trying to start a car that has been sitting for years
 

okay i might be picking up a 1974 porsche 914 form my aunt. the thing is her and my uncle parked it right before my cousin was born and haven't even attempted to do anything with it since. oh and my cousin is about to turn 24, lol. so they called me yesterday and asked if i would be interested in the car and i said "Hell Yeah", so i went over there to check it out and have some beers with my uncle to see what kind of a price there talking about but they don't give me a number. just keep saying about how they want somebody like me to have it so they know it will be taken care of and fixxed up. the car is in great condition body wise, interior is dusty but seats and carpet are perfect. they said they had it painted two months before they parked it and the engine was rebuilt around the same time.

if i get it what should i do before trying to start it up? was thinking i should replace all vacuum lines, empty the gas tank and put new gas in, oil/filter change, fuel lines and battery. i had also read that before trying to start it i should put a teaspoon of ATF in each cylinder and let it sit over night to let it eat away any rust that might have formed from sitting so that it doesn't cause anymore damage if the rings are rusted to the walls.

any other reccomendations?

Re: trying to start a car that has been sitting for years
 

atf? i thought youd put regular oil in there?

overall tune up, change fluids the whole 9 yards.

Re: trying to start a car that has been sitting for years
 

All the things you listed are good ideas, but I'd shoot a shitload of WD-40 down the spark plug holes the night before and right before startup. I doubt the ATF will be effective as the cylinders are sideways on the boxer engines. You might try to turn the engine over by hand via the crank pulley before wacking the starter just to make sure the bitch isn't seized.
Definitely drain the gas and change all the fluids, inspect the vacuum hoses and replace any that are cracked or weathered (probably all of them).
Also, take apart the entire intake and make sure no critters have built a nest in there.
After that, dress up the spark plugs and go for it.

Re: trying to start a car that has been sitting for years
 

i would definately use a penetrating oil (like WD40 or marvel mystery oil) over the ATF and have to agree on checking out the plugs and intake and turning it over manually after letting the cylinders soak. if you get it fired up, make sure you've checked over the condition of all the belts, cooling hoses, and brake lines so you don't get an unpleasant surprise during your first joy ride that destroys the new toy.

Re: trying to start a car that has been sitting for years
 

Marval mysterys worked for me put it in the oil and drain old fuel put mysteries in it then add fresh gass

Re: trying to start a car that has been sitting for years
 

cool, thanks for the tips. maybe i'll try a ---- load of PB penetrating spray and let it soak. i remember seeing on one of those truck shows on spike where the guy bought a old ass truck that had been sitting in a field for 30 years and he did all this and got the fucker started after sitting all that time, but it didn't have any brakes lol. hope this doesn't turn into a money pit :-[

Re: trying to start a car that has been sitting for years
 

lol. It will.

Re: trying to start a car that has been sitting for years
 

When I went to NADC I had an instructor tell us that if you fill the oil about 3\4ths full with diesel fuel and run it about 20 to 30 min it'll clean the piss out the engine.....showed us a demostration and all.....


Wouldnt recommend it on a car with a warranty but somethin like that.....yeah i would

Re: trying to start a car that has been sitting for years
 

Ummm it's a Porsche. Not to mention an old Porsche that's been sitting for many years.
http://www.kennedyeng.com/vw_por.htm ;)
http://www.etischer.com/914xt6.html

Re: trying to start a car that has been sitting for years
 

sell the car, less motor.

build motor, make mid engine crx.

don't turn the motor over by starter, bust it loose via breaker bar on a damper bolt