Cars been sitting for 8 years...What to do?

roadrunner19va

New Member
Oct 1, 2005
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I purchased a 1991 Mustang LX 5.0 last year. I finally have a chance to work on it. This car only has 50,000 original miles (bought it from a 79 year old women.) It was sitting in her garage for the past 8 years. As much dust was on it I would believe it. The car is in great shape. What should I do first to get this thing running good? I want this thing to run like the day they bought it. I started it and it ran good. What should need to be replaced or adjusted since it sat for so long. Here is a list of stuff I thought of. Feel free to add on or comment on my list. Thanks

- Change PCV stuff?????
- adjust valves?????
- Tune up - Plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fule filter.
- repack wheel bearings.
 
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Start with all the fluids, the belt/hose thing, of course, when its warmed up look at your seals. Rear main, valve cover gaskets, back of the intake, and the 8.8's also. Sitting for that long coulda dried them. Then you'll want a new battery, if you haven't already done that.
 
Check alot of gaskets thats the problem I've found out with my car just of bunch of dried out gaskets which has about 70k and appeared to have only got 300 miles in a 6 year span before I purchased it. Mine runs good just leaves a piss trail everywhere :p .
 
Sitting for 8 years

I appreciate the quick responses. I changed all of the fluids and put a new battery in it. It started right up and runs perfect. I have only driven it about 20 miles since I purchased it. I just do not want to drive it until I get everything working. I do not want to mess anything up. Just trying to get input on what I should check. Thanks again.
 
Don't forget the air filter and fuel filter. Swap out the heads for some new aluminum ones, throw in a solid roller cam, a victor jr intake, NOS cheater kit, oh, no wait a minute...you weren't wanting to mod it. My bad.

Seriously though, just replace and check everything you normally would when giving a car a complete tune up. Then check everything for leaks everytime you drive it for the first couple weeks. You should be set.
 
I would be putting a set of tires on it ASAP. After sitting that long, they're going to be in major danger of coming apart from dry rot and fatigue. The last thing you need is a blowout on the freeway at 75 mph.