hi peeps,

i own a 2006 TL, my ride was short live, when i got one too many speeding tickets, and started to take a toll on my insurance (10K+ at the time). So i stored it in an indoor garage for 3years. as stupid as this may sound, i have not started it since. I am now 23, and finally, the wait is nearly over, i hope if i am fortunate enough to get it started - i will have learned a valuable lesson - and that is IT JUST WAS NOT WORTH IT.
And for the new year i'm hoping to find some decent rates, and get this long lost car on the road. My question is after i get the cover off, what do i need to do to get her back into running conditions.

input is most welcome

regards
Aret

 

Check all fluids

Check tires for air & integrity...

Good bet the battery is dead

Once started let it idle & warm up .. check for leaks.

Recheck fluids.

Get it serviced ... oil changes etc.

 

Remove the plugs and squirt a little ATF in each cylinder, let sit, then drain or suck the old gas from the tank, add fresh fuel, turn the engine over by hand, install the plugs and see if a go. Get a strong battery and after starting, I'd then change the oil/filter and check the brakes carefully as the caliper pistons may have frozen, then on to the brake fluid, coolant, etc.

 

Off topic but it might have been easier to not speed lol. I had a fast car from the age of 17 and I've never had a speeding ticket.

 

Excellent point and I totally missed it ..

 

likely needs a new battery, especially if that one was left connected

If you cant drain the gas tank or it was left low--there is moisture and gelled fuel in there
to fix:
ADD 1 can/16oz seafoam to the tank with 8 gallons fuel/just under half tank.
repeat on next half tank
that will clear out crud and restore things to a baseline of clean

I would change the oil and filter BEFORE starting the engine-
its going to have lots of moisture in it that you dont want to spread around

once its running- flush the brake fluid--thats due every 3 years MAX anyway
easy DIY

good idea to do the ps fluid flush too-- driving it will dry the moisture out, but it has been sitting a long time and bad fluid causes seal problems,,expensive seal problems

 

Hey guys thanks for the helpful replies
Seems like their is lots of fluid work to be done.
Would the dealership be my best bet?
Or just the the ordinary mechanic?

 

If you're not going to do it yourself, you'll need to have it towed/flatbed to the shop or dealer and you won't know exactly what or how they are going to get it started. If you change the oil before startup, I'd definitely do an oil change afterwards as the metal will be scrapped off the cylinder walls, above and below the rings, and can contaminate the new oil, that's why I would change after startup.

 

as said change ALL fluids

tires are more then likely dryrotted some (especially if they are nearing the end of the wear life, i would just replace them)

 

Interesting choice...

I agree 100% with the notion of having it towed to the dealer. Driving a car that's been sitting for 3 years just doesn't sound like a good idea. Bring another power source for the battery if you do try to start it; I guarantee you it's dead. It was probably dead a month after you stored it. I'm quite sure you'll need new tires also. They're probably rotted to some degree and they most certainly have flat spots if the car has been sitting on concrete for three years. Post pics when you go rescue her though.

 

This is going to be a fun one! Hook up the car to a battery tender. Drain the oil and refill with fresh oil. Drain the gas tank and fill up with premium fuel and some Fuel cleaner. I recommend redline SI-1 as it'll clean up the stuff at the bottom from the car sitting so long.

Check the air pressure in the tires and get some new ones (tires have a life of about 5 years because of dry-rotting issues.

 

Believe me, I'm not trying to be argumentative, but here in the US there is no limit on the tire carcass as long as no cracking is evident. On one of our cars we don't use very often, the rear tires are going on 7 years old and no problems, but as mentioned above, if flat spotting is evident, it may take up to 20-30 miles of driving to straighten out depending on the model tire.

 

but considering that it is probably a winter truck or beater vehicle, where you don't want to get your main car dirty, i would say that is a little more forgiving though, compared to a dialy driver for the OP, where he might go on a road trip on a whim (more heat put into the tire, then say down the road to work or home depot)



btw OP, i forgot to mention, i know how you feel, with getting your license back and all, i had to ride the bus for like 2 years, cause i could not afford the insurance either

 

Really? I read or watched something a year or so ago that discussed this issue and how each tire has a date stamped on the inside wall. And most tires only have a safe life of like 3-5 years. I think it was focused on truck tires but part if it discussed car tires and how to check to be sure the tires match the production date of a new car, and if you buy from a smaller place like a gas station then you should really check to be sure. And as I think, i believe they said something about it being a requirement that the seller or manufacturer always have the freshest tires that meet that 3ish year life and by law need to be swapped out with the new rubber, but because of the hassle and added expense some smaller places probably have expired tires.

 

We sold a 1973 coachmen fifth wheel...original tires (tubes?) still on it ....The people that bought it pulled it 150 miles to st paul...lol
There were cracks in the side wall were 1/8 inch.

 

My father has an '73 Opel GT with some bias ply tires bought in the early '80s from JcPenny. I had to move it the other day and it was kind of scary airing tires up with those kind of cracks.