Re: Starting an old engine?

[Jason Cammisa <jcammisa@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 05:47 AM 4/13/99 , you wrote:
>A friend of mine has an '86 535 that has not been started for four years. Is 
>there any hope that this motor will be able to run? Nothing was done to the 
>engine to prepare it for its long slumber. Is there anything he can do to 
>prepare for a new day?
>Marc

Hey there Marc,
	To answer your question... um... I don't know. :)
	I'm really just as curious as you are to find out what happens...

	I'm sure the car will start, it just might take some preperation, first.
An absolute must is drining the fluids... The shelf life of gasoline is
around 6 months at max, right?,  so that gas is probably nasty as all hell.
 I would never try to start the gas in that tank; you will likely kill the
fuel pump(s) with the sediment in there.  
	Chances are you're going to have to replace the pump(s) anyways, cause
they hate sitting in stagant gas.  Dump the tank, make sure there's no rust
in it, and put a new pump in.  Likewise, change that fuel filter.
	I would also change the oil before you try anything, as well as the
coolant.  And then once the car is running, change just about every other
fluid in the car, too.  The plugs will also likely be all fouled, change
those, too, before you try anything. 
	I would also put a teaspoon of oil down each cylinder a few minutes before
you try to start it (just do this while you're changing the plugs)... that
will help lubricate the rings, which haven't seen oil in years.
	...and most importantly, let us know what happens-- I'm sure I'm not the
only one who's curious!

Thanks, and good luck!
	Jason



- ----------
jason@domain.elided
1987 Scirocco 16v
60,000 original miles.
<http://members.aol.com/rocco16v>http://members.aol.com/rocco16v  

------------------------------