Q: How do I take a car out of storage after 30 years?
Do you drain and flush the radiator, brake fluid, and power steering fluid? This car has been in storage for 30 years and I would like to replace all of the fluids. I also need a new power radio antenna and replace the hood release cable. I probably need a complete tune as well (new plugs, etc)
My car has 122 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.
The best route to take is drain and refill all fluids, especially gasoline if any was left in the tank. The entire fuel system should be drained and fresh fuel added. Spark plugs should be replaced. Before removing them, it may be a good idea to spray some sort of penetrating oil around them. Also while they’re out, a light spray of oil down each cylinder would be a good idea. Spray the plugs in advance of removing them. Once you’ve done all this and are ready to start the engine, it’s a good idea to disable the ignition and fuel system. Once you do that, crank the engine several times to get the engine oil up to all points in the engine. Removing the oil filler cap may make it easy to see if oil has reached the top end of the engine. Once you see oil in the top end, then reconnect the ignition and fuel systems to start the car. Expect to see some smoke from the tailpipe and perhaps some engine noises until the lifters are fully pumped up with oil. For more information, check out our article on how to take a car out of storage for more details.
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