My father has a 1996 XJ12 that has been lying dormant behind the garage for
2-3 yrs. Aside from emptying/replacing the old fuel and changing the
battery, is there anything else I need to do before driving it to my
mechanic for a good once over? Any help is appreciated.
Thanks,
John
old man - 16 Aug 2006 19:47 GMT
Ensure brakes havent seized, various brake seals havent failed, condensation
problems both brakes and electrics
Assuming you can start it, run it stationary for some time, before
attempting to move it. Then ensure you test brakes.
> My father has a 1996 XJ12 that has been lying dormant behind the garage for
> 2-3 yrs. Aside from emptying/replacing the old fuel and changing the
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Thanks,
> John
Paul M. Cook - 16 Aug 2006 20:45 GMT
> My father has a 1996 XJ12 that has been lying dormant behind the garage for
> 2-3 yrs. Aside from emptying/replacing the old fuel and changing the
> battery, is there anything else I need to do before driving it to my
> mechanic for a good once over? Any help is appreciated.
If it were my car, I would have it towed. Otherwise, I would definitely
disconnect the coil and crank the engine several times to be sure oil gets
into the valve cover and pistons. You could have some minor scoring which
could cause blowby in the case of dry cylinders and that could spell a big
repair. And if you are comfortable working around raw gas, you may even
want to disconnect the fuel line from the intake and flush it through.
Can't be too careful. But do know what you're doing around all that fuel.
Tricky business and even the pros don't like it. Have a fire extinguisher
close at hand.
Paul
John - 17 Aug 2006 15:44 GMT
Thanks for the tips. After reading what everyone wrote, and calling around
town, I've decided that it's probably best to go ahead and get it towed to
the shop.
> My father has a 1996 XJ12 that has been lying dormant behind the garage
> for 2-3 yrs. Aside from emptying/replacing the old fuel and changing the
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Thanks,
> John