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).