A guide to starting a car that has been sitting for years

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Starting a car that has been sitting for years? Here is what you should do to get it moving safely and without causing any permanent damage.

If there is one thing cars do not like, besides falling off cliffs and swimming, it is being stationary. A few months is usually fine, but a few years is a different story. That is why starting a car that has been sitting for years should be done properly.

It therefore makes sense to complete a number of essential tasks to give your pride and joy the best chance of moving again. A little effort now can help ensure you get many miles of happy motoring later.

1) Disconnect the battery

Before we do anything, disconnect the battery. Chances are, the battery will need replacing anyway and it is a good habit to get into when doing any mechanical work to avoid accidental short-circuits.

The main reason in this instance, however, is to avoid fuel or oil ignition priming, as both liquids will have degraded. Petrol and oil typically begin to lose efficacy after a few months. Which brings me nicely on to the next point.

2) Check for wildlife

Next, for a car that has been sitting for years we should check for wildlife. Because birds and rodents may have lined your car with potentially flammable material.

Dry leaves are not great news either as they can inhibit airflow to critical elements of your engine. Check in the engine bay, particularly around the radiator. You can also look for dried up leaks, holes and disconnected piping at the same time.

3) Replace liquids

To ensure your engine is properly protected, fuel burns as it should do and all other liquids are doing their respective jobs at start-up, drain the old and add new. An oil change is a bare minimum, meaning you will need to locate the oil pan and drain that old, useless oil into a bucket or tray that can fit under your car.

Ensure whatever you use has the capacity to catch every litre of oil. A flat tray or folding bucket usually makes sense as you may not have much height clearance to work with.

If you jack the car up for access to the oil sump drain plug, ensure you use a proper jacking point and have at least one fail-safe. Just in case your jack or stand fails. Spend as little time under the vehicle as possible to be on the safe side.

Now it is time to add new oil. Use a funnel to avoid spillage, tilt the bottle sideways when pouring to ensure a steady flow and stick to the recommended capacity. Because both underfilling and overfilling can be damaging. Buy oil from a reputable brand, as you do not want to damage your engine.

Which oil to use?

Make sure to buy the correct type of oil. The number and W (5W, for example), denote the viscosity of the oil for winter temperatures while the latter is for summer temperatures. The climate in your area governs what oil temperature range you need. Check your car manual for specifics or search on the web. Older engines may benefit from a thicker viscosity.

Now remove any old fuel as it will not burn as it should do after a number of years. It may have even evaporated. Given the added engine cleaning and lubricating additives, it may be beneficial to top-up using a more premium, higher RON fuel.

If your car has coolant of some sort, drain it and replace it too. You can pump it out via the reservoir, usually found in the engine bay, or find the bleed/drain point typically on the radiator. Top-up with fresh coolant for your specific car bought from a reputable source.

Brake fluid can also degrade. Though, unlike other car liquids, it is actually less likely to happen when not in use. Using a syphon or pump of some sort (cleaned if already used to drain coolant), you can remove at least some of it via the brake fluid reservoir in the engine bay. Then top up with an appropriately rated equivalent.

4) Change all filters

Now that we have fresh liquids in your car, it is time to replace the related filters. Because otherwise all that fresh oil will be contaminated and diluted by sludgy remnants. The oil filter is usually accessible without too much hassle so buy an original manufacturer unit or a quality third-party alternative and find a good YouTube or forum tutorial.

Also replace or clean the air filter, as this may have clogged up over time and will restrict airflow to the engine. Fancy aftermarket air filters may look good and can affect engine noise, but offer little or no performance benefit. Some may actually hinder performance unless accompanied by other engine modifications so do some research.

It is also worth changing the cabin air filter to keep nasty particulates out. A HEPA or similar filter can usually be vacuumed though it is a cheap item to replace. Any cabin carbon filters should be purchased new as activated carbon stops absorbing airborne nasties after a certain time.

5) Check your brakes & tyres

It goes without saying that rust can and likely has affected key car components during those idle years. Disc and drum brakes are likely to have rusted and will not provide the same braking force. Mild rust can be cleaned using brake cleaner but too much and/or pitting means new discs are necessary. If you try to clean, allow to dry before use.

Your car brake hoses may have corroded and leaked too, meaning the brakes do not work well or at all. Issues should be felt through the brake pedal, but not always. Check your braking system thoroughly before proper use.

As for Suspension, it may have become weak enough to affect the ride quality or fail. If the car was last driven when roads had been salted for winter or stored in wet conditions, you should be extra careful.

Before you drive anywhere, you should also check your tyres. While the lack of use will mean the tread depth is unchanged (assuming it was at a legal depth when the car was last driven), you may have a flat spot or other damage. A set of new or barely used matching tyres should be considered.

Speaking of rubber, engine gaskets may have perished. You could try a rubber restorer such as Gummi-Pflege though this makes more sense for external areas such as around windows.

Your best bet would be to replace with new manufacturer-spec (OEM) gaskets. Though it will be harder to ascertain if you have a gasket failure until you have started the engine. At that point, you will need to trace the leak and replace the appropriate part or parts. Bear in mind that leaks do not always drip where they start from.

6) Fit a new battery

Though you could possibly use a battery pack or charger to temporarily jumpstart your car, after years without use it is likely you will need a replacement.

Buy the correct capacity and size from a reputable manufacturer. Depending on the space available, a larger capacity can be used for greater peace of mind. But it will mean extra weight.

Remove and dispose of the old battery appropriately. When fitting the new battery, ensure you put the positive (usually red) on the ‘+’ and negative (usually black) on the ‘-‘ starting with the red positive. Do this just before attempting start-up for reasons previously outlined.

7) Pre-lubricate the engine

Another necessity when starting a car that has been sitting for years is to lubricate the internals. Because it is likely all oil has dropped to the bottom of the engine, away from where it needs to be.

To counter this, you can remove the spark plugs and put engine oil directly in the ignition well. A teaspoon per well should be sufficient. Alternatively, use an engine fogger spray or some sort of protection aid to recoat the cylinders.

Then manually crank the engine using a ratchet and adapter if necessary. Most engines will rotate clockwise – anticlockwise can be harmful so double-check for your car. A few rotations should be sufficient and not too difficult to move. If too stiff or unmovable, further investigation is needed as a part may have siezed or is out of shape.

Removing spark plugs can relieve pressure for manually cranking the engine. Just be sure to vacuum and blow out any dirt before you do. Aim the air directly down the centre of the well to give debris the best chance of being blasted out.

For stubborn dirt, brake cleaner can be used on a microfibre towel or cloth that does not disintegrate. Wrapped the cloth around a long screwdriver if you need extra pressure and reach. Ensure you wipe all off and then vacuum/blast out any dirt as before.

8) Replace or clean the spark plugs

Another consideration when starting a car that has been sitting for years is to check that your spark plugs are in good condition. If only to give you a hint as to the engine condition when it was last running. Some discolouration is okay, too much carbon or overly heavy deposits can signify it is time for a new set.

If your spark plugs are in good condition, you could clean them. Specific spark plug cleaner, brake cleaner and sandpaper can be used. Just be gentle. Some mechanics avoid using wire brushes as they suggest it can create a short-circuit and the thread can be broken, meaning the spark plugs will not screw back in as easily. If at all.

So there you go. A few hopefully useful tips on starting a car that has been sitting for years. Any tips of your own? Be sure to leave them in the comments when my YouTube video is published.