Restarting parked-up car?

[quatre]

Hi

I've got an old diesel car - scrap value not much - that's been parked up for several years. Although it was running fine when parked up, it's not been started up since then. I'm thinking of disposing of it and guess that the value might be a little higher if I knew that it could still be started.

Before applying the jump leads I wondered if there are any simple precautions or preparation that I should be doing first - bearing in mind that I'm no mechanic, and that it's not worth spending much time or money?

[trickywoo]

If it was a petrol I'd say to take the spark plugs out and crank it over to get the oil pressure up.

Being a diesel (depending on what it is) taking out the glow plugs may well be a lot of work.

As you aren't keepig it anyway I'd just make sure the oil and coolant levels are ok and try and start it.

[Dogwatch]

Will it matter? Scrapper would just winch it onto his truck anyway.

[Collectingbrass]

If it does run you might well over the "collected" scrap value via Ebay / Gumtree. Certainly you will get more if you can drive it to the yard.

[anonymous-user]

If its going for scrap anyway, you might as well just try it... Check it has oil and fuel and let the glow plugs warm up.

Most older diesels I've seem have a manual fuel priming pump, it wouldn't hurt to give that a few pumps if it has one.

Edited by Joef on Monday 25th January 14:37

[rb5er]

How long ia several years

[trickywoo]

rb5er said:

How long ia several years

In legal speak its anything over two although several to me is more than five.

[rb5er]

Haha yes I know what several means thanks. I was asking the OP as several is very vague. 3 years or 23 years??

[finishing touch]

There only old if you need to start them on petrol, then switch over to paraffin.


Paul G

[quatre]

Thanks to you all for your posts - much appreciated. Will give it a go and see what happens...

[Old Merc]

A good battery,(not jump leads)spray easy start into the air filter and wind it over.Two chances,it will fire up or will not.As its a scraper you have nothing to loose.