Car's Been Sitting A While - Possible Gotcha's?

[BlownMX5]

My hotside '94 has been sitting in the driveway since the middle of January. I've been playing too much golf and haven't been able to get motivated enough to do the little bit of work it needs. My next track event is at Spring Mountain, NV in September so I have to get busy. I've never let a car sit that long without being started or driven. What issues might I expect to have? Dead battery ('natch), bad gas etc? Have I necessarily killed my battery completely? Or just wounded it? Should I drain the gas or maybe it's OK? Stuff like that. Anything special for the first startup?

Thanks,
Pat.

[spitfiremkiii]

Check all of the cars fluid levels and tire pressures. The battery will need charging and will probably need replacing soon depending on previous use and age. You should be able to tell if the battery is week next time you start the car after normal use.

The gas should still be ok but you will want to get the oil circulating.
To get the oil back into the galleries without undo wear and tare spin the engine over without the spark plugs. You will need to leave the plugs connected to their leads and grounded so you don't blow the coil pack. This will also get fuel to the injectors if it has leaked back to the tank.

Insert plugs and warmup engine then change the oil. Drive. If the car hasn't moved and the tires were on the ground you may have some temporary flat spots which will roll out. Your brake rotors are probably rusty (if you have had any moisture) so expect a horrible grinding noise the first time you try them and check for binding.

Don't forget to check for rodents that may have taken residence.

Good luck.

[BlownMX5]

OK, good stuff here, thanks.
Don't forget to check for rodents that may have taken residence.
Probably no rodents where I live but from the number of webs I see it is most likely full of Black Widow spiders. Oh goodie :eek:

[maggie]

I basically followed the notes from the previous post also. I also have a battery charger that will desulfate a battery. I did this to both the '94 and the '02. The '02 is still on the original battery. Sometimes I feel like it is on borrowed time especially here in the South Florida heat but it is now cranking stronger than before it's hiatus during the install. I hope I didn't just jinx myself on this one...

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

Don't push it very hard until you get that fuel used up or add some Torco to boost it. 91 octane is bad enough and sitting doesn't make it any better. :)

[BlownMX5]

Don't push it very hard until you get that fuel used up or add some Torco to boost it. 91 octane is bad enough and sitting doesn't make it any better. :)

Actually, the last time it ran (other than driving it off the trailer and parking it in the driveway), it was sitting on grid waiting to start a 15 lap race at Willow Springs when someone noticed that my LR tire was corded. I normally check tire condition before each session but I was hurried that particular time and missed it. I'd been shredding belts all day long and had just gotten it fixed when we got called to grid. Thank goodness. It's a bummer that I didn't get to race, but turn 9 is not the place you'd want your LR to come apart :eek:. I immediately pulled out of grid and on to the trailer. Anyway, it still has Torco in it but that was from six months ago. I hope it's still good.

In fact, I just got that 1/4" crank spacer (thx for the drawing Tom) made today so other than shimming the tensioner standoffs, I should be ready to space the entire belt assembly out away from my p/s pump. No more belt shredding. Now I just have to actually get out in the garage and get something done.

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

Ah yes. Let me know how the spacer works. You will also need 40mm bolts for the pulley (M6x40mm) with the spacer.

[BlownMX5]

Ah yes. Let me know how the spacer works. You will also need 40mm bolts for the pulley (M6x40mm) with the spacer.

40mm? Or 35? I only say that because you'd told me some time ago to use 35mm bolts (up from 30s). Might 40mm be too long? I know - I'm being argumentative :taz:.

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

Standard bolts are 35. You will need 40.

[BlownMX5]

Standard bolts are 35. You will need 40.
OK, but from an email you sent me on 6/16/08:Might be safer if you use 6 x 35mm bolts. Be sure to get grade 10 or better. The bolts you have now are 6 x 30mm. The extra 5mm will make up for the added 1/4".Just so you know I'm not making that up ;).

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

It is 35 and needs to be 40. You made me go back to the drawings and look. ;)

I think you made that up. I didn't really say that. :-)

[BlownMX5]

It is 35 and needs to be 40. You made me go back to the drawings and look. ;)

I think you made that up. I didn't really say that. :-)

LOL. Now the question is: will you go back to your sent mail to find out for sure? I'll bet you do, unless you have already purged it. I'm just glad I was so lazy that I hadn't bought the bolts yet :yawn:.

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

I'm sure I said it. ;) Old age does that sometimes. Glad I could correct my error.

[BlownMX5]

You will need to leave the plugs connected to their leads and grounded so you don't blow the coil pack.

I don't mean to be a dolt, but I'm trying to figure out I'm going to do this. What I mean is how/where to ground them? My cam cover is powdercoated otherwise I'd just duct tape them to the bare metal, I suppose. Should I run some wires to ground and wrap the ends around the threaded part of the plugs or something? Would it need to be a certain minimum gauge of wire?

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

On the 99-05, there is a small connector at the front of the engine. I imagine there is a similar plug on the 94-97. I don't have a harness diagram to be sure but, if you follow the wires from the coils back towards the front of the engine, you should find it. You could also simply disconnect the connectors at the coils. They are just a bit harder to get to.