A friend has an older Miata that was improperly stored for at least three years. Most of the time, it was not garaged. The gas is old, the battery is dead, it has not been started. It was probably parked without an oil change. He is looking to do the minimum to get this sellable, so the primary concern is the initial startup and the brakes. What would be recommended , especially regarding that first engine startup?
Was it stored in a cold climate or hot climate, high humidity or low humidity climate?? How much gas was in the tank???
Change the oil, charge or replace the battery, bump the starter (maybe pull the fuel pump fuse etc to keep it from starting) to see if it is gonna turn over, if it turns over normal, try to start it… 3 years is not long to store a vehicle…
Smell the gas to see if it smells varnished or anything…
Plus, flush the brake hydraulic system, so that the vehicle is safe for the next owner to drive.
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If I were to try and get the thing started, I would first remove the spark plugs and give each cylinder a shot of fogging oil and reinstall the plugs before trying to start the engine.
This will help keep cylinder wear to a minimum when first attempting to start the engine.
Tester
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I did not know about this product. This kind of suggestion makes my posting worthwhile.
It was stored outside in the Philly area. I am not near the car, so I can’t answer some of these questions. Does the amount of gas in the tank make a difference (other than siphoning issues).
It might actually start up and idle with that gasoline in the tank
If it does, it wouldn’t be unusual for the engine to run roughly for some time before smoothing out, so to speak
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A 1/4 tank of gas will break down faster than a full tank in general… If it was stored with very little gas in it then the gas has probably already varnished and may require removing and cleaning while a full tank of 3 year old gas may have just started to break down and can probably still be run on…
The vehicle we prepped for sale after sitting for about this long had been on a solar charger and the batter was charged. Once it was started and running Dad took it to the county road and back to verify it ran/drove/stopped. Didn’t see the craigslist ad but I’m sure it was advertised as a mechanic’s special.
Was car stored with top down? Does it have a top?
Hardtop up
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If the price is right, a buyer might jump start the car and drive it away. This is not a valuable car, I wouldn’t want her to pay a shop for unnecessary repairs and maintenance on a $2000 vehicle only to benefit the next owner.
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Depending on its overall condition, this car might be more valuable than you first think. People pay what seems like silly money on 25 to 30 year old Miatas. As for the gas, if the gas has gone bad it will stink when you open the cap. We all know what gas generally smells like, but gas that has gone bad smells much worse. If your friend says it really smells terrible, he will have to find a way to drain it out, and any attempt to start the car without doing that will only make things worse, because the foul gas will then be all the way into the engine and the fuel injectors.
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Couldn’t remember all the old cars I’ve looked at with stars in my eyes, but the said naw, who needs it? Corvair, 54 ford, thunderbird, English taxi, etc. etc.
Yup!
The one that comes to mind for me was a '50s-era Bentley that was sitting–for a long time–on the local Ford dealer’s lot, sometime in the late '60s-early '70s. I don’t recall the exact model year, but because it had a 6-cylinder engine, it had to be pre-1959.
Anyway, one Sunday, I was looking it over and to my surprise the doors weren’t locked, so I got in. The leather was not in great shape, and then I lifted the hood and found that the engine was covered in grease and grime, so I think that it probably wasn’t well cared-for.
But, just for fun, I phoned the Rolls dealership in Manhattan and asked their parts department how much a muffler would cost. IIRC, they quoted me a price of ~$2k, so that told me that I wouldn’t be able to afford to repair that old bus.
Seems the mood has changed from “flush old fluids” to abandon all efforts.
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I’d hookup FP gauge and turn key on. Pump might be good. Then see what happens.
Without looking at this in person it’s hard to say what’s needed. Find out if it cranks then put fresh fluids in. Why was it left sitting for so long?
I’m looking for a Miata at some point. Specifically a NC or newer which would be allowed at the local HPDE. One on the markets 19yrs old with under 100,000 mi. The condition of the car would tell me much more than the useless Carfax with no service history or how it’s been driven.
There is a Top Gear episode where James May talks about the jaw dropping cost to maintain his Bentley. He loved the car, and he paid the fees anyway. That was in the old days, before the trio got rich.