Starting a car after a few hours isn’t something that you need to worry about. Instead, it is the unresponsiveness after months of driving hiatus that is the primary cause for concern. Moreover, before you consider the best options to start a car that has been unused for a significant length of time, it is necessary to ascertain the exact timeframe and take measures, accordingly.
It isn’t wrong to term a used vehicle as a hibernated bear that just refuses to get out of the slumber. Therefore, for a three to even six-month hiatus, it is necessary to follow an intuitive set of approaches to get the car started while maintaining its efficiency. Furthermore, before implementing the rerunning solutions, it is necessary to check for the transmission issues, rear axle worries, brake and steering system condition, engine responsiveness, and leaks.
In this write-up, experts at RepairSmith share some of the best ideas to start a car that has been sitting idle for months:
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Check the Car Battery
You must have encountered the gurgling noise while trying to start an idle car, especially in winters. This is primarily a battery issue as with time, the copper associated with the cables lose out on the conductive property. The best way to solve this anomaly is to charge the battery from a secondary source or to purchase a new battery.
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Replace the Existing Fluids
Here is one approach that is directly related to the time for which the car hasn’t been in use. For a year-long hiatus, the entire fluid system, including the coolant, needs to be drained out and refilled from scratch. If you’re looking for more information on maintaining your vehicle’s fluids, you can explore valuable insights from JennyChem.
However, for a smaller hibernation i.e. a few months, we advise filter and oil change. That said, you must also drain out the gas that builds up in the carburetor and the tank. If the car wasn’t in use during the winters, each one of the existing fuel likes must be flushed and drained. You can also consider replacing the radiator coolant if you are too finicky regarding this charade.
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Address the Spark Plugs
Now that you have checked and accounted for the battery and the existing fluids, it’s time to shift the attention to the ignition. You can prepare for the same by removing the spark plugs and spurting an exceptional lubricant onto the cylinders. What happens is that you end up opening the chocked up piston rings!
Even if the vehicle restarts after the battery recharge, replacement, and fluid change, you must always concentrate on checking the ignition before taking the car out for a stroll. Driving with chocked piston rings can put massive pressure on the engine and even minimizes vehicle efficiency.
Once you have followed one or all of these steps keep the engine soaked in the lubricant for some time before turning the shaft, to help the oil seep into the plug holes. Reinstall the spark plugs, fill in the fuel, and start the car engine.
If at this point, the engine starts clean, consider taking the car out for at least an hour-long drive.
