YACT: havnet turned car on in 3 years

[Rallispec]

3 years ago, our old '93 civic suffered some major engine problems so that we couldnt use it anymore. We kept it around though, always thinking that whenever we had some free time we'd fix it up. Well, this summer we finally have put away 3000 dollars to fix up this old car that hasnt even run in 3 years. Now i know some people would say-- just buy a new old car with that money. But no, i'm going to get this civic running if it kills me.


anyways--- what kinds of problems should i expect to have to deal with for letting it sit so long. I realize the battery will be dead, all the brake and transmission fluids will need to be flushed, if not having to put in a new brake system entirely. Along with a host of other problems i'm sure.

add to that the crank shaft has a crack in it which caused it to bend which is why we had to shut it off in the first place.

other than that, the car is in excellent condition.


anyhow... is $3000 going to be enough? is this something my dad and i could do on our own (aside from the engine replacement that will most likely be needed)

any other thoughts?

 

[Jzero]

Where was it stored? It is possible that mice chewed up many of the hoses and wires.

 

[calvinbiss]

you need to check any and all seal/gaskets. Three years is long enough for them to dry and crack, which can be annoying. My dad and I were fixing up an old Triumph STag, and it sat for two year. we got it running, but it kept having all kinds of problems. We eventually took it somewhere, and the mechanic (a fried of ours who was not trying to screw us) said it would take 25K to replace all the seals and gaskets. ending up selling the car. it was very frustrating.

 

[Viper GTS]

What would make a 10 year old Civic worth spending $3K on?

Was someone conceived in it?

Viper GTS

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
What would make a 10 year old Civic worth spending $3K on?

Was someone conceived in it?

Viper GTS

There is a Jesus-shaped stain on the passenger-side headrest!

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: Jzero
Where was it stored? It is possible that mice chewed up many of the hoses and wires.

not only have they chewed through wires, we actually found at least 2 nests in the air filter. :Q (edit: not literally inside it, but right around it)

so yes-- many hoses and wires will need replacing.

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
What would make a 10 year old Civic worth spending $3K on?

Was someone conceived in it?

Viper GTS

eh, there is some sentimental value to this car i guess.. but mostly, its just for the challenge... we really want to see if we can get it working. It will help us pass away our summer.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: Rallispec

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
What would make a 10 year old Civic worth spending $3K on?

Was someone conceived in it?

Viper GTS

eh, there is some sentimental value to this car i guess.. but mostly, its just for the challenge... we really want to see if we can get it working. It will help us pass away our summer.

You couldn't have found something a bit more interesting to spend the summer restoring?

 

[Thegonagle]

That sounds like plenty of money. Get the lowest-mileage used engine you can find (unless you want to rebuild the engine - I sure wouldn't), replace all the belts, all the coolant hoses, the thermostat, and while you're at it, the water pump. Put it back together, fill it up, fire it up, and see how it goes. If it overheats at all this summer, and the cooling fan is working, it's probably time for a new radiator (Napa carries a Modine radiator that is better than the original for less money).

The brakes might be just fine, and should be the least of your worries at this point.

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: Tyler

Originally posted by: Rallispec

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
What would make a 10 year old Civic worth spending $3K on?

Was someone conceived in it?

Viper GTS

eh, there is some sentimental value to this car i guess.. but mostly, its just for the challenge... we really want to see if we can get it working. It will help us pass away our summer.

You couldn't have found something a bit more interesting to spend the summer restoring?

well, this also has some purpose though... my younger brother is turning 16 in july and if we get the civic fixed up and working.. it will give him a car to drive. I'm not going to go restoring some classic car to go give it to my brother to drive.. but my parents arent also going to spend 10k on a decent car for him.

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle
That sounds like plenty of money. Get the low-mileage used engine you can find (unless you want to rebuild the engine - I sure wouldn't), replace all the belts, all the coolant hoses, the thermostat, and while you're at it, the water pump. Put it back together, fill it up, fire it up, and see how it goes. If it overheats at all this summer, and the cooling fan is working, it's probably time for a new radiator (Napa carries a Modine rad. that is better than the original for less money).

The brakes might be just fine, and should be the least of your worries at this point.

thanks

when did you change your name?

