What was the longest you ever let your f-body sit?, Without starting or moving it? Options

[KeithO]

What was the longest timeframe you've ever had your f-body sit (without starting it, turning it over or moving it) and what problems did you experience when you tried to start/move it after that timeframe?

[JimMueller]

Mine was on a 2-post lift from 6/20 until 8/3 last year. It had a rougher idle the next time I started it (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool2.gif)

(We rebuilt the motor and had some delays (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) )

[trackbird]

My 3rd gen used to be stored over the winter by the last owner (4 months or so) and it often wouldn't start when it was picked up. It would crank, but not fire. We'd reflash the "osterich" tuning module and usually that fixed it. Mine has sat a month or more at a time without being started this year and it fires right up when I start it.

[KeithO]

What about a car that might sit for years where it might go 6 months without being started or moved?

My CMC car hasn't be moved since May of 2007 but I am sure that everything is fine with it. I start it at least once a month just to hear the engine. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/2thumbs.gif)

...might be moving to a situation where the car won't be started or moved for a long time...

This post has been edited by KeithO: Mar 10 2008, 09:12 PM

[jensend]

That last line sounds ominous. Hope it's not meant to...

[slowTA]

My car sat from about October/November last year to Friday this past weekend. I keep it on a battery charger and all was well when I started it. I guess priming the oil pump wouldn't have been a bad idea. I changed the oil the week before so that was taken care of already.

The current motor in that car sat on a stand for about a year. The previous car was totaled, 9 months to find this one, then another few months to find time to do the swap. That time I primed the pump.

[nape]

The motor has been out of the car since about last August and still isn't in (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Mojave]

My Formula sat for about 3 weeks until I could get it apart to diagnose the stripped out clutch disc.

My C4, however, hasn't moved since the middle of the December, and the engine hasn't been in since January. Sadly, it will be at least 2 more months before the engine is ready to go in (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) .

[Ojustracing]

I personally hate starting car just to here them run. Nov to april for my car. Rehooked the battery and she started right up. My issue would be the fuel going bad. Everything else can be lubed so it doenst rust. Fuel system would need to be drained. All lines blown out and maybe remove the injectors to make sure you have all fuel out of it. Fog the motor and your done. If were talking a bunch of yr's I might consider filling the motor way over-fill, but that brings its own set of issue's.

John

[CMC #37]

My '97 Trans-Am sits a lot during the winter and doesn't get driven as a daily driver anymore - I take it for a drive once in a while just to keep it "fresh" - the race car gets put on a trickle charger in the winter and between events.

[Chris Ronson Jr]

my 2002 has sat for a few months at a time, started no problem (battery tender)

my 1967...well, the longer that thing sits, the more of a bitch it is to get/keep running right (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Rob Hood]

When my Z was a DD I would leave it either at home or in the work parking lot for a 3-4 month deployment. Fired up every time I came back. The trip odometer would reset to zero most every time, and the gauges would peg HOOS and return to normal when the engine started. I would have more problems with the tires flat-spotting than anything else. I never did anything different with fluid levels or the battery.

[roadracetransam]

Have been sitting since Oct '07. It got a "new" used motor/tranny in the mean time. I will fire up the "new stuff" hopefully in a month and a half. The body been on jack stands for 2 months now. The battery has been out since Nov. The gas is 3/4 tank of 100/110 octane mix, I don't know the shelf life of that stuff. I guess will see....

This post has been edited by roadracetransam: Mar 11 2008, 04:26 AM

[KeithO]

Sounds like months might be a well traveled path and not too bad. It could turn out that this car will sit for several months at a time and not get driven for 22-24 months. Maybe I'll read up on long-term storage tips and see what I learn.

[roy]

I went on a 15 month vacation to South West Asia. When I got back the car fired right up after the battery was changed out.

[z28jeff]

I store mine from the first snowfall (usually ~ December) till the salt is washed off the road for the year. (usually late March early April). So roughly 4 months for mine. I keep a battery tender hooked up and I don't start it periodically. My theory is one cold/dry start in the spring is better than 4 or 5 cold/dry starts through the winter.

[Todd]

The motor has been out of the car since about last August and still isn't in (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

same here...motor out since July...

I think the biggest concern would be the fuel going bad and possibly clogging an injector. I had a fiero that I bought that had sat for 5-6 years...had a host of issues, needed a brake bleed, tires, oil change and a water pump. It wouldn't run right until I put new injectors in it. The first few hours the motor ran, it smelled strange. I'm SURE it wasn't healthy for it. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

[v7guy]

Mines gone 3-4 months on a few occasions, outside of a dead battery she fires up with little to no drama.

[pknowles]

In my Camaro I got a bad battery last year, which didn't show itself as bad until winter. Between traveling, busy work schedule, holiday's and such, my car sat for 2 months straight. I put the new replacement battery in last week. It fired right up although it did have to relearn how to idle. One good stop took all the surface rust off the rotors. No issues.

[CrashTestDummy]

While not a F-bod, our 95 Impala SS sits for long months, until I remember I hadn't started it in several months. Not sure how long the longest non-run time is for it, but I'm sure it approaches a year, if not more. Until I got a battery minder, I'd put a battery in it about once every two years. Now, I think I'm on my 3rd year with no problem. The only problem I have experienced is I lost a fuel pump. Had to replace it (and the tank was full, too), but after replacing the pump, no problems.

Same problem with our 98 Dakota R/T, eats batteries due to non-use, but otherwise no problems yet. I try to get out to start it, and our 68 Caddy at least once a month, now, though.

[John_D.]

If I knew ahead of time the car would be sitting a long time (1 year +) I'd probably pull the plugs and put a "teaspoon" of oil in each cylinder, put the plugs back in (wires off) and let it turn over a couple of times to lube the upper half of the cylinders. Especially if the car would be sitting outside. Also change the oil ahead of time, to avoid sitting there with any accumulated condensation buildup in the old oil, exposed to the internals for the duration of the storage time. Store with a full tank of gas so there's less tank exposed for condensation/rust. (unless you have a plastic tank, then don't worry about it)

Areas to suspect after it's fired up again: water pump bushing/seal, injectors. Iron water pumps on sbc's were notorious for rust accumulating then killing the seal later.

I've been told that the octane rating of gasoline will fall after sitting for several months. Don't know if that's true, but when my car sat for over 8 months I put the gas in the other car (uses 87 octane) just in case, and started with a fresh tank in the Camaro.

[Crazy Canuck]

i've had close to 9 months.
after every storage, i drive around without doing any full-throttle and burn all the gas tank... just go for a few hour drive and then fill the tank w/ 94 octane (as usual) and ready for the season.

[JaredT]

Mine has been sitting on jack stands in my garage since Oct/Nov 06. I busted an axle and am just now getting around to fixing it. I've started it every now and then and let the motor warm up.

[NataSS Inc]

Mine has been sitting for 4 years now. Sad, sad, sad.

[Pony Exp.305]

My Ls2/'01 Camaro been sitting in garage since 2005.. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) too much partying???
I 'll start-up my LS2 this summer when I get enough $$$$.I hope so. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ..

[souseless]

I once let my 89 TA sit for 18 months. When I went to start it everything seemed fine. Rough idle at first but was fine once it warmed up. I added Stabil, had a full tank of gas, and disconnected the battery when I put it into storage.

[98_1LE]

Red car was down for almost 2 years.