Car left outside for two years

bitslice · 1 Sep 2012 at 10:59

Belongs to a friend who went through cancer.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class A160 '53 plate, I think it is petrol?

Anyway, sat outside without being started for two years, a tyre's gone flat and the battery is probably dead. I'm assuming various seals have dried out.

What is the possibility of getting it going? I'm reluctant to just crank it over with a new battery in case something has seized, I'm also wondering if it is actually worth bothering as Mercedes are not cheap for parts.

Berger · 1 Sep 2012 at 11:05

Lulwat?

Just change the oil if its quick and easy to do, crank it over several times to build up a bit of oil pressure and start it. Will run fine.

Clarkey · 1 Sep 2012 at 11:05

Just fire it up tbh, it will be fine and if it isn't then it was broken anyway.
You could disconnect something important like the crank angle sensor and turn it over for a short while first to circulate oil, I wouldn't bother though.

bitslice · 1 Sep 2012 at 11:09

So if I pull the spark plugs then I could crank it over without it trying to fire up?

Frozennova · 1 Sep 2012 at 11:17

bitslice said:
So if I pull the spark plugs then I could crank it over without it trying to fire up?

Yes, this will also give you some more peace of mind as there is no compression in the cylinders doing it this way

Clarkey · 1 Sep 2012 at 11:17

Yes but you will flood it, better to unplug injectors. Better still, crank sensor, 1 plug. Even better than that, just turn the key

Berger · 1 Sep 2012 at 11:17

bitslice said:
So if I pull the spark plugs then I could crank it over without it trying to fire up?

Just take off the king lead if it uses a dizzy type setup.

Dr Who · 1 Sep 2012 at 11:22

Clarkey said:
Yes but you will flood it, better to unplug injectors. Better still, crank sensor, 1 plug. Even better than that, just turn the key

Or even easier, pull the fuel pump fuse

Scania · 1 Sep 2012 at 11:42

Jump start it,

If its fundamentally ok, it'll start & run. Service it, MOT, TAX & tyre & enjoy (of sort, ita an A Class after all!)

Some Mercs are expensive for parts, I don't recall the A Class being so (My old dear used to have an A140)

I don't think for a moment you'll do any harm.

SB118 · 1 Sep 2012 at 11:49

Berger said:
Just take off the king lead if it uses a dizzy type setup.

However being built in the last 15 years makes the chance of this quite slim.

If you're going to jump start it, have the headlights on when you connect the leads, the ecu on these is sensitive to spikes.