Question about a vx thats been sitting for 1.5 years

[Slideways]

I am going hopefully next week to pick up my 01 dragon but its been sitting for about a year and a half and I have to drive 3 hours to go get it. Any words of advice for bringing it back to life?

I'm thinking of pulling the plugs and spraying a little marvel down there to aid in initial lubing of the rings. ALso bringing a different battery to throw in it and some jumper cables to help it get started.

Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[LittleBeast]

I would be a little concerned with the tires dry rotting and having bulges/flat spots, etc.

[Slideways]

hmm true. I have tires at home I could throw on if I can just get it there.

[VXjunky]

take a flat bed trailer....three hours away and all...."Danger Will Robinson!"

[Slideways]

No access to one or a truck. Could just bring the tires with me and have them mounted there.

[VXobsession]

Where are you going to get this thing? I am in Arkansas too and have a truck and trailer if needed.

[VXjunky]

whys it been non-op for so long?

[PK]

I assume this is a VX you have bought sight unseen, otherwise you would have had the engine running when you looked at it??

It all depends on why it hasn't been used for that period.
There is a big risk involved in firing a car up for the first time in 1.5 years, and then driving for several hours straight away.

And pulling the plugs can be a bit of a challenge on these, make sure you have the right tools.

Before you even wind it over, check the engine oil level, and look closely at the dipstick oil colour. If it looks bad, try and get fresh oil and a filter on it before you go too far.

Good luck.

PK

[Gussie2000]

it may not apply to your VX's situation,but do your self a favor & change engine oil before you even crank it when your get there.

My horse were in storage for 5 years up in the cold people's republic of massachusets and because of that got a sticking valve causing light diesel knocking due lack of oil change.

Again,your situation may not apply since arizona weather is mostly warm,but.....you never knows.

[Slideways]

Where are you going to get this thing? I am in Arkansas too and have a truck and trailer if needed.

Its in Jacksonville outside of little rock. I'm in fayetteville.

Was planning on changing the oil as soon as I got there. Forgot to mention that part.

Not sight unseen. Was a friend of mines who has been overseas. I've actually driven it a couple years ago and it ran great. Her parents just left it in the yard and never touched it. :madgray:

What tools would you recommend on pulling the plugs? I'll do a search actually and find out.

Thanks!

[Slideways]

it may not apply to your VX's situation,but do your self a favor & change engine oil before you even crank it when your get there.

My horse were in storage for 5 years up in the cold people's republic of massachusets and because of that got a sticking valve causing light diesel knocking due lack of oil change.

Again,your situation may not apply since arizona weather is mostly warm,but.....you never knows.

LOL's. Ar, is the abbreviation for Arkansas. Not Arizona. Popular misconception though. Most people don't know this state exists except that Bill Clinton was from here.

[VXjunky]

brakes and lines???? not a concern????.........tarnished gas???? not a concern....they rent trucks and trailers alot cheaper than a blown or wrecked VX

[Triathlete]

brakes and lines???? not a concern????.........tarnished gas???? not a concern....they rent trucks and trailers alot cheaper than a blown or wrecked VX

Wheres your sense of adventure?:bwgy:

[Riff Raff]

A very successful trick I've always done for long-term storage vehicles BEFORE initial starting is to intentionally disable the coil/spark to the engine and then dry-crank the engine several times while watching the dashboard oil light finally disappear (illuminate.....to.....non-illuminate). This method of "pre" dry-cranking will ensure that sufficient engine oil has been fully circulated inside the engine while being unable to start (due to disabled coil/spark cable(s), etc).

After several repeated dry-cranks and watching the dashboard oil light illuminate and then disappear each time to confirm engine oil internal coverage; then re-connect coil/spark cable(s), and then fire it up for real.

Be very ginger on the gas pedal and do not rev the engine to high rpm's upon initial start-up, and just let engine slowly warm-up at normal idle until temperature gauge reads in normal middle range BEFORE driving.

