Caprice in storage

[Condy 0]

Looking at a WB Caprice that has been in storage for 6 or 7 years. Can it be an issue ? or what should i be looking for ?
Body seems OK , just worried about the drivetrain , brakes ect.
Any suggestions/ tips would be helpful.

 

[hademall]

Looking at a WB Caprice that has been in storage for 6 or 7 years. Can it be an issue ? or what should i be looking for ?
Body seems OK , just worried about the drivetrain , brakes ect.
Any suggestions/ tips would be helpful.

All seals, hoses, belts, tyres, etc, may likely be perished. Oils and fluids would definitely be up for a change.

 

[Condy 0]

Awesome , thanks for the info. About what would the cost be to get all that done (ballpark), excluding the tyres. If I got a mechanic to do it. Some i can do , but I'm not 100% on mechanical for myself. Would it be about 1k ?

 

[Skylarking]

It depends on how it was stored and what storage maintenance was done.

Normally the immediate problems would likely be:

• the battery would be cactus so replace it with a new one.
• the fuel may have gone off and become claggy. At best a fresh tank of fuel with a bottle of injector cleaner May sort it out, at worst you’ll need to drop the tank to clean it and replace the fuel pump.
• the tyres wouldn’t be round and have flat spots from standing on one spot for so long. Sometimes they can come good after a long drive but replacing them is the better/safer option.
• ac system seals may have dried out and the gas may have escaped so the system may need servicing and the compressor may need new seals.
• brake fluid would have absorbed water from the atmosphere so should be flushed and replaced with clean fluid. But if lots of moisture has gotten in you may have internal corrosion at the BMC and or calipers so that would result in braking issues/leaks and need addressing.
• shock shafts can rust and become pitted which then chews out the seals requiring new shocks soon after getting here back on the road.
• check diff, gearbox and engine oils and in the first instance top up as needed and then go for a long test drive. Then replace all fluids and filter once you have her home. Also replace coolant.
• check all rubber hoses, belts and such as they may be perished. Replace if in any doubt.

Much of this can be checked before purchase so factor in anything that you know needs doing.

If you can’t do the work yourself, costs can very quickly build up with ac and brake work. AC work alone can set one back $1k or more if hoses and comp need replacing…

 

[someguy360]

If it's a 253 or 308 make sure you pack the oil pump with vasoline or petroleum jelly to prime it before you try cranking it, Holden engines are notorious for getting pockets of air in the oil pumps after sitting for long periods or being dissasembled etc. Often long periods of cranking won't be enough to build up oil pressure in them again.

Other than that, an engine doesn't know when it was last run. I've bought engines that have been sitting for 20 years.

Just do the usual:
* refresh the brakes (the seals and hoses will be knackered).
* replace tyres
* Dump the fuel in it and replace it and the filters.

Pretty much anything rubber on the car will likely need replacement.

The trans shouldn't need touching if it's not leaking, hydraulic fluid doesn't tend to break down from sitting, provided it hasn't been stored outside.