6 months no start? - Club4G Forum : Mitsubishi Eclipse 4G Forums - 2006-2012 Eclipse Authority

mxjd619 · July 17th, 2011, 02:05 AM

Long story short, Im halfway through my deployment and left my car with a friend who killed the battery and inturn now will not have been started or moved for 6 months. So my question is what are the chances of it starting on return and what should i be looking at replacing when i get back besides the battery? Will sitting there for that long effect the tires etc?

dejectedangle · July 17th, 2011, 05:15 AM

Bring a new battery just in case and check oil level b4 start and yes a 2 dollar tire pressure gauge is good..

Clovisman · July 18th, 2011, 02:06 AM

I just got done working on a BMW that was sitting long-term; however, we are talking like two-years so things might be different, BUT for information purposes...

Before attempting to start the engine:

Check all fluids to make sure they are at the proper level, especially the engine oil!!

When fuel sits for any long period, it can/will start to varnish!! This process can/will clog the fuel screen on the fuel pump and/or clog fuel injectors!! So buy some good fuel injector cleaner, don't cheap out, buy the best, it can/will save you hundreds down the road!!

If the car does not crank, you might have to put the battery on a slow charge over night, if it still don't crank, replace the battery. If the battery was a good battery before you left, then it should still be good, you just might have to put a full charge on it before normal driving. If you do have to chage the battery, disconnect both battery leads while you charge the battery!!

Change the engine oil ASAP!! Either change the oil before attempting to start the engine, or after you start the engine drive it straight to an oil change place. Once a bottle of oil is opened it starts to break-down. Once put into use in an engine the break-down process will quicken. If you read a manual it will state " change oil every xxxx miles or every six-month, so even if you had brand new oil before you left, it's time to change it.

The tires shouldn't go bad, but depending on weather conditions and enviroment, check the tires for dry-rot. More then likely the tires will be flat spoted. Make sure you air the tires up and after driving the car for a few days you might want to have the tires balanced if you feel and vibrations. keep an eye on your tire inflation for the next month or two and periodicly check for dry-rot and inflation.

Karnak · July 18th, 2011, 10:11 AM

What you can also do is take out the spark plugs and check them, they might have rusted a bit and might need replacing and if not, its still good to go in there and take em out to put a small squirt or two of PB blaster type rust eating oil as sometimes the moisture from the air will make the rings create a little tiny rust line around it when its sitting for a while and for vehicles where that rust line made it big enough, can mean its gonna be taking oil slowly because of the sudden wear of the rings etc.. 6 month is not much, but it also depends on your weather. Dry areas don't have that issue much, but here in Canada, you can rust out a ring pretty fast. I usualy squirt oil in the chamber before storage of my vehicles as it will largely prevent this.

Also, if you gas was in there for a while and you have no way of filling it up because it was full, a good bottle of Octane booster can do miracles to old gas until you are able to fill it up with new one again.

NitroGlisson · July 18th, 2011, 02:43 PM

Always a good idea to store a car with a full tank of gas so that there will be less condensation in the tank. Like stated above...change the oil...the lighter constituents of the oil can evaporate out and change the viscosity. I'd drive it around the block and then change the oil.

mxjd619 · August 1st, 2011, 11:15 PM

Thanks for the inputs guys.

MACH1219 · August 5th, 2011, 06:48 PM

just my .02 cents, but I think the oil change advice is a little overkill, depending on weather it needs an oil change anyway. Oil break down is a marketing gimmick. it performs less efficiently when its dirty, not because it has broken down.

the 6 month or XXXX mile recommended change interval is assuming the car was driven for "freqeunt short trips" (the reason u didnt hit the mileage) over the 6 month time period, which is harder on your oil, as the contaminents dont get a chance to fully burn off, not that the oil is somehow bad because it sat for 6 months without running the motor

July 17th, 2011, 02:05 AM	#1 (permalink)
mxjd619 Vrooom Name: JD Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NY, Rochester Vehicle: 2006 eclipse GS-N Posts: 6 Rep Power: 4	6 months no start? Long story short, Im halfway through my deployment and left my car with a friend who killed the battery and inturn now will not have been started or moved for 6 months. So my question is what are the chances of it starting on return and what should i be looking at replacing when i get back besides the battery? Will sitting there for that long effect the tires etc? __________________ Behind the wheel of every mustang, lies another Douche-Bag with spiked hair.

