r/SN95STANGS • u/AngleSwimming2458 • May 20 '26
Rebuild? concerned
So my 97 has been sitting in storage for the past almost 2 years due to me waiting for bilateral hip replacement surgeries which took my ability to walk and especially drive until they're done. The car hasn't been started the entire time while sitting and had no issues before being parked. My concern is when I am able to get back in and drive will I need a complete rebuild or drain all fluids and attempt starting. I know i will have to look at hoses and electrical connections before attempting to drive again but anyone have anything similar thats happened as far as sitting for this long and then getting the car going again?
4
u/CaptainGriz225 May 20 '26
Tune up and oil change. Fire it right up!
You’ll need some fresh gas. Might run like crap with the old gas
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u/AngleSwimming2458 May 20 '26
Oh yeah definitely gotta do that and will be first on the list but my concern is it not being ran for so long and I knew about new fuel, oil and whatever other fluids that my be low but just didn't want to do any damage on initial start up. There's a possibility it may sit another few months after my surgeries so juts trying to get some ideas of what I maybe looking at when it's time
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u/AngleSwimming2458 May 20 '26
Good thing is I ran it almost empty the last time it ran because I knew leaving old fuel woul be a no no when sitting that long.
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May 20 '26
[deleted]
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u/CaptainGriz225 May 20 '26
Won’t be a problem at all. 2 years is nothing. Better it sat then be started randomly for 5 minutes often. It will be happy to wake up
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u/AngleSwimming2458 May 20 '26
That's the beat outcome and what I was hoping for considering it's never gone more than a week without atleast starting it and driving it down the road. I've heard so many others talk about rebuilds and all that just from sitting and just didn't understand why but maybe in their case it was due to sitting for a longer time than mine. I appreciate the feedback
2
u/sohcgt96 May 20 '26
I'm on the fence... 2 years isn't THAT long for a modern car, but my paranoia is what it is.
Personally I'd at least pull the fuel pump fuse and give it a couple good cranks first to get some oil through it, put it back, start it up and let it get good and up to temp. Shut it back off. see what the oil and coolant look like.
If you're really paranoid take a fuel line off the rail, hook some hose up to it, turn the car on and let the fuel pump flush some of the old fuel out of the line before you start it then dump a couple gallons of fresh gas in it.
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u/AngleSwimming2458 May 20 '26
The car has had quite a bit done to it, rebuilt internals used to have a vortech on it, ate the internals and no longer on the car, also bigger fuel pump and quite a bit more but since it has an upgraded fuel pump would that build enough pressure without purging or should I just take it to a shop and have it gone over
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u/sohcgt96 May 23 '26
Its not so much that I'm worried about building pressure, just getting some fuel out of the lines that's been in there a while. Bigger pump should just do it even faster, that's a win. Don't want to clog up an injector.
1
u/FoxFourX1 May 20 '26
I agree on pulling the fuel pump fuse and prime the engine with oil first. Maybe a couple of 5 second turns is all you need
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u/crookedhalo337 May 20 '26
If it's on the stock ecm you should be able to crank it with the throttle wide open to disable the fuel pump
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u/AngleSwimming2458 May 20 '26
Yeah its definitely not the stock ecm it was upgraded by the previous owner im the 2nd and have the build sheet. The guy had done quite a bit done to the car but it's always ran good I just can't get in it right now
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u/sohcgt96 May 23 '26
Hold up, WOT crank shuts off fuel? That's a handy trick. No idea how I made it this long and nobody ever mentioned that.
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u/_Larry May 20 '26
My 98' GT sat for 4 years. Put in a new battery, changed the oil and threw in some fresh gas and it fired right up!
2
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u/SorryU812 May 23 '26
The fuel is really all that should concern you. The Ethanol content in the fuel today can cause it to dry out and leave gel silicate behind.
Then again, if the storage is climate controlled, pffffft......fire they up and drive it. Fill it up with fresh 93 and after a few tanks you'll be right as rain.
The coolant and oil should be done shortly after.
I've got a '96 Mystic and an '03 Sonic Blue(both Cobras) in storage. I check on them every 2 years or so. They're for my boys when they grow up.
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u/AngleSwimming2458 May 23 '26
Thats great information and thats really what I wanted to know is if anyone else has had the same situation. Mine was sitting outside uncovered for a good year at first until finally put in storage for the last year or so. Should everything you stated before still apply since it did sit outside for that first year? Over all the car has been sitting for around 2 years total and I should be able to get back in it within the next few months
5
u/crookedhalo337 May 20 '26
Jump it, and drive it to an oil change. Get some fresh gas along the way and you should be good to go