Hey guys, My Z requires some work and I am also on my L's so it wont be run for a while, it hasn't been run in over 4 months and before then it hadn't been run for about 5 years, As im quite new to this, Any pointers for maintaining my engine etc so in a years time i wont be completely f**ked! Any advice is good advice( within reason ) Thanks ~~Corey
Would be wise to pull the motor apart, have heard of cases where the engine is ceased in that kind of time frame.
She'll be right if it was run 4 months ago. Biggest issues you might have IMO is: No oil in the pump, may not prime properly. Disconnect the CAS and turn it over while monitoring oil pressure. You will have to get a proper oil pressure gauge though, doubt the stock one will read. Unlikely to be an issue after 4 months though. Lifters may be seized and will tick. Can be rebuilt/replaced. Big job to get it all done though. Hard/cracked seals and hoses. Everywhere. Coolant, fuel, vacuum, intake, oil seals. Big job to replace the lot, I would pull the motor.
For a well maintained car, a 4mth rest is nothing. In my opinion.... My Z was parked for nearly 1yr when I did the seat re-trims in leather last year. Compensated the expense by not driving it for a year since it is an occasional weekender and is garaged. When the time came to get it back on the road, pulled the CAS plug gave it a few turns, put the plug on and fired 1st go. Oh battery was on trickle charge so no flat battery. Not an issue, no rust in the radiator, water is nice and green. No water leaks, no oil leaks. 4mths rest is nothing. Perhaps battery might be flat. Other than that there should be no issue whatsoever. Oh old fuel might be something but in my case it was not an issue either. Peter
I think the guys have covered it well. I'd also change the oil and coolant once you finally have it cranking and priming. Seals, hoses, gaskets and connectors might need some work. All easily do-able and if you are new to the Z scene just take your time and read up on some of the fantastic articles within the Aus300 tech section (tech.aus300zx.com)
I have a Zed that I hardly use, so when it's in storage, I have a battery trickle charger on it full time (look for a "Battery Fighter" in your local car parts store). If you are leaving it for a year, I'd recommend one of these to be permanently attached, and when you do get around to wanting to drive it, start it up, and let it idle for 15 minutes or so, with the bonnet up, and keeping an eye on gauges, and look out for coolant leaks. It will probably have some lifter rattle, which should lessen as it gets warmer, and if it doesn't, then take it for a gentle drive. After the drive, turn the engine off and poke your ear in the engine bay for a few minutes to listen for any hissing that may be a coolant leak. If you expect it to be sitting idle for a LONG time, pull the plugs, pour a small amount of engine oil into each cylinder, and replace the plugs. This stops the rings from rusting onto the bores. When you want to restart it, pull the plugs again and crank it over a few times before replacing the plugs and starting it. On the whole, I've had no issues from keeping Zeds in storage and then starting them, except for a bit of lifter noise until they've been driven for a short period. The longer you leave it, the more you should consider an oil change (condensation can allow water to get into the sump), coolant change, fuel change (hi octane breaks down after a few months to become low octane), fuel filter change, and if you're keen, pull the plugs and crank it over. This allows it to turn over at a higher speed than if the plugs are in (no compression), and also allows the oil pump to prime without having to worry about it starting, and putting a load on the bearings. Sometimes the coolant system can spring a leak after a while in storage, as the hoses have dried out. If you're lucky, they will reseal after a while circulating coolant with the engine idling.
When I knew my engine was going to be sitting around for a while I pulled the plugs and gave each cylinder a quick blast of WD40 via the straw to splash around and stop any corrosion in there. Why do you guys disconnect the CAS to check oil pressure? Would you recommend doing this for an engine that's sat for a while without being turned over before firing it up for the first time?
