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Tips for Starting up after 10 years laid up in a barn...


JP

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Hi All,

Life has moved on and it's about time to get my 1999 16K SS out of hibernation.  It has been stored away in a barn for the last 10 years.  It hasn't been started for quite a few years now, but when it was parked away it had just had a bottom end overhaul by Dave Andrews, an Apollo fitted and filled up with fresh oil and new coolant.

Could anyone please give me a steer as to steps to be taken when I come to start it up for the first time.  I imagine that the top end will be fairly dry after all these years.  Do I need to do anything more that disconnect the ignition system and spin the engine on the starter for a while to circulate oil before allowing it to start?

Grateful for any guidance...

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Surely cam belt needs to be changed before you turn it over. A bit of oil down the cylinders and turn over the engine from the crank pulley without the plugs in. Then new plugs in, fresh oil in, and new coolant. Crank over for pressure, new petrol in and fingers crossed
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Oooh, cam belts.  I hadn't thought of that!  Cheers!

Next question - what are the good suppliers of spares like cam belts etc nowadays?  Do people use Caterham or are there independent suppliers that are recommended?  I used to use Redline for most of my bits.  Are they still giving good service?

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If it was me and I was desperate to start it, I’d inspect the cam belt for visual condition and turn it by hand to make sure it turns. Check fluid levels. Look at accessible hoses to give an idea of condition. If ok, crank for oil pressure with injectors unplugged, then plug them in an try again and see what happens. You’ll need a new battery, might be an idea to take another to jump it if needs for help. Run it and see what happens! 

But before you drive it, you must change the brake fluid, check nothing has seized in the brakes. Doing that, you may as well continue with other normal sercvice items. Depends how desperate you are to hear it purring like a happy cat 

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I am quite desperate, but not so much that I want to trash it.  Last time it was driven I came home from a Silverstone trackday with  a new rattle.   I took the engine to DVA to inspect the bottom end and also fit verniers.  I then refitted the engine and installed an Apollo and took it off the road for that winter.  Then my daughter was born, my life changed for a while, I put my old 1979 Land Rover on the road and the 7 has been off the road since...It's now time to flog the Landy and get the 7 back out of storage...

Current grand plan is to strip it and send the bare car to Arch for a chassis overhaul, possible re-skin and new paint job in Gulf colours.  Currently it's bare ally with black...

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Ha ha!  Agreed, but polishing the ally takes forever.  Maybe I'll leave it...  The main thing it that there is quiet a lot of corrosion on the rear basket / a-frame and the powder coating on the main frame is peeling.  If I'm going to get it back on the road I want it done properly and so a return to Arch is probably on the cards.  The skin isn't too bad, but it is fairly pitted from the years B.C. (before children) when it was my daily driver and so I'm thinking to get this looked at at the same time.  I do like the ones in Gulf colours...

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  • Leadership Team

Polish it and use it, if you get too precious about it you'll kill the enjoyment! Personally I really like the ally/black look, although my car's painted for an easy life.

Stu.

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Yes, I think so too.  Part of the painting plan came about because I am fairly sure that I will need a new rear basket (quite corroded) and lots of the powder coating has stripped from the a-frame and to a degree the main chassis.  It used to be my daily driver.)  I'm not sure how much the car will have to be stripped for those to be addressed and it was one of those, "while I'm at it, I might as well..." thoughts.  If the rear basket can be addressed without dismantling the whole of the rear of the car, then I would be inclined to leave everything else and just get it running asap so that I can have fun with it again for now...

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Similar situation here with a 1996 XFlow.  I think your strip down and service chassis is the best course.  Nothing else matters if your frame is all crumbling with rust.  Remember the grot trap, the section at front sides of foot well between outer skin and inner panel that collects dirt and whatnot...Must have the frame cared for...

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