Parked 1 year - how to prep?

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Jim Beaver - 05 Feb 2005 00:28 GMT

I've got a 1994 Camaro 6-cyl. which has been parked for more than a year,
with no prep done. The battery was removed about five months ago, but other
than that, it is exactly as it was parked the last time it was driven, in
January 2004.

I've got a new battery for it. But what should I do to get it ready to run?
And IF it starts now, as is, without any prep, do I risk anything driving it
three miles to my mechanic's?

Thanks.

Jim Beaver

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Rudy Hiebert - 07 Feb 2005 19:36 GMT

Jim & Others:
Couple things come to mind - if you can do it safely: 1.) Replace the
gas as it will likely have gone stale or even have water in it. 2.)
Replace the engine oil with synthetic and get a new oil filter. 3.)
Check and/or clean or replace the air filter. 4. Turn the engine over
a couple of times without starting it, ie. pull the wire of the coil
so it won't start on you while doing this.

RH.

> I've got a 1994 Camaro 6-cyl. which has been parked for more than a year,
> with no prep done. The battery was removed about five months ago, but other
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Jim Beaver

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nailman@mailinator.com - 07 Feb 2005 19:42 GMT

You will get a lot of good posts on this. You could have just checked
archives. My main suggestion is not to turn it over with the starter
yet. Pull the plugs and spray in some oil. Turn it over many times by
hand first. Put the plugs back in and let it sit overnight. Watch out
for the brakes over the first few days. Be ready to pump them if the
master cylinder gives out or a cylinder/caliper. It might help save the
day.
I think you will be OK, depending on why it was parked. Maybe it was a
dog when it was parked.

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Jim Beaver - 08 Feb 2005 00:38 GMT

> You will get a lot of good posts on this.

Interestingly, I got NO posts for several days in response.

You could have just checked

> archives.

I did, but my search keywords brought back too many unrelated responses. I
couldn't come up with a decent search word(s) that would home in on the
topic.

My main suggestion is not to turn it over with the starter

> yet. Pull the plugs and spray in some oil. Turn it over many times by
> hand first. Put the plugs back in and let it sit overnight. Watch out
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> I think you will be OK, depending on why it was parked. Maybe it was a
> dog when it was parked.

The car was in terrific shape when it was parked. My wife's illness and
subsequent death were behind its non-use, not anything about the car itself.

As it turns out, because I got no responses until four days after posting,
and time was of the essence, I just shoved a new battery in, cranked the
engine, and drove to my mechanic's. As simple as that. The car died at
almost every stoplight, but otherwise was fine. All the fluids needed to be
changed, but perhaps I was saved some trouble by the fact that the car was
parked when it only had 20 miles on it since its last fluid change.

Thanks for the input.

Jim Beaver

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