Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

General chat topics, anything and everything you want or need to discuss
User avatar
Taipan
Posts: 13945
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:48 pm
Location: Essex Riviera!
Has thanked: 15949 times
Been thanked: 10243 times

Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by Taipan »

Head gasket has gone on the Daughters Corsa, so I've got to find her a new car. I've got a Fiesta that's been standing since 2017/18. I'm guessing that could be long enough for wahtever fuel is in there to have messed up. So my plan is to take a full can of super unleaded with me and a bottle of say redex and add that whilst i take the battery away and see if I can revive that or get a new one. Sound like a plan, or is there anything else you'd do?
TIA
Silly Car
Posts: 854
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:53 pm
Has thanked: 143 times
Been thanked: 497 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by Silly Car »

Crank it over a few times by hand with spark plugs removed to ensure nothing is ceased.
Then crank it over with starter motor with spark plugs disconnected to ensure oil is everywhere it needs to be.
Start it (or attempt to) and let it idle until the fan kicks in to ensure all waterways and cooling are running.
Check the tyres for perished rubber.

Take it for an MOT.


Then rag it it second gear up the A13 for fun!
cheb
Posts: 4904
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2020 6:51 am
Been thanked: 2615 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by cheb »

Take a tin of Easy Start and possibly a sprayer full of petrol. The latter for helping it if struggles to run. Either disconnect the air filter hose and spray it in the inlet tract, or on fabric interior when it's really tried your patience.
User avatar
rodbargee
Posts: 1021
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:30 pm
Location: N Yorks
Has thanked: 353 times
Been thanked: 980 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by rodbargee »

Dont pour neat petrol down an Su carb with the top off, Dont ask how I know this :sick:
Le_Fromage_Grande
Posts: 11233
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:40 pm
Location: The road of many manky motorcycles
Has thanked: 607 times
Been thanked: 4124 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

Silly Car wrote: Sun Sep 13, 2020 1:17 pm Crank it over a few times by hand with spark plugs removed to ensure nothing is ceased.
Then crank it over with starter motor with spark plugs disconnected to ensure oil is everywhere it needs to be.
Start it (or attempt to) and let it idle until the fan kicks in to ensure all waterways and cooling are running.
Check the tyres for perished rubber.

Take it for an MOT.


Then rag it it second gear up the A13 for fun!
This but put a little oil down each plug hole before cranking it over.
Also check the oil before cranking it over.
Honda Owner
User avatar
MrLongbeard
Posts: 4585
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2020 2:06 pm
Has thanked: 599 times
Been thanked: 2435 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by MrLongbeard »

Fix the head gasket and do away with the grief of a handbrake that's been locked on for 2 - 3 years.
Bobble
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 2:04 pm
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 6 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by Bobble »

Check the timing\cambelt to see if it's perished before turning over.
User avatar
Taipan
Posts: 13945
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:48 pm
Location: Essex Riviera!
Has thanked: 15949 times
Been thanked: 10243 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by Taipan »

Bobble wrote: Mon Sep 14, 2020 1:06 pm Check the timing\cambelt to see if it's perished before turning over.
Good point. Its 2006 car with only 24k miles, but it will need doing if it hasn't already been done. I'll check through the service history. Thanks.
User avatar
Taipan
Posts: 13945
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:48 pm
Location: Essex Riviera!
Has thanked: 15949 times
Been thanked: 10243 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by Taipan »

Puta gallon of juice and a bottle of redex in, hooked up some jump leads and turned the key . It fired up instantly, then stopped. Did again, same thing, then once more and it ilded like a swiss watch. Run it round the block and it drives lovely, no binding brakes and handbrake is fine, tempreture stable etc. New battery was £40 from Euros, so I'll put that on tomorrow and drop it at my local garage for MOT and anything that needs doing to get it through. Might get them to do a oil and filter change too. Then my daughter should have herself a nice little runaround. :thumbup:
User avatar
Yorick
Posts: 16736
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 8:20 pm
Location: Paradise
Has thanked: 10263 times
Been thanked: 6885 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by Yorick »

I bet the neighbours are happy you've shifted that rusty old Fiesta off the front garden :)
User avatar
Taipan
Posts: 13945
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:48 pm
Location: Essex Riviera!
Has thanked: 15949 times
Been thanked: 10243 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by Taipan »

Yorick wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 4:13 pm I bet the neighbours are happy you've shifted that rusty old Fiesta off the front garden :)
Plus you can get to the old settee easier now! :lol:
chillitt
Posts: 214
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:53 pm
Location: Gloucesterchestershire
Has thanked: 144 times
Been thanked: 164 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by chillitt »

Taipan wrote: Fri Sep 18, 2020 4:08 pm Puta gallon of juice and a bottle of redex in, hooked up some jump leads and turned the key . It fired up instantly, then stopped. Did again, same thing, then once more and it ilded like a swiss watch. Run it round the block and it drives lovely, no binding brakes and handbrake is fine, tempreture stable etc. New battery was £40 from Euros, so I'll put that on tomorrow and drop it at my local garage for MOT and anything that needs doing to get it through. Might get them to do a oil and filter change too. Then my daughter should have herself a nice little runaround. :thumbup:
I'm doing the same with a Cora van on Monday, all being well. We started it a couple of weeks ago, battery is shot, but no smoke or leaks. oil looks like oil, coolant looks like coolant. It's going to need tyres and erm..stuff. I've borrowed a set of wheels, and its getting nothing until its been for an MOT and very little after. Expect pics and tales of terror from a 40 mile 'test drive'... The Transits going for scrap at the end of the month, I'd say the odds are 50/50 on 2 vans being scrapped
User avatar
DefTrap
Posts: 4495
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2020 8:23 am
Has thanked: 2259 times
Been thanked: 2191 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by DefTrap »

I've been running my 406 for 3 years now on an "it's gonna blow" budget. Some vehicles just work.
User avatar
Taipan
Posts: 13945
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:48 pm
Location: Essex Riviera!
Has thanked: 15949 times
Been thanked: 10243 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by Taipan »

Brought the car home today. Drives like a brand new car, but will only 23700 miles on I suppose it should. MOT test tomorrow morning...
User avatar
Taipan
Posts: 13945
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:48 pm
Location: Essex Riviera!
Has thanked: 15949 times
Been thanked: 10243 times

Re: Starting a car that has been standing for a few years...

Post by Taipan »

Passed its MOT today, guy said washers spluttered and died, so presumes they've just ran out of water and the wiper blades need replacing. 3 new wiper blades were £12.83 at Euros and the washers must have picked up some sediment, but I blew them out and it's all good and I have one very happy and pleased daughter. She is out wasting the petrol I put in it now! :lol: