Hey guys, I just picked up a 2002 WS6 with 17,000 miles. Last oil change was late 2015 with 300 miles on the change. I drove it home, about 250 miles and it did great. Question for you guys is when a car has been sitting so long with very little use, what all do I need to replace? I’m already planning to change the oil, plugs, clean the air filter (K&N). Tires are in good shape, brake fluid looks fine, power steering fluid looks fine, coolant needs a little added, im going to run some fuel system cleaner. Is there anything else anyone can think of that I need to do? I’ve just never had a car sit for so long before.

thanks!
cory

 

Are the tires 10+ years old? If yes, replace.

Replace all of the fluids. All.

 

also fuel filter and a new serpentine belt / windshield wipers would be a good idea.

 

Coolant is the main fluid I'd be worried about (also fuel, but with as far as you've already driven it I imagine any ancient gas that was in the system is now gone). It's possible that the original coolant is still in the engine, so that's the one I'd worry about most.

Fuel filter is a good idea, after having run all that old gas out.

Probably not a big deal that you drove it with the old oil; if it was a quality product then it wouldn't be in too bad of shape with just 300 miles on it prior (even after sitting all those years), though I wouldn't suggest beating on it. But at this point it's obviously a good idea to change it.

Plugs are probably fine if the engine is stock and running well. They are platinum tipped stock, not the greatest plugs in the world for performance but they were designed to last 100k miles. They don't go bad from sitting. I pulled mine at the 100k mark in my '02 Z28 and they still looked great.

PS, trans, diff fluid are all likely fine at that mileage. These don't exactly go bad from sitting either, use/heat is what breaks them down most. There is no urgent need to change them, but it certainly wouldn't hurt when you have time.

Brake fluid will absorb ambient moisture over time, and the cap is not hermetically sealed, so that would probably be the next most beneficial one to change (after coolant and oil).

Inspecting/changing of belts & hoses is a good idea while you're changing the fluids. Most might be fine (all my 25 year old hoses are still original and look fine during my annual inspections), but I also keep them treated with 303 when I do the major engine bay detailing each spring.

Don't be afraid of the low mileage, my '98 is about the same (19k) and I've not had any problems from such. But it's been with me since it was almost new, so I know the history. My biggest concern with the low milers is fuel system maintenance but, again, you've already got the old gas out and it's running fine so that's half the battle. I make sure to run at least one tank per year through mine and I have my own personal blend of additives that I use with every refueling. As mentioned above, my next biggest concern is the cooling system as this one tends to get neglected and so many components can suffer. If those systems are good, and you're got them refreshed, I wouldn't worry too much about anything else other than doing the inspections/maintenance mentioned above.

 

Thanks for all the input guys. I’m not sure how to tell how old the tires are, I would t be surprised if they are greater than 10 years old, but they look to be in great shape with good tread and no evidence of dry rot. They are not the OG tires.

I’m spending most of the day today replacing said^ fluids/filters. The coolant looks a little funky with some sediment/crusting…

 

I changed the power steering and brake fluid. Really glad I did that, they were 🤮. Dark black/brown, with small chunks of crap.

 

There should be a 4 digit date code for the tires with a circle around it, telling the week and year of manufacture.

 

Wonder if the stock power steering cooler is starting to leak? This is a common problem and leads to cross-contamination of the power steering fluid and coolant. I mention this because the PS fluid shouldn't really look that bad with chunks of crap at just 17k miles if everything is normal.

You can read more about this problem here:

https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...g-success.html

 

How did you change the brake fluid? Brake fluid is hydroscopic, meaning it attracts water. And the brake system does not circulate the fluid. So the old fluid just stays in the calipers. A hand held vacuum pump, like a Miti-vac, will let you pull that old fluid out without needing another person to pump the brakes and possibly introduce air in the system. Old brake fluid can cause issues once you take it for a hard drive. Be sure you have fresh fluid at the business end, the calipers.

 

There is some small degree of circulation as the brakes are applied and released (as fluid must move to apply/release the piston), but I agree if the system has been neglected all these years that starting with a full flush is obviously the way to go.

 

Looks like tires are 2012-2013, so I’ll plan to replace. Probably a good opportunity to get some aftermarket wheels.

For the brakes, I used a hand pump to pump out the reservoir. I then filled with new brake fluid and then bled each caliper until clean fluid came out. I used about 3 small containers of brake fluid to do this.

the PS fluid was definitely chunky. I’ll look at the cooler tomorrow. I drained the diff and replaced the gasket with a paper gasket and it is leaking a little. So I have that to add to the list tomorrow to address.

I also changed the fuel filter today. The tranny is the only thing left and I’m not 100% convinced that I’m going to change it at all. I want to get a good look at it tomorrow.

the factory exhaust sounds pretty good. It crackles and pops. Does everyone else’s do that?

 

Normal for a cold engine.

10 year old tires aren't bad. if they look good, you should be fine.

 

Yes, replace those 10+ year old tires. Looking good means nothing. Interior belt failure, especially at highway speeds, can be serious. Your life is more important than cranking out a few more miles. The BFG G-Force have been very good for me the last two times I have purchased them. They certainly don't break the bank either, plus MADE IN USA.
Enjoy your new ride. You are doing everything right so far. I've been down your path many times, from old Monte Carlos to modern sports/ .muscle cars.
Please post some photos when you can.
These are the BFG's on my T/A. Taken June 2022.

 

i agree we need pics ................

