Restarting a car which has been stored.

[cuisses]

A senior club member here has a 220S roundie which was last started I April 2016, and even prior to that was not driven much for at least seven years.
I have been tasked with getting the thing to start so it can be taken to the Sponsor's for a bit of steering work.
John G has advised that the fuel will likely be stale. What is the best way of draining the tank? Do I syphon it or is there an obvious drain?

I have a nice battery, but what else can anyone suggest? Do I put fuel in the carbies? Look at the plugs?
Is there a good "Mercmad" procedure to follow here?

[pastelgrey300D]

Should be a drain plug at the bottom of the tank that removes using an in-hex socket. Item 8 in the picture below.



Although I reckon syphoning should be fine, I have a small 12 facet cube type fuel pump which I use for draining tanks. Also good for pulling fresh fuel through the system once you've refilled the tank.

I'd recommend pulling the plugs and squirting a bit of oil down the bores and turning the engine over by hand just to make sure everything is free. The oil should also help give extra compression until oil pressure comes up. Definitely squirt some fuel down the carbies as well to help get it started.

[merc-304]

Unplug the coil lead ....turn the motor over using the key let it have a few good revolutions to get some oil pumped around the internals.

[John Green]

You have two options to drain the tank, take out the large bung at the bottom (come and borrow tool if you like) or remove the rubber hose that is at the front (as in the closet to the driver) of the tank. Either way big mess... How much is in there?

[Ivanerrol]

How about the tank filter. Shouldn't this be removed and cleaned?

I had a fuel pump that had been stored a couple of years.
When I needs it - dead on install.

[cuisses]

Borat.jpg

Drained the old fuel using the plug (siphoning was hopeless) - very easy as the hex key was the same as for my oil sump.

Added water to the radiator (3/4 of a bucket - something wrong there) - will need proper coolant, and a check for leaks.

Oil level fine.

Turned the engine over with the plugs in, but the coil disconnected.

Added fuel, and she started almost first time with a small squirt of "Start Ya Bastard" down the air cleaner. Engine runs very smoothly. Didn't drive her yet as it was getting dark.

Thanks for all the advice.

The owner also had a 2001 Benz which refused to start - the NRMA guy eventually "fixed" it with a mallet applied vigorously to the fuel pump.

[John Green]

Forecast is -3 deg tonight, so no coolant, also means no antifreeze? Possibly not a problem if it has all leaked out again?

[cuisses]

Today was the day for driving the 1957 W180 220S to the Forum Sponsor's for a bit of work. I drove it, and the lady owner drove her 2001 W203 C class, so I could get a lift back.

Which car do you think made it without breaking down?

John G. did suggest I was lucky to be alive, given the state of the tyres ...

[Mercmad]

brakes etc OK? should get Johns crew to go right over it and 60 year old components can crap out through oil leaks etc and I can quite believe 2001 Merc would kark it on the road . anything that requires OBII is cursed.

[John Green]

C200k died from fuel pump relay failure. At least the OBD2 system let us work that out in 2 mintutes.

Yes 220S has some scary rubber parts on it, are fitting some sexy new tyres today and then driving it to see what else it will require.

[CraigB]

I hate old smelly fuel! How did you dispose of it? I recall some years ago tipping some out on the ground at the back of the shed and then got reminded about the smell from the wife for months. Next time i dug a hole and buried it and you could still smell it.

Its a shame its not like a bit of water in your tank - add metho that mixes with the water and then gets burnt. Wish you could just add something and neutralise this crap.

[Bartman4800]

I hate old smelly fuel! How did you dispose of it? I recall some years ago tipping some out on the ground at the back of the shed and then got reminded about the smell from the wife for months. Next time i dug a hole and buried it and you could still smell it.

Its a shame its not like a bit of water in your tank - add metho that mixes with the water and then gets burnt. Wish you could just add something and neutralise this crap.

CraigB = Enviro Terrorist

I just bring it to the council tip and dump it with the waste oil. That's how I dispose of my waste diesel for cleaning as well.

Bart

[CraigB]

See the oil is not a problem - it doesn't smell! Only joking. I should add it was a relatively small amount and against the building rubble the shed built on and unlikely to make it to the water table - but point taken. I take my oil to the council depot but was thinking they wouldn't want fuel. I don't know how flammable it is - certainly won't fire a car up! I will call them and check.

I also hate how you even a small amount on your hand or clothes seems hard to get rid of that small - I guess i was thinking nobody else would want to deal with it but then I guess it is their job.

[cuisses]

brakes etc OK? should get Johns crew to go right over it and 60 year old components can crap out through oil leaks etc and I can quite believe 2001 Merc would kark it on the road . anything that requires OBII is cursed.

Brakes were fine, in that they stopped the car. John has done some work on this car over the years, but it is hardly ever driven, so of course it has deteriorated. It did bounce around a lot, so I wouldn't be surprised if suspension work was needed - although I have never driven a W180 before (only the smaller roundies), so my opinion isn't worth much.

I hate old smelly fuel! How did you dispose of it? I recall some years ago tipping some out on the ground at the back of the shed and then got reminded about the smell from the wife for months. Next time i dug a hole and buried it and you could still smell it.

Its a shame its not like a bit of water in your tank - add metho that mixes with the water and then gets burnt. Wish you could just add something and neutralise this crap.

The fuel did not smell bad in this case. Disposing of it was easy - JG has a big tank into which all nasties are poured.

[Mercmad]

The shocks are available new from Mercedes but wow they are expensive! I have some used ones here i have kept thinking that i could get them restored but the local shock rebuilder won't do them because of the cork seals etc. They can be dismantled and fixed up inside. When a roundie needs shocks they do bounce around and with the high center diff they are not the safest like that.