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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / June 2005Car that sat for a while. What to look for?
Hi, I'm looking at purchasing a car that sat idle for several years. The car starts OK, seems to run fine, and has no driveability issues. No fluid leaks. I'm wondering what else to look for prior to the possible purchase, and what needs to be done after buying the car (fluid changes, etc..) to ensure that it will keep running OK. Thanks, C. Squire you could mention what kind it is. I'd certainly drive it on the highway, warm it up good, check for vibrations, squeaks out of the wheels, leaky hoses, overheating, idle problems when warm, any liquids leaking, smoke, or the simple rule, Brakes Exhaust Lights Tires Steering As per the previous poster, leaky seals, valve cover gaskets, cooling system problems, tires and brakes, belts, hoses, intermittent electrical connections, etc If you buy it, you should drain the gas tank, add moisture additive, change the fuel filter, air filter, oil and filter, etc. Service the transmission. You might get a good deal and you might get a POS. >I'm looking at purchasing a car that sat idle for several years. > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >needs to be done after buying the car (fluid changes, etc..) to ensure that >it will keep running OK. It's not unusual for hypoid differentials to develop severe pitting corresponding to the oil surface if nothing's been moved for a long period. If replacements are a rare or expensive item it could be worthwhile to remove the banjo cover and eyeball the gear teeth before you buy it. For similar reasons I'd never buy a car that had been standing with hypoid oil in its gearbox (most aren't meant to have it, but it's often used as a replacement oil). If it's a manual remove the level plug and take a sniff. I'd have also removed the fan belt and turned the water pump by hand... to reduce the possibility of destroying the seal on startup. Give it a thorough service and replace all of it's fluids, including coolant and brake fluid, after it's been run to full operating temperature. -- John H John, I don't think he needs to turn it over by hand since he's already been driving it. Cars that have been sitting a lot sometimes develop odd problems later on. I would work on getting something off the price for the unforseen repair that will probably happen. >John, I don't think he needs to turn it over by hand since he's already >been driving it. Yes indeed, he made that perfectly clear. I was merely pointing out how a problem which is likely to arise might have been avoided. >Cars that have been sitting a lot sometimes develop odd problems later >on. I would work on getting something off the price for the unforseen >repair that will probably happen. I've started a couple that had been standing for 40 years or so without being run, with very few ensuing problems you wouldn't reasonably expect -- perished rubber, oil seals gone hard, etc. Both were collectables that commanded a premium price, but it's still nice to know exactly what you're getting for the money. I particularly mentioned the hypoid oil problem because many people are apparently unaware of it. I've seen it seriously affect both cars and components that have only been standing for a relatively short time (a year or two). -- John H I can just bet the greased places are all dried up. etc., maybe bushings dry rotted, hoses brittle...I;d look 'er over good..... > >John, I don't think he needs to turn it over by hand since he's already > >been driving it. [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > -- > John H > I particularly mentioned the hypoid oil problem because many people > are apparently unaware of it. I've seen it seriously affect both cars > and components that have only been standing for a relatively short > time (a year or two). I wonder about that. I have a 68 Torino with a Ford 9 inch Detroit in it, and I've had the pumpkin out several times. No pitting as you describe. I use 10W-90 gear oil in it. And it sits with very little use, has done so for the last 10 years. Ted >> I particularly mentioned the hypoid oil problem because many people >> are apparently unaware of it. I've seen it seriously affect both cars [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >I use 10W-90 gear oil in it. And it sits with very little use, has done so >for the last 10 years. How long does it sit between use... maximum? It isn't a problem so long as the wheels get turned occasionally, it doesn't always happen, and I don't know exactly why it does. -- maybe its moisture related, maybe it's the condition of the oil, maybe it's something else. But, believe me, it happens. For anything that's been standing, without movement, for a year or more, I'd always treat it as a possibility. If I was storing a vehicle for more than a year I'd put it on blocks and drain the axle(s). -- John H > >> I particularly mentioned the hypoid oil problem because many people > >> are apparently unaware of it. I've seen it seriously affect both cars [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > How long does it sit between use... maximum? Over the last 10 years it has varied, there's no set schedule. Sometimes I go out every couple months and run the engine until it's hot without moving the car, other times I might move the car in and out of the driveway once a month. But there have been periods during that time that it hasn't moved for a year. > It isn't a problem so long as the wheels get turned occasionally, it > doesn't always happen, and I don't know exactly why it does. -- maybe > its moisture related, maybe it's the condition of the oil, maybe it's > something else. Frankly I think it's the condition of the oil. The original reason this car got parked (I used to drive it daily) was that a rear axle bearing got shot to the point a seal failed and a bunch of axle oil came out. I had changed gears in it about 2 years earlier but I hadn't done a good job sealing the pumpkin to the housing so it always leaked and I was constantly under it refilling the rear axle. So when the wheel bearing seal failed I said screw it I'll get it done properly later. Later turned out to be about 8 years, that was 2 years ago. When I pulled it I also pulled the 3.0:1 gear out of it and put in a 2.5:1 ring and pinion gear set (I was tired of drag racing the car and wanted better highway speed and mileage) that I bought off Ebay for $15, and had the thing professionally disassembled and reassembled by a race shop. When I reinstalled the pumpkin before I did so I bathed the axle housing in mineral spirits, then ran many shop towels through it to completely wipe it out, then blasted it with compressed air to make sure it was perfectly dry and clean. So now it's got oil in it that hasn't seen more than probably 10 miles on the road, and is clean enough to use as a laxitive. > But, believe me, it happens. For anything that's been standing, > without movement, for a year or more, I'd always treat it as a > possibility. If I was storing a vehicle for more than a year I'd put > it on blocks and drain the axle(s). Ted |
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