July 17th, 2011, 05:15 AM	#2 (permalink)
dejectedangle OWNER OF C4G Name: Rick Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Connecticut/ NY Vehicle: 2008 GT-SC Posts: 2,898 Rep Power: 6	Bring a new battery just in case and check oil level b4 start and yes a 2 dollar tire pressure gauge is good.. __________________ THE FIRST EVER 4G RUNNING STG 3 SUPERCHARGER TEAM BIG SUPERCHARGEERS

July 18th, 2011, 02:06 AM	#3 (permalink)
Clovisman Senior Member Name: John Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Clovis, NM Vehicle: 2007 Eclipse GT Posts: 2,045 Rep Power: 6	I just got done working on a BMW that was sitting long-term; however, we are talking like two-years so things might be different, BUT for information purposes... Before attempting to start the engine: Check all fluids to make sure they are at the proper level, especially the engine oil!! When fuel sits for any long period, it can/will start to varnish!! This process can/will clog the fuel screen on the fuel pump and/or clog fuel injectors!! So buy some good fuel injector cleaner, don't cheap out, buy the best, it can/will save you hundreds down the road!! If the car does not crank, you might have to put the battery on a slow charge over night, if it still don't crank, replace the battery. If the battery was a good battery before you left, then it should still be good, you just might have to put a full charge on it before normal driving. If you do have to chage the battery, disconnect both battery leads while you charge the battery!! Change the engine oil ASAP!! Either change the oil before attempting to start the engine, or after you start the engine drive it straight to an oil change place. Once a bottle of oil is opened it starts to break-down. Once put into use in an engine the break-down process will quicken. If you read a manual it will state " change oil every xxxx miles or every six-month, so even if you had brand new oil before you left, it's time to change it. The tires shouldn't go bad, but depending on weather conditions and enviroment, check the tires for dry-rot. More then likely the tires will be flat spoted. Make sure you air the tires up and after driving the car for a few days you might want to have the tires balanced if you feel and vibrations. keep an eye on your tire inflation for the next month or two and periodicly check for dry-rot and inflation. __________________ 2007 Eclipse GT=Sunset=Auto--20% Tint=Injen CAI=RIPP Long Tube Headers (Jet-Hot Coated)=RIPP High Flow Cat=RIPP BRAT Box=Magnaflow Cat Back Exhaust=Energy Motor Mounts=Ingalls Stiffy=Megan Coilover Suspension=Progress Rear Sway Bar=SP Performance Diamond Cut & Slotted Rotors=EBC Yellow Stuff Kevlar Pads=Diamond Lower Grill=Konig Illusion Wheels=BF Goodrich G-Force Super Sport Tires

July 18th, 2011, 10:11 AM	#4 (permalink)
Karnak Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Vehicle: 2011 Eclipse GTP/6spd Posts: 121 Rep Power: 2	What you can also do is take out the spark plugs and check them, they might have rusted a bit and might need replacing and if not, its still good to go in there and take em out to put a small squirt or two of PB blaster type rust eating oil as sometimes the moisture from the air will make the rings create a little tiny rust line around it when its sitting for a while and for vehicles where that rust line made it big enough, can mean its gonna be taking oil slowly because of the sudden wear of the rings etc.. 6 month is not much, but it also depends on your weather. Dry areas don't have that issue much, but here in Canada, you can rust out a ring pretty fast. I usualy squirt oil in the chamber before storage of my vehicles as it will largely prevent this. Also, if you gas was in there for a while and you have no way of filling it up because it was full, a good bottle of Octane booster can do miracles to old gas until you are able to fill it up with new one again. __________________ Karnak_____________________________ 2011 Kalapana Black EClipse GT-P, sleeper wanabe http://s1181.photobucket.com/home/Kuthran

July 18th, 2011, 02:43 PM	#5 (permalink)
NitroGlisson Soon to be SC'd :) Name: Don Glisson Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Vehicle: 2008 Eclipse GT Posts: 25,369 Rep Power: 30	Always a good idea to store a car with a full tank of gas so that there will be less condensation in the tank. Like stated above...change the oil...the lighter constituents of the oil can evaporate out and change the viscosity. I'd drive it around the block and then change the oil. __________________ Mods: Nitro's Little Girl With Attitude

		Club4G Forum : Mitsubishi Eclipse 4G Forums - 2006-2012 Eclipse Authority > Performance and Technical > 4G Eclipse GS/SE Specific
6 months no start?

August 1st, 2011, 11:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
mxjd619 Vrooom Name: JD Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NY, Rochester Vehicle: 2006 eclipse GS-N Posts: 6 Rep Power: 4	Thanks for the inputs guys. __________________ Behind the wheel of every mustang, lies another Douche-Bag with spiked hair.

August 5th, 2011, 06:48 PM	#7 (permalink)
MACH1219 Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Warner Robins GA Vehicle: 2007 Spyder GS Posts: 278 Rep Power: 0	just my .02 cents, but I think the oil change advice is a little overkill, depending on weather it needs an oil change anyway. Oil break down is a marketing gimmick. it performs less efficiently when its dirty, not because it has broken down. the 6 month or XXXX mile recommended change interval is assuming the car was driven for "freqeunt short trips" (the reason u didnt hit the mileage) over the 6 month time period, which is harder on your oil, as the contaminents dont get a chance to fully burn off, not that the oil is somehow bad because it sat for 6 months without running the motor

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