Well, the car was not supposed to sit for so long, but it unfortunately did. I will only be able to change the oil before cranking her up. Any advice to ease the chance of something going wrong? Not sure if I should just wait for spring to roll around. Any advice is apprecied....

 

Did you do anything to prepare for storage when it was "retired"? Like fuel stabilizer? If not, you may want to get fresh fuel in as soon as possible, and preferably something with some ethanol to help dissolve any varnish. The filter may take a beating when you start driving as well, so plan on changing that as part of the "recovery" maintenance. Your coolant is also two years older, and if it is green, that's only one year short of a recommended flush and refill.

Start with a fully charged battery, full air pressure in the tires, take it easy on the brakes for a while, and be prepared to service wheel bearings and sticky calipers. I'm sure you'll find other nagging little things as well, but two years really isn't that bad. It's just advancing your maintenance schedule by that much more.

It would be far too tempting for me to wait for spring. I'd want to at least get it back moving a little before the "salt season" starts, just to see what else I'd have to repair before next spring.

 

Vader, do you think priming the oil pump is necessary? I had left mine sit for about 2 months and when I fired it up (yes it had oil, correct level) it spun a bearing.

 

Well maybe it was more than 2 months, but still....

 

Mine sits for 6 months every winter. To avoid spinning anything, I now bring the battery out and let it run for 15 minutes straight every 3 or 4th week (once a month). I've been doing this for 4 years now with ZERO problems. For the first 2 years I let it sit for the entire 5 months...big mistake.

 

ok....mine sat for 13 years....so my story about getting it running is alot more involved.
I would say along with what Vader said which is good stuff is to SERIOUSLY let it crank alot before letting it start up
Don't let it start just let it keep cranking over to get the oil up in there good. Also add marvil mystery oil too the tank..this will help to keep what gas you have in there good, for when you crank it over. you might also look at your belts right off the go to see if there are any cracks...mine did something terrible.
Good luck...she looks to be in great shape...nice third gen

 

Thanks everyone! Vader, nothing was done since the car was not supposed to sit so long. It used to sit 6 months at a clip with not trouble, but this is a new beast. We'll see what happens. I'll follow everyones' suggestions and hope for the best. Now, I really have to decide, start it now...or wait until after winter? Decisions, decisions...

 

Wait till after winter. You'll love it that much more come spring after drooling all winter...

 

That's the way I'm leaning...but I really want to crank her up and take it for a spin around the block. That might do more damage than good though...

 

I would recommend driving it a few miles, as well, so as to get everything else lubed up. i.e., front end parts, U-joints, tranny, etc.

 

Mine will prolly sit all winter too... i just make sure to start it up once every couple days just to keep everything wet.

 

I bought a '78 TA 4speed/400 for a paltry $1,500 canadian pesos that had 56,000 original, documented *KMs* on it. With the help of a buddy, we threw in a new starter (thats what blew on it originally) and fired it up. The lady that owned it, (and apparently obtained it through a divorce) couldn't believe it started..... because it hadn't been started in 9 years. Yeah, it took a while of cranking, and then another while of holding down the throttle before it would idle, but....

As it was running I go, "9 years??!?!" She's like, "yup, amazing."

Im screaming, "SHUT IT OFF! SHUT IT OFF!"

Oh yeah, almost 3 litres of oil short, black and thick as tar.


Ok I was only 18 and didn't think to check the oil, nor did I know it hadnt run in 9 years.

I was laughing when I parted with that car for three times what I paid for it, but now I'm crying when I see them going for almost 10x what I paid for it. Ah, the novelty of chirping the tires into 4th.

 

You really only need to start it about every 4-6 weeks. When you do, move it outside and allow it to get fully warmed up (engine and transmission), and drive it around a little if weather permits.

 

what happened the first 2 years? Just curious.