 

I tend to hang on to old tires not because of cheapness, but because what I have has either been discontinued and/or the replacement has changed in some cosmetic way that is less appealing to me. What I have learned in doing this is that tires last a long time when they are properly stored and cared for (especially making sure that inflation is proper, checked regularly, as under-inflation is the primary cause of tire overheating and premature failure). The tires on my "toys" are all between 15-23 years old, and I'm just now starting to think about replacing the oldest ones. I wouldn't do this with a true daily driver as those spend a lot more time in the sun/heat, and get exposed to a lot more road chemicals (winter salting), and I certainly wouldn't do this with a competition vehicle. I know that might freak some folks out, but meticulous tire pressure maintenance, no harsh chemicals, limited heat/sun, and easy cruising in temperate conditions is a bit different than what tires see in competition or true daily driver conditions.

 

Let's stop for a minute and take a deep breath... 10 years is not a long time, even for a car that has been sitting. If that were the case, bodies would be stacking up in the streets like firewood.

Here's an article from a reputable car company that suggests replacing tires older than 2000 and even that is going to have a factor of safety involved: https://www.bridgestonetire.com/lear...tions%2C%20etc.

Looking is important. If the car has been outside and has extreme exposure to UV, one can see that. Tire splits, etc. If there is structural problems with a tire, one can see the burst belts, blistering etc. However, I would not expect any of this with a 10 year-old tire.

 

With all due respect to you and the site, IMO, you are incorrect. I've seen tire failure first hand in many instances (the exteriors looked fine) on the hot summer interstates in Florida as a deputy sheriff. I endured a 25 year career, with several years of that in a federally funded traffic enforcement unit. Assisting the Florida Highway Patrol in their homicide investigations that can take several hours at real world scenes, was an eye opener Even quality brand tires were suffering from belt failure during the 1980's after too many years on the road. There were no exterior signs. We felt 7 years was too much and time to replace, with 10+ years really pushing your luck.
Are modern tires made better? I would hope so but how about the foreign crap, like Made in China??? I would never tell a friend or loved one to "Have a nice trip" to Orlando on I-4 in August in their 10 year old mongrel tires. As a moderator here, I would think you would have some liability issues claiming no problem with 10 year old tires. Think about it. Perhaps being in a cold weather state or environment is better but I would never post that advice. No article or link will change my opinion about this. When you live it, you know.
Yours truly back in the early 80's during my healthier times.

 

General Florida heat, pavement temperatures, and the continual UV exposure there is likely going to accelerate tire deterioration - especially when speaking of daily driving with old tire technology from the '80s and before. And prior to TPMS, folks were even less aware of inflation pressure and more likely to drive around with under-inflated tires, which drastically compounds the heat-related rigors of an already high pavement temp and hot ambient temps. Under those continual conditions, it's no wonder that a tire (especially of '80s construction) would fail at a relatively young age. Hyper-awareness of this failure is understandable for someone that dealt with the aftermath as a matter of profession (this same thing happens with professional mechanics, who are constantly exposed to faults/failures at a rate that makes it seem more common than it might actually be).

From my perspective though, I've been involved in my local car show circuit on a weekly basis for over 25 years so I regularly see a lot of limited use cars (and often the same cars over and over). Dozens of these cars have tires more than 10 years old (some much older), I know this either because I know the owners personally and/or I know that the tires have been out of production for longer than 10 years (super easy to spot with the RWL tires, but I also take note of tread patterns, especially from tire models that I once loved, which is why I hate to give up old tires that have the "look" that I want - I know, it's odd to be so focused on tires). I can often spot an old tire even if the owner of the car doesn't know that it might be ~20 years old. With all of that said, the failure rate under these conditions does not appear to be significant at the 10 year mark, or really even 15 or 20 years because, again, these cars show up week after week with the same tires. But I don't live in a Florida climate, it's much cooler here with much less UV and lower pavement temps, and these cars are not used for competition or true daily driving. Point being, there really is no fixed expiration date for tires; too many factors to make any sort of blanket statement for all purposes and conditions, but the tire industry has picked the 10 year mark as a recommended point of reference. I guess that's probably fine for regular use vehicles as the tread will likely be done by that point anyway, and competition vehicles will have certainly worn away any usefulness of a tire by that point as well.

 

^^^ No argument at all, especially with cars being driven to car shows at the local level. I've probably mentioned several times in the past about my late car collector neighbor who drove on really old tires to the local shows. We rarely reached speeds over 40 - 45 mph.. No issues as the temps were usually cool in the a.m. as well. I personally would not do it but I have seen too many things in my life to take a chance on old rubber.
However I think it is very unwise to make statements basically saying, 'no problem' about driving at 70+ mph speeds on our highways with old rubber. Maybe the owner of such a car doesn't care about their car or personal safety but it can certainly impact others. Just like with bald tires, there can be circumstances for making such decisions. Florida traffic law, and I'm sure other states are similar, have statutes on the books involving equipment violations. Be careful!!

 

We're looking for technical discussion and differences in expectation are fine, but the OP deserves real information and facts. I presented a link, from a reputable tire company, which gives guidance of 20+ years for replacing tires solely based on their age. If you have other information from reputable sources, I (and I assume others) would be very interested to see it.

Like you, I have had many experiences where tires have gone bad before their prime. I live in an area with copious potholes and destroy belts all the time. (BTW - I have a new favorite tire for belt durability, but that's for another thread.)

Physical failures of tires have no direct correlation to age. (Mileage -> yes.) I have torn belts on new tires in the first 500 miles of use and tickled the dragon by driving around on them for a few thousand miles, but... this is not what the OP is describing. We are talking about a low mileage car (on at least its second set of tires) that has just been sitting. Presumably its not getting a lot of physical wear and tear in this process, but that can be seen on inspection. (Broken belts and other deterioration results in irregularities and blisters. Defects in the bead and envelope lead to deflation, etc.)