Firing up a car that has sat for many years.

Welcome!

By registering with us, you'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.

SignUp Now!

TType85

Well-Known Member
TurboBuick.Com Supporter!
Joined
May 25, 2001
Messages
1,704
My friend passed away a few years back and I am finaly getting around to getting it out of his wifes garage and hopefully getting it back running.

It has been sitting in the garage covered since 2003. I'm trying to make a mental checklist of everything I will need to get this car road-worthy again.

The car is currently pretty much wedged in, about 10-12" of space around it, doesn't look like it got many more dings but it needs to come out of there to my nice empty 2 car garage. I finally got the garage door up and the back bumper is now corroded/rusted. I can only think it is because someone stuck 2 bottles of muratic acid at the back end of the car many years back when you could get in to that side of the garage. Hopefully nothing else is messed up from that.

When it was put away it had a recent (under 8K mile) forged/capped stock block build with a deep sump pan. 70MM KB Thorttle Body, Dequick FMIC, 55# injectors, walbro 340, 60-1 Stage II turbo, TH 3" DP, gutted cat, trans has maybe 10-15K miles on a rebuild with a trans-brake (modified valve body), rear end has about 8K miles on a rebuilt stock posi.

So far I know I need to:
Replace Battery
Check all the hoses/belt/wires
Change Fuel Filter
Change Oil
Change Trans-Fluid (glad we put the drian plug in)
Pump out the old gas and put in new
Yank the cam sensor and prime the motor

Anything else I am missing off hand?

This is also assuming that the computer is in the car too. I remember at one time I pulled it to use on mine (car got stolen :mad: ) but have not been able to get close enough to look in the car. If the ECM is missing, how do we handle the low imp injectors (55#)?

I'm sure more questions will come up as I get it out of the garage.
 
Glad to see another Gn getting ready to roam the streets of Ca..good luckgettin it out and running seems like u have the basics covered. I would go as far as to check the coolant level and condition , change dif oil , depending on condition new plugs and wires gapped correctly i myself would change them wit new ,check all fuses ,grounds, connections top off all other fluids brakes ,powersteering, etc
 
Maybe get some WD-40 down in the cylinders to remove and water that maybe in there. Crank it over with the plugs out and lube them cylinder walls real good. I have also used Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders on vehicles that have been sitting:)
 
i just did this for a local guy whos father passed.I pulled the plugs and changed them along with wires .put a little tranny fluid on top of the pistons and just pulled the orange wire with plugs out and cranked to prime and lube cylinders.other than that all the same things you listed
 
gas has a short life expectancy. it will loose it's energy and turn into a varnish like substance. i have gotten several cars to start with bad gas, but it's not pretty. if the car has sat for more than a year, you will need to drain the tank, purge the fuel line. in sfi, you will need to purge the injectors, fuel rail, regulator. if you do get it fired without doing this, you will likely fowel your injectors and plug the cat if it has one. you will also have alot of corrosion built up on the brushes of your alternator. don't be surprised if the engine doesn't charge properly.
 
Back
Top