet I bet my life earnings that most people don't bother with any of the cautiousness suggested here...I haven't seen any news stories about connected fatalities, have you?
Just for balance - I fitted a new rear bearing/hub to a car about five months ago. I reckon the car has probably covered about 30 miles in that time, most of that in one journey.
Said bearing is now completely shot for some reason - had to be replaced again. (And for clarity, it was fitted correctly, and torqued up - being one of those integral hub bearing units, there isn't a lot to get wrong!))
Said bearing is now completely shot for some reason - had to be replaced again. (And for clarity, it was fitted correctly, and torqued up - being one of those integral hub bearing units, there isn't a lot to get wrong!))
Its most probably wrong but what i do when i get my car going again after storage is put a can of fresh petrol in the car and top up oil just enough to get a bit of lubrication down the bores then turn over the engine.
Once running leave running on tick over for 10 minutes then away you go.
Then do an oil and filter change in the next week or so
Once running leave running on tick over for 10 minutes then away you go.
Then do an oil and filter change in the next week or so
Pothole said:
Strip it completely to its tiniest component parts. Rebuild with new parts for everything except the gear lever gaiter and rear seat covers. Pay particular attention to the headlining as that model has one made from special plastic that degrades if the car is not used and will poison you both on the way to the test centre.
If you don't do the above you are a crazy irresponsible idiot and a danger to society.
Alternatively, just fire it up and rag it to the test centre! It'll be fine, it's a car not an antique wristwatch!
+1 Nice one,well said. If you don't do the above you are a crazy irresponsible idiot and a danger to society.
Alternatively, just fire it up and rag it to the test centre! It'll be fine, it's a car not an antique wristwatch!
Cars do not like standing still,it will be just silly stuff due to lack of use.
All it will need is a battery and let it idle for a bit and possible wiper blades?.Then may be the pads will be stuck to the discs??a few revs and "crack" you will be on your way to the MOT,then "Clean" the discs on the way.The worst scenario will be it fails on imbalanced brakes or has excessive brake judder.
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