Starting car first time after 3yr storage period . . .

[pugfrank 14 1 Cars]

Hi All,

I would be interested to know, people’s thoughts and opinions of procedure for starting car after some time in storage. 

 

The cars going to need an oil+filter change, coolant change and brake fluid as a minimum.

 

·         Do I start and idle the car on old oil to warm up old before I put new oil in? or do I drain old oil and fill with new oil before the first start up? 

·         Should I use something like and engine flush? If so at what point in the above process?

·         Same with coolant do I do first start up with old or do I replace with new before I do first start up? Do I use a coolant flush chemical on the system?

 

 I’m interested in knowing how to best protect what I have in an efficient manor.

 

Thanks for your help.  

[Leslie green 111]

Check the oil level is OK they warm up and change oil while it's warm, you can check there are no coolant leaks and the thermostat is working too before changing it. Let it cool before doping any coolant work though as it's easy to get scalded. Taking a hose of and flushing the rad and block with a hose would be an idea to remove any crud. 

Edited September 11, 2023 by Leslie green

[PhilNW 44]

How old is the cambelt?

 

Make sure you spin the engine on the starter to have some oil pressure before starting properly

 

Fresh petrol is probably a good idea

Edited September 11, 2023 by PhilNW

[pugfrank 14 1 Cars]

16 hours ago, PhilNW said:

How old is the cambelt?

 

Make sure you spin the engine on the starter to have some oil pressure before starting properly

 

Fresh petrol is probably a good idea

Thanks Drivers,

 

Yes the camblet is about 6-7yrs old not done more than a 1000miles but was planning to change once the car is up and running when it probably gose for its MOT eventually. 

 

Petrol tank is completly empty so I will top up with some fresh fuel. 

 

Should I turn car over with plugs removed to circulate the oil before starting up? 

 

 

[pugfrank 14 1 Cars]

16 hours ago, Leslie green said:

Check the oil level is OK they warm up and change oil while it's warm, you can check there are no coolant leaks and the thermostat is working too before changing it. Let it cool before doping any coolant work though as it's easy to get scalded. Taking a hose of and flushing the rad and block with a hose would be an idea to remove any crud. 

Thanks Leslie, 

 

So its ok to start on old oil first then do a change is what your saying. 

 

So will a hose pipe flush the coolant crud in the block well? or is a coolant flush chenical best? I really want to give it a best clean out possible I can.  Im gonna fit new hoses and rad was new before it got laid up so its the block I want to get as clean as possible. 

 

[PhilNW 44]

10 minutes ago, pugfrank said:

Thanks Drivers,

 

Yes the camblet is about 6-7yrs old not done more than a 1000miles but was planning to change once the car is up and running when it probably gose for its MOT eventually. 

 

Petrol tank is completly empty so I will top up with some fresh fuel. 

 

Should I turn car over with plugs removed to circulate the oil before starting up? 

 

 

Leave the plugs in otherwise you risk shooting petrol vapour around, just wait for a small pressure reading on the gauge

[pugfrank 14 1 Cars]

6 minutes ago, PhilNW said:

Leave the plugs in otherwise you risk shooting petrol vapour around, just wait for a small pressure reading on the gauge

ah ok so just disconnet the leads? 

[PhilNW 44]

Yes or disconnect at the coil

Edited September 12, 2023 by PhilNW

[pugfrank 14 1 Cars]

5 hours ago, PhilNW said:

Yes or disconnect at the coil

Greta thanks. 

[Gohn 68]

if you're gunna do the timing belt shortly anyway

ya might as well do it first

(the book says every 3 years )

[pugfrank 14 1 Cars]

15 minutes ago, Gohn said:

if you're gunna do the timing belt shortly anyway

ya might as well do it first

(the book says every 3 years )

Yeh good point . . . only thing is never done one before little nervous about it . . . so was in the mind I might get a garage to do it for me . . .  How long should it take for a complete novice with a Haynes manual to do cambelt do you reckon?  

[PhilNW 44]

1 hour ago, pugfrank said:

Yeh good point . . . only thing is never done one before little nervous about it . . . so was in the mind I might get a garage to do it for me . . .  How long should it take for a complete novice with a Haynes manual to do cambelt do you reckon?  

Small hands will be an asset if you try it

[Leslie green 111]

The timing belt is a bit tricky to change in the car due to access ,I wouldn't worry much about starting it on old oil ,I started mine after 11 years idle and it ran OK once I got the wiring on right .

If you put the hose in the expansion bottle and take the stat out and a rad hose of you should be able to flush the block but most of the crud will be set like concrete after many years and never come out.

Edited September 13, 2023 by Leslie green

[Gohn 68]

 

2 hours ago, pugfrank said:

How long should it take for a complete novice with a Haynes manual to do cambelt do you reckon?

a few hours at least, it took me more than that when I first did one

the hardest part is starting, before working on cars it feels like you cant because you never have before

its easier starting with an oil change and changing the coolant so you could knock those over first

dont run the engine, just drain the oil, change the filter and new oil in,

then drain coolant , disconnect top and bottom hoses, and water hose in top of rad for flush out

seal up and fill new coolant

then go bit by bit with changing the new timing belt 

 

 

 

[pugfrank 14 1 Cars]

1 hour ago, PhilNW said:

Small hands will be an asset if you try it

That is gonna be a problem . . . Lol, they have often been described as shovels! lol

 

[pugfrank 14 1 Cars]

just had two local garage quotes both back at near on £450inc vat for a cambelt change! 

[pugfrank 14 1 Cars]

Just now, pugfrank said:

just had two local garage quotes both back at near on £450inc vat for a cambelt change! 

whats that £120 materail and 3-4 hours labour. . .

 

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

18 hours ago, pugfrank said:

just had two local garage quotes both back at near on £450inc vat for a cambelt change! 

Unless you can do it yourself, that sounds about what you would need to pay. Water pump? Anti freeze? Tensioner? 

[Leslie green 111]

If its only done 1000 miles it probably only needs the belt and nothing else assuming it had a pump and tensioner last time . It is of course a risk though .£450 sounds a lot but the labour rate now in big garages is eye watering !

[PhilNW 44]

New belt and tensioner have a habit of messing up old water pumps, which means you end up doing it twice.

 

False economy leaving old pump in.

Edited September 21, 2023 by PhilNW