Hi....a newbie here..looking for advice. I own a 75 spider and she has been sitting in my garage for about 1yr+++ maybe closer to two years. I am smart enough to know that I don't just want to put the battery back in and try to crank her up...don't have the ex-husband to tinker with the car anymore so.........she ran pretty good prior to her auto hibernation. What steps should I take to get her ready for operation again....
Thanks!!
Waking Up a Sleepy Spider....need advise
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Hjulen
Battery would be a good start, but replacing it may not be necessary. If you can turn the key and the lights on the dash come on bright you may be ok, either that or you can jumpstart it.
Big thing to be sure is that it hasn't leaked too much oil. Check the oil dip stick on the driver's side of the to be sure it has well above the min level (be sure it doesnt go past the max either!)
Another good thing to check is the radiator coolant level. There should be a very dirty looking bottle, its on the passenger side in my car, but it may be different in earlier years...look inside it to see if you see some coolant/water in there. If not, it may be a good idea to refill it with either antifreeze or distilled water.
Once those fluids are checked you just have to crank and see what happens! Hopefully it wont take but a couple of turns to get the motor running. It will properly smoke out the exhaust pipe for a little while, but oil most likely leaked into the cylinders since you parked it so see if it goes away once the engine is warmed up. Be sure you let the motor get up to proper operating temperature (needle points to around 190 degrees).
Before you start driving be sure you have the tires properly inflated, I keep mine at around 32 psi all around but there are differing opinions on that.
Big thing to be sure is that it hasn't leaked too much oil. Check the oil dip stick on the driver's side of the to be sure it has well above the min level (be sure it doesnt go past the max either!)
Another good thing to check is the radiator coolant level. There should be a very dirty looking bottle, its on the passenger side in my car, but it may be different in earlier years...look inside it to see if you see some coolant/water in there. If not, it may be a good idea to refill it with either antifreeze or distilled water.
Once those fluids are checked you just have to crank and see what happens! Hopefully it wont take but a couple of turns to get the motor running. It will properly smoke out the exhaust pipe for a little while, but oil most likely leaked into the cylinders since you parked it so see if it goes away once the engine is warmed up. Be sure you let the motor get up to proper operating temperature (needle points to around 190 degrees).
Before you start driving be sure you have the tires properly inflated, I keep mine at around 32 psi all around but there are differing opinions on that.
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So Cal Mark
I'd suggest a little different approach.
Remove the spark plugs, pour a small amount of automatic transmisson fluid into each cylinder and let it sit for a short while, Then turn the engine over by hand rather than using the starter.
If the engine turns easily, reinstall the spark plugs. I'd remove all fuel from the tank and put fresh gas into it. I'd also drain the engine oil and put in fresh oil and replace the filter.
If the radiator and overflow bottle aren't full, top them off.
Now you can try starting, but be watchful for any fuel leaks from the carb, pump or hoses.
If the engine starts, check for adequate oil pressure and watch the temp gauge closely. Expect white smoke from the exhaust as the auto trans fluid burns off. It should clear up within a few minutes.
While the engine is warming up, check for coolant and oil leaks. Before driving any distance, I'd expect to give the car a major service!
Remove the spark plugs, pour a small amount of automatic transmisson fluid into each cylinder and let it sit for a short while, Then turn the engine over by hand rather than using the starter.
If the engine turns easily, reinstall the spark plugs. I'd remove all fuel from the tank and put fresh gas into it. I'd also drain the engine oil and put in fresh oil and replace the filter.
If the radiator and overflow bottle aren't full, top them off.
Now you can try starting, but be watchful for any fuel leaks from the carb, pump or hoses.
If the engine starts, check for adequate oil pressure and watch the temp gauge closely. Expect white smoke from the exhaust as the auto trans fluid burns off. It should clear up within a few minutes.
While the engine is warming up, check for coolant and oil leaks. Before driving any distance, I'd expect to give the car a major service!
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Hjulen
Mark definitely knows what he is talking about.
Of course of lot of that is also hard to do yourself unless you are really mechanically competent.
I have to leave my car sitting sometimes for 6 month stretches and usually don't have too much trouble starting up while doing basic checks.
Of course, we are talking about a much longer period of time, a carb versus Fuel injection...
Of course of lot of that is also hard to do yourself unless you are really mechanically competent.
I have to leave my car sitting sometimes for 6 month stretches and usually don't have too much trouble starting up while doing basic checks.
Of course, we are talking about a much longer period of time, a carb versus Fuel injection...
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