Hi guys, I have a couple of questions regarding my Pulsar.

The car has been sat for 6 months without being started but before it was parked up over winter I filled the tank with petrol, roughly half a tank. Will the fuel likely be ok? Ideally I don't want to drain and lose half a tank full but obviously fuel is a little more critical on a turbo petrol.

Also is their anymore precautions I should take when I attempt to start the car for the first time?

All advice is welcome and thanks in advance.

Just to add, the battery is almost certainly knackered so I will defiantly be replacing that.

Edited 26 March, 201610 yr by theezenutz

Different car and non-turbo, but I was offered a Corolla that'd been sat for 18 months, on a if you can move it you can have it basis.  I debated what I ought to do, then ended up just making sure it had oil and water, then stuck some jump leads on it.  Starter motor smelled a bit ripe, like a hot scalextric car, but it turned over then fired up.  Spent about 10 minutes freeing off the brakes and drove it home.  Car didn't appear to be any the worse for wear (brakes whiffed for the first 1/4 mile).  I'd debated trying to rotate the engine on the crank, squirting oil down the plug holes and under the rocker cover, but was glad I didn't bother.

 

Gaz

Make sure it's in neutral.

Just start it, 6 months isnt very long, maybe top the tank up with fresh fuel but aside from that I'd not worry. 

Had my old car sat for 9months over the 2009 winter.

started after a little jump lead encouragement and nothing else.

Sweet, i'm just being a bit cautious as I really don't want to blow the engine. I should post this up on the Pulsar forum but I thought I'd start here but thanks for the input gentlemen much appreciated.

I don't know about anything sophisticated, but when I start my Mk1 Escort (push rod crossflow engine) after a lay up I remove the coil lead and spin her over to get the oil circulated, then re connect the the lead and crack on. I also will do this with the Manta as it has hydraulic tappets.

Check the oil and water and turn the key. 

 

Keep an eye on the temperature as it warms up in case the thermostat's got stuck. 

 

If stale petrol's really a problem, you can normally liven it back up by chucking some fresh in with what's there. 

I don't know about anything sophisticated, but when I start my Mk1 Escort (push rod crossflow engine) after a lay up I remove the coil lead and spin her over to get the oil circulated, then re connect the the lead and crack on. I also will do this with the Manta as it has hydraulic tappets.

 

I was going to suggest that if it was an old car. However with a modern car It'll probably throw up an engine light, plus it might have multiple coils anyway which also could be berried in engine too.

 

It was simple to do with my A-series engine, Coil and dizy straight in front of you.

No she's a relatively old tech engine being born in the 90's. Just a inline 4 with quad throttle bodies a biggish turbo an mechanical tappets, nothing to complicated thankfully. I'm not really a mechanic I just learn what I need to learn in order to do what I need to do.

Good shout on the fuel also the coil lead.

Let it idle for a good while before giving it serious throttle, give the turbo time to lubricate itself and warm up properly.

Son's car sat in a shed 3 years while he did uni, and last year we tried to get it going again (it was his mam's before she gave it him), It was a 01, 1 litre Vauxhall Corsa, we poured a gallon of petrol into it, gave it a new battery and cranked it over until it fired up, it ran rough, brakes were seized, and lots of meaningless stuff showing on the cars dash.  Got it trailered home (25 miles at cost of 80 quid).  I worked and worked on that 'thing', all new springs, drive shaft boot rubbers plus new roll bar stut's, crankshaft position sensor, even the seat belts and door locks and window wipers wouldn't work properly.  A Vauxhall employee finally towed it away for me and we let him have it for 60 quid, and with all documentation on the car and all up to date, plus a new 35 quid Halfords battery.  It still ain't on the road now six months later, aparantly. 

 

Son came home one day last summer to find me with the front off my 03 Passat 1.9 TDI, removed for the replacement of its belts, water pump, alternator pulley plus shock absorber, (hopefully the last time in my lifetime) he commented "this ain't like that Corsa, its completely different".  Next we get son rolling with an 06 1.2 Fabia and when the bonnet of his new car was first raised he said "its same as your car dad".