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Some things to note:
There is already engine trouble. At the very least you'll have to change ALL fluids as they've been sitting for an awfully long time.
This includes the transmission, and gas.
The gas probably needs to be removed, disposed of, and replaced.
Check rubber items on it, most likely the belts have formed to the pulleys too much and hoses tend to dry and crack.


I'd spend the money on a mid '80s hatchback and some krylon. That way you have something to thrash and destroy, might be more entertaining and cheaper.

 

[Alistar7]

check your brake lines before you drive anywhere. Honestly, I wouldn't spend the money on that. For less than a grand you can build yourself a great 350 chevy and have a cou0le left over to put it into another car, an old musclecar maybe.....

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: Rallispec
when did you change your name?

A week or two ago? Let me check forum issues where I made the request. . .

. . . It was May 10th.

 

[Soybomb]

I think you're burning your money up, you would be better off buying a car from the late 80s to early 90s that already run well for that amount of money.

You have a bent and cracked crank so the engine is coming out first thing and you might as well have it rebuilt. Do you have all the tools and time to remove and replace an engine? If not I'd budget $1500 give or take $500 for a rebuild and install. Figure new belts and hoses and maybe tires if they're been damaged from sitting on the same spot for so long. You've found mice nests which means countless hours tracking down oddities caused by a bad electrical system.

other than that, the car is in excellent condition.

So the bodys great, its just the rest of the car thats trashed?

 

[no0b]

Sell the car to a autobody place for parts since the engine is gone but the body is okay. Then use the 3 grand and the money from the sale for a mid-early 90's car.

 

[Kemosabe1447]

Use your $3,000 for a different car...I'm sure your brother would rather just get a newer car thats good anyways.

EDIT: new to newer

 

[toph99]

electrical problems are THE WORST. I hate chasing down electrical gremlins. Seeing as how critters have been through the car, i'd say sell it as salvage, and put the money into another car. You can get a car for him to drive for $3k easily. My car came to that much once i got it saftied etc.

 

[Thegonagle]

OH NO! Rodents have chewed through the wires? Unless you were going to replace all the wiring with Monster Cable Oxygen-Free Ultra In-Capacitance High Performance Wire anyway (which you weren't), I would write this car off. Bummer. (Forget what I said earlier.)

 

[Rallispec]

well.. i opened up the hood and did a fairly thourough inspection of the engine-- and i may have mislead some people on the rodent situation.. so i'll try to clear that up now--

aprently, what i thought were nests, werent. EIther mice, or chipmunks, not sure which--had been using the engine to store and hide food in. I found lots of shells from nuts and peanuts and other things that had been stuffed into the various corners and nooks of the engine(which i had thought were nests, but werent)--- and -- i couldnt find any obvious damage to wires or hoses. I had assumed they would chew through them (if they were anything like our guinea pigs) however no damage was noticeable (not say that there wasnt any)



brings up my next question-- is this a feasable way to test the electrical system: charge up the batter for a little while, put in the key and see if the egine turns. Given the condition of the engine, i doubt it would actually turn on, but it should at least turn, right? or becuase the oil and everything has been sitting for so long-- is this a bad idea?

 

[iamwiz82]

if the crank is cracked in half, i wouldnt suggest turning it over. YOu can put the key in the On or Acc position, though.

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
if the crank is cracked in half, i wouldnt suggest turning it over. YOu can put the key in the On or Acc position, though.

not cracked in half.. its just missing a chip out of the end of it, and cracked about 1/2 inch or so. The crack caused the pulley to wobble, which caused the crank to bend. (vary slightly, but noticeable
)

 

[iamwiz82]

Are you positive that is the only damage? I still dont suggest turning it over until you are sure the internals are ok.

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Are you positive that is the only damage? I still dont suggest turning it over until you are sure the internals are ok.

no, i am not positive thats the only damage.. i would imagine that the wobbling crank shaft probably screwed a lot up. However i hadnt thought of just turning the key to the acc position.. that would probably be a lot safer.

 

[Pepsi90919]

um i wouldn't go so far as to crank it over for several reasons. one being that you don't want to risk the pistons hitting the valves and creating an even worse scenario.