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Well, in the next month or so I'm hoping to pull my car outa storage. (1994 Trans Am, T56)

I didn't do much to store it, other then put a few mothballs in it, and cover it with a car cover. (I let it sit all winter, didn't start it once since storing it)

Should I drain the oil and change the oil filter before starting it?

Since it's been sitting for so long I assume all the oil's in the crankcase. Anyway to lube the top end, or will oil get up there quick enough not to worry about it.

The rear end oil, and the tranny fluid in the T-56 was changed last year, should I worry about those?

Battery has sat in my basement the entire winter, should it be ok, or do I pester a friend to lend me his battery charger to give it a bit of a charge before putting it back in the car.

Thanks in advance!

BlackZ28Camaro

I would think all your oils should be ok. But that depends on how many miles you had on your engine oil before you parked it. But I can't see it hurting anything if you start it.

I would worry more about your old gas in the tank than anything else. I have an 88 camaro that i may drive once or twice ever 6 months and the only problem I had driving it was the gas going bad. So after driving on the same tank of gas for 9 months I had a half left. And the car started running like crap after 9 months on the same tank. So I filled the tank up and it ran fine after that.

And as for yout battery. If it was left hooked up in the car its probly dead. All depending on if you have a cheap brand or not or how old it is.

Joel

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Thanks for the response. I can't really remember how many K I'd run the oil for before storing it. I know it was well below 3000 miles, but I think I'll take a trip down to the store pick up some oil, go for a cruise then change it when I get home.

I put some fuel stabilizer in the fuel before storing it, so hopefully the gas should be ok.

I think I'm going to give synthetic a try (been running dyno)

I only put about 7,000 miles on the car a year so I'll just change it at 3500 miles so I won't need any high mileage stuff.

Any suggestions for some nice synthetic?

Pandamonkey

Well.....I always run syn oil so that's never a problem....

Adding some fuel stabilizer to the tank would be a good thing.
Purchasing an automatic battery minder is also a plus.

I store mine for 8 months a year and that's pretty much all I do.
I start it up a few time when the weather is nice in that time period.

If you're storing in a spot where mice could potentially live - buy one of those sonic mice repel jobbies and plug it in under the hood.

A day before you plan on starting it, plug in the block heater - even if it's not cold out.

teke184

on the oil...

since you don't remember how many miles were on it before, and you wanna switch to synthetic anyway. there is no better time than after 6months for the old oil to drain off.

that way you will know exactly how many miles till the next change, as well as have nice clean oil to pump through the engine on start up.

not sure how many other people do this, but when i change the oil i always fill the filter with new oil before putting it on. that way there is less time the engine is "runniing dry" while it waits for the oil pump to fill the filter.

i suppose if you wanted to get crazy you could pull the valve covers and pour the new oil over the rockers, valves and pushrods.

but that's a bit excessive.

CamaroSS30thAnn

id change the oil and get some new ga in it , if u changed all the othe oils u hould be fine

since i have poly ends on my suspension id grease em again o they are nicely lubed up

id let the car run for a while b4 pulling it out just o that u knwo the oil has reached the whole engine and u wont have to worry about it

pearlpurple

8 months a year here too without the F Body.

I don't even have a block heater in mine (car is from TN)

I usually ensure my battery is charged up good, slap it in check the fluids, check everyhting out and start it up.

For the first start up watch the guages closely, look under the engne for leaks you know stuff like that.

When you start it up don't move it, don't put it in gear don't do anything until she is warming up,, that is my approach.

I go for a short cruise watching guages like a hawk, close to home, get it up to operating temp. come back home see if the fans are coming on, the idle oil pressure is good, no noises, vibrations you know stuff like that.

I do highly reccomend using fuel stabilzer before putting it away in the fall though. I do not start mine at all during the winter until it is coming back out. I believe that one long term "dry" start up year is enough wear I don't want to do it every two or three months.

this is my $0.02

Mean Green Z28

Pull out the ignition fuse in the fuse panel that's behind the driver side headlight, and crank the engine until you get oil pressure building. Then, reinstall the fuse and fire it up!