After 2 years, I'm back... but my 240 has been sitting for as long, help?

[Yoshi]

So after about a 2 year hiatus from the 240 world, I finally have time to return, yay!
Sometimes a promotion at work steals too much time
But now, new job, new car, and 2 years later I can get back on track... and boy have things changed @zilvia!
For the entire time I've been gone, my car has been on jackstands - half painted. Well now I'm getting back on track and have given myself until Sept to have her all up and running again, new paint and all.

Here's my question to you folk:
I've never let any car sit untouched for so long. Obviously I need to change my fluids and siphon out my gas tank (tho I image since it was about quarter full when I left her, whatever gas was in there has evaporated or at the very least gone bad).
What suggestions does everyone have for getting my car back in running order?
Since adding another car to my stable (09 SX4) the 240 will finally get to be the track whore I always aimed for... but long before I get to that, would u all help me make a checklist of to-do's to get her back into asphalt thrashing shape?

Thanks all, missed Zilvia.

[HYPNOTIK]

Check your battery, change the oil, tranny oil, brake fluid, coolant flush, check the PS fluid, drain the gas tank(I mean take it off and dump it), whatever tires you had are most likely dry rotted so get new ones. I'd check over your brake calipers good to make sure the rubber seals are not dry rotting. Change the diff oil. Make sure you don't have any bug infestations. I'm sure there is more that I'm missing...

[Yoshi]

Originally Posted by HYPNOTIK

Check your battery, change the oil, tranny oil, brake fluid, coolant flush, check the PS fluid, drain the gas tank(I mean take it off and dump it), whatever tires you had are most likely dry rotted so get new ones. I'd check over your brake calipers good to make sure the rubber seals are not dry rotting. Change the diff oil. Make sure you don't have any bug infestations. I'm sure there is more that I'm missing...

Good points all! Thank you!
I guess I should've mentioned environmental stuffs.
The car has been garaged the whole time, and on the stands so I know the tires are good (they'd best be, they had like 500mi on them). VLSD is sealed.
Really good call on the brake caliper seals. That's exactly the sort of stuff I was looking for people to mention, I totally would've overlooked that, thanks!

Keep'em coming

[oni jake]

pulled from another forum

Your biggest concern IMO is condensation. A 1/4 tank leaves a lot of air space for temperature variations and humidity to accumulate moisture in the tank. Moisture (water) and gas do not mix. The water is heavier than gas and settles at the bottom of the tank, which may produce rust which can quickly clog fuel filters leaving you stranded and/or lead to a leaking tank.

If you want the car to function reliably, lift the car, remove the tank, remove the sender unit, drain the old gas, inspect the inside of the tank for rust (repair or replace tank if necessary) and reassemble. Refill with new gas. Safely dispose of the old stuff.

Water aside, two years is not long enough to allow gas to deteriorate much.
Some of the more volatile components of gas may evaporate, which may affect the performance of the gas, such as more knock and ping, more deposits in the engine, etc. However, IMO if you were to simply fill the tank with fresh fuel, the existing gas would be mixed and diluted and likely could be burned in the engine just fine.

To be honest taking out the entire fuel tank on a 240 seems like an unjustly amount of work. Especially since it's the entire rust thing isn't comparable with plastic fuel tanks.

I would probably burn through an hour of gas just idling, change oil, change anti-freeze, go drive, back things back in, then I would go for the Tran and Diff oil.

[Slammed180]

Check vacuum lines. Could have dried out and cracked. Not sure if it's necessary, but I'd check injector O-rings and spark plugs.

[homeslicej2]

Yeah, change/flush all fluids, replacing all the rubber bits (engine seals, hoses, etc.) is needed, make sure that your rubber high pressure lines to the brake calipers (and slave cylinder) are good. Take your gas tank off and have it dipped bc after two years of gas just sitting in there, you're guaranteed to have some nasty gunk inside. You may have to get a new tank. Do the same with the radiator as well (it will probably need to be dipped). If you didn't pull the spark plugs and put about a teaspoon of oil in the cylinders before you let it sit, go ahead and do that about a day or so before you start the engine up. it might still help esp. if the cylinders have developed some rust over the past 2 years. Also, be prepared to change out the headgasket as well. I let a car sit for about a year and half once, and even though it started right up with a fresh battery, it started leaking oil out of all of the gaskets and seals soon afterwards, including the HG bc the material had degraded. Oh, and go ahead and test as much of the wiring for continuity (body and engine) as you can since the car is apart. You could have had something chew through a wire or such.

[Yoshi]

Originally Posted by homeslicej2

Yeah, change/flush all fluids, replacing all the rubber bits (engine seals, hoses, etc.) is needed, make sure that your rubber high pressure lines to the brake calipers (and slave cylinder) are good. Take your gas tank off and have it dipped bc after two years of gas just sitting in there, you're guaranteed to have some nasty gunk inside. You may have to get a new tank. Do the same with the radiator as well (it will probably need to be dipped). If you didn't pull the spark plugs and put about a teaspoon of oil in the cylinders before you let it sit, go ahead and do that about a day or so before you start the engine up. it might still help esp. if the cylinders have developed some rust over the past 2 years. Also, be prepared to change out the headgasket as well. I let a car sit for about a year and half once, and even though it started right up with a fresh battery, it started leaking oil out of all of the gaskets and seals soon afterwards, including the HG bc the material had degraded. Oh, and go ahead and test as much of the wiring for continuity (body and engine) as you can since the car is apart. You could have had something chew through a wire or such.

Just to play devil's advocate... the rubber bits and gaskets are under far LESS wear in a fairly climate stable, UV protected garage than a vehicle that's being used on a regular basis no?
I dont see how a head gasket replacement could possibly be necessary...?
No UV issues, no wear, no pressure...? What am I missing?
I'm by no means calling u a liar or anything, I'm just missing the logic path.

[airforceone451]

Watch out for black widows!

[aznpoopy]

+1 on the oil seals. i left my car parked for 7 months in a private garage; just about every oil seal that could go did go.

oil in cylinder is a good idea as well. helps build compression for first start up.

i would also suggest priming the engine by hand to get oil where it needs to be. most of it has probably dripped to the bottom of the pan by now.

[Tantwoforty]

Originally Posted by aznpoopy

i would also suggest priming the engine by hand to get oil where it needs to be. most of it has probably dripped to the bottom of the pan by now.

If he changes the oil he would pour all the new oil right past most things, although i would still probably hand prime it just for good measure.

[Ragnarok043]

ditto on adding oil in the cylinder, most of the damage can be caused by dry start up after such a long storage.

[Def]

Don't put oil in the cylinder, spray a bunch of WD-40. It'll help get rid of any water that's in there, and also makes a decent top end lubricant for a dry start.

I'd also crank the motor over for about 30 secs without fuel or spark just to make sure the oil pump is primed.