:bgwb:

[WormGod]

Not sight unseen. Was a friend of mines who has been overseas. I've actually driven it a couple years ago and it ran great. Her parents just left it in the yard and never touched it. :madgray:

And her parents were actually nice enough to at least turn it over for her on occasion.... *facepalm*

Ya, I would elbow-drop them too.

Sitting out in the yard, I would be worried about A LOT. What has been chewed on by vermin. What fluid lines, vacuum lines, and/or tires have dry-rot. Is there any rust factor. Depending on temps, moisture, and humidity, I would even be curious as to any mechanical seizing.

You definitely "MAY" have your work cut out for you. Even if you get it turned over, I would continue my 85 points check and change process. I am iffy, but I wish you luck. (I always expect the worse so that when nothing or little goes wrong, I am pleasantly surprised)

[rsteinmetz70112]

Definitely put some water absorber in the gas tank. If the tank isn't full put new high octane high quality gas in it ASAP. If it's full you may want to add a fuel stabilizer/fuel system cleaner/octane enhancer. It's possible that the light fraction in the gas which helps it start have evaporated.

Check tires carefully, sitting uncovered it's possible the fabric has absorbed water and that can cause separation at highway speed. If you decide to drive on them take it easy and stop and check frequently. I would probably try to drive on them myself and see if they are ok. I've had several tires delaminate on me and aside from an adrenaline rush and some sweating on the side of the road I've never felt there was much danger. I've always been able to sort of feel it coming.

Battery - of course it's discharged and you may be able to recharge it, but maybe not. Take a charger and cables, or a new battery.

When you change the oil look at the oil you drain out for anything suspicious.

18 months isn't that long and it will probably be OK. I cousin once bought an MGA that had been sitting in a barn for several years. He change the oil, battery and gas then drove it home.

[Slideways]

I am going to go over every piece of rubber. Brake lines included. Vermin is a worry but I am going to look it over carefully before taking off. The tire thing worrys me but I think if I take the back roads home I can just take it slow and it should be ok.

I say 18 months it may have been shorter. And she said her dad added stabil to the tank at some point. I think the battery was already dead at that point which is why he didn't start it. Either way headed down with some clean 91 gas and several other fluids to try and get it going.

Thanks for the info! I look forward to getting it cleaned up and posting some pics. Maybe making it out to Moab for the next meet there.

[Slideways]

So got the vehicross started. Covered all the basics and it turned out fine. After reconnecting the ignition it fired on the first try.

Question though. In my intro thread someone mentioned a mode switch for the trans. After searching the symptoms I am 99% sure mine is bad. I was wondering where to get one and I seen price ranges vary. Someone said $40. Someone said they paid $138. Anyone know where to get the $40 one?

[rsteinmetz70112]

Congratulations, Were you able to drive it home?

[samneil2000]

So got the vehicross started. Covered all the basics and it turned out fine. After reconnecting the ignition it fired on the first try.

Question though. In my intro thread someone mentioned a mode switch for the trans. After searching the symptoms I am 99% sure mine is bad. I was wondering where to get one and I seen price ranges vary. Someone said $40. Someone said they paid $138. Anyone know where to get the $40 one?

Before you buy a mode switch, might want to try to clean the original one. Members here have had some success with that. Much cheaper too.

Congrats, by the way.

[Slideways]

ok maybe I'm an idiot but I've searched several times and can't find the mode switch cleaning thread. Can someone who has seen it recently link it for me? You will be rewarded with some pics of the creepy cridders that were living in the vx. Just in time for halloween. Hint; there was a spider that could have picked up the vx and walked away. 0.0

[samneil2000]

This might help
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=14031

[Slideways]

Here is a few pics of the dirtyness.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/Noahjspain/1000000227.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/Noahjspain/1000000230.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/Noahjspain/1000000228.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/Noahjspain/1000000232.jpg

[Slideways]

one more of it dirty.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/Noahjspain/1000000239.jpg

And one at the car wash. Where I spent $10 spraying and vacuuming it.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg61/Noahjspain/1000000240.jpg