Car Sitting for 6-7 Years?

I'm probably going to go look at a '92 SC300 this evening (manual trans). Owner says he hit a deer with it and dented the passenger's fender. It's been sitting at his dad's body shop for the last 6-7 years as a result. Says it ran fine and needed nothing other than the fender/light at the time.

I've had a couple cars that I've revived after sitting for maybe 3-4 years and most of them have fired right up, no problems. However, this is nearly twice that long. I imagine there's a decent chance that the fuel pump is dead and I'd certainly get some oil in the cylinders before trying to turn it over. Brake calipers could be seized and tires are probably in bad shape, but those are easily replaced. Otherwise, what issues should I look out for?

Replace/flush all fluids, check to see if brakes are seized, chuck a battery in it.

Drain the gas.

Crank the engine over with a breaker bar after you have new oil in it. I highly doubt there will be a problem. Since I have an engine sitting around, I crank it over every once in a while.

Disable fuel pump and spark remove spark plugs and after putting oil in the cylinders crank it until you have oil pressure.

I just want to add that because the owner "Says it ran fine and needed nothing other than the fender/light at the time" doesn't mean much.

My memory degrades much faster in a year than the condition of a car that is sitting. I bet your seller's does to.

Unsolicited advice...I know.

If just sitting 6-7 years generally I drain the gas and fill with fresh, put a battery on it, and let her rip....that's it. If it seems stuck I'd pull plugs etc at that point, but I've never had one stuck after sitting that lenth of time unless somehting else was at play, like water got in the engine.

6-7 years means little to me on a 'modern' car. I dont even drain the gas after 6 years unless the smell of it makes me make a face. A modern fuel injected car can be stored indoors for 6 years and crank up with a good battery after 4 seconds of cranking.

I think you can do all sorts of preventative blah de blah, but honestly the time you put into that stuff is not worth what it gets you vs just firing the car up.

The only thing i consider it LIKELY to need is newer gas. It may start on what's in it but it would be unlikely to run at 100%. But if it starts on what's in it and there's not too much in the tank, i would just dilute it by adding new gas to it and just run it all through.

i'm with vigo and cotton. battery, key, go.

I've worked on cars that had been sitting about that long and they can present some difficult challenges...sometimes you get lucky, sometimes not. Especially with tons of wiring, things get interesting due to any crummy connections that might have oxidized over due to lack of use. Switches and relays seem to be the most likely to be affected in my experience. Also, the fuel system is a total gamble...could be no problem at all, could have stuck injectors, seized fuel pump, etc. Check to see if the pump even turns on before you bother doing anything else with the fuel system.

Like you said, anything on the wheel ends for brake stuff is probably in rough shape, especially friction surfaces. Plan on needing rotors. Also, in the short term you'll be alright, but rubber parts are also likely to be in worse shape (CV boots, caliper dust boots, etc.). Tires are a crapshoot...some flat spot and are never right, some are fine.

Oh yeah, you'll need a battery, windshield wipers, license/registration, and all the fluids flushed at minimum...but that's a given. Even though it's a given, it adds up in price and with the above, you'll usually end up having more into the car just to get it driveable and legal than the car cost. Been there, done that. Makes a "cheap" car not so cheap pretty quick compared to a running, driving, slightly more expensive to purchase car.

Bryce

Thanks for the advice guys - much appreciated. Seems like a bit of a crap shoot. I'll check over as much as I can when looking at the car and see if it still looks like a good deal.

Some of it depends where it's been sitting, if it's been indoors, dry, that's a win. If you want to be thorough, it's a 92 anyway, replace the hoses, belts and all the fluids, hold off on plugs till there's fresh fuel in the rails and it has run for a bit, unless you want to swap em twice (a pita with a na 2jz, intake manifold has to come off), while you're there, wires aren't a bad idea. While you have the cover off to change the plugs, have a look at the timing belt, it's right there.

Only thing I can think of that if its been in a body shop, I would change the air filter and cabin filter (if applicable) soon after getting it running.

Otherwise, check the oil and give it a go. Once its driving, sort the other stuff out.

That"s totally a car worth saving, so it is worth whatever time you put into it. But I'd add gas, keep a fire extinguisher, and crank away. I don't do well with delayed gratification.

Seven years is a long time.

If it was an older Chevy engine or something else that was easy to work on, I would give the cylinders a splash of oil and prime the oil pump. Its old school, but it makes me feel better.

Newer cars... meh... fresh battery and start it up.

My RX7 sat for 10 years, I resurrected it, there is a specific way to do this for an RX7 so look to see if there is one for the Lexus.

I drove it with the rotary for another 36K, then sold the running engine.

Remember to close your eyes and look away from the vents when you first turn on the fan. The only problem I have encountered is that mice and rats chewed up the electrical wires. Just keep those couple of things in mind when you get it ready to go.

In reply to AquaHusky:

Haha - good tip. I always forget that and get a facefull of leaf bits and such.

JohnyHachi6 wrote: In reply to AquaHusky: Haha - good tip. I always forget that and get a facefull of leaf bits and such.

My first car had sat for X years before I had bought it. At 16 I was excited and spent all day and all night for weeks fixing and tuning the 69 coronet till iit ran strong. First blast on a freeway getting it going I attempt to hit 100 mph (hard to tell with the bouncing neddle). Just as it creeps to that area every bit of dust, dirt and leaves equivalent to a full 50lb bag stored away in the ducting blast through the vents blinding me and my friend. Windows were down so it just whirled inside the cabin smacking us in the face. It was actually reaIly painful forcing my eyes open inspite of all the crap in them so that I could see.

I could only imagine any car behind us seeing an old 69 coronet with leaves coming out the windows as it cruised down the highway. Obviously no one had told me about the leaves.

AngryCorvair wrote: i'm with vigo and cotton. battery, key, go.

Same here, except I'd take a whiff of what's in the tank before I go to start it. If it smells like paint thinner drain it. I bet it'll be fine.

Don't be surprised if the fuel pump has stopped working. That's been my experience with cars that have sat for a while on a dealer lot.

DrBoost wrote:

AngryCorvair wrote: i'm with vigo and cotton. battery, key, go.

Same here, except I'd take a whiff of what's in the tank before I go to start it. If it smells like paint thinner drain it. I bet it'll be fine.

+1. I've never had a problem with them firing off. Cycle the key a few times to prime the fuel pump and start it up.