OK to drive a car that's been sitting?

[Chad T]

Hey Guys,

I'm planning on picking up a low miles GLH turbo in a few weeks but it will need to be driven about 500 miles to get it home. Ideally I would just tow it or have it sent but one of my friends has a wedding to go to near where the car is so I can get a free trip out. Renting a truck with a tow dolly would cost me $500+ fuel. I figure an Omni should get better mileage that a u-haul too.

Only issues I know of are a leaking CV boot and the present owner says the fuel pump is noisey. The car has only been driven occasionally over the last 16 years. It's kept on a battery tender and started and driven occasionally. Had timing belt, brakes and new tires when the PO got it but that was in the ninetys still.

I really want to drive it. If it starts and runs good you guys think it's safe to make a trip? I'll go easy on it until I get it home. I haven't driven a turbo Dodge since the eighties. Any surprises that could pop up or if it starts and runs smooth can I baby it home.

I'll have to get a few posts in so I can post pics when I get it home.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Chad

[cdavis]

If it's been driven off and on then you might be OK. I would mainly be concerned with the brakes and tires tho.

[zbtcapone]

the brake lines would be my number one concern, they seem to rust easily and then burst when you need them the most

[moparfreak3]

Check all the fluids, check the tires, and just give it a good once over before you drive it home. If anything just bring the normal TD tool set with you and just drive it to a parts store and do a tuneup. Quick and easy

[shottovy]

Where is the car? Where do you need it to get to? Find someone with a Grand Caravan and a tow dolly and drag it home. Unless the car was a recent daily driver, it is better off being towed until you can do a proper inspection of its road worthy condition.

[Marcus86GLHS]

+1 on what SHOTTOVY said.

[mmtphoto]

My 88 shelby z sat in and out of my garage for almost 5 years before I replaced the smoking turbo, when I started driving it again, I started out with little trips-

500 miles is a group, even if it is a DD-full tank of fresh gas, fuel filter change, oil change, check for fluid leaks, tires, brake lines-freshly charged batt and check alt output before leaving, make certain cooling system is up to snuff-stop a couple of times to check it out, have a plan B in case you have problems in transit. Good luck.

[Chad T]

Is this the HEP? Do you have to remove the dist to install it?



That's a good thing to know. Anybody have a known good one they'd like to rent for the trip or sell on the cheap? Any '86 up turbo is the same one right? Boy I've got some learning to do. Thanks guys.

[moparfreak3]

Yes that is the HEP. My advice carry a spare in the glove box. They are just like ford ignition modules. You dont have to remove the distributor, just the cap and rotor.

[EvilcowRoland]

Might not be a bad idea to take a spare MAP and some vacuum lines with you too. Give the underhood wiring a once over in case any critters got up in there and started playing. I think my biggest concern would be the brakes and tires as well. If the car has been started & moved around every so often then it's probably fine. Just be careful with it. We've lost too many GLH's as it is.

[Sinisterjw]

Check the tires, if they look too rotted you're gonna need new ones any way, pony up now. Bring a spare timing belt and tools, plus a hep like everyone's saying. Check everything else hoses, belts, etc. A fuel filter might not be a bad idea if the gas is that old. Always travel with duct tape. Makes acceptable emergency hose repairs, and wrapped around pulleys enough will work as a belt in a pinch. Personally, I'd do an oil and rad. fluid change too before I took off, unless they change the fluids on a time schedule instead of mileage.(really old oil will clog a filter even if it hasn't been run that much) Good luck, it sounds very do-able.

[ol"blue]

I have house's in Tenn. and Mich., and relative's in both states'. So I travel I-75 frequently. Every chance I get I'll take one of my GLHT's with the wife following in the Grand Cherokee w/the tow dolly, because you never know what might happen in a 20+ year old car, regardless of repairs. If you've ever had to have a car towed off the Interstate, you know it's not cheap. Then if you have to find a rental company with an available truck and tow dolly or car trailer in BFE good luck. I've been there, done that. It's not cheap or fun. Save yourself the aggravation and arrange the truck/trailer ahead of time to be picked up after the wedding. You might make it home in the car, but it's better to avoid any possible bad memories, get the car home and then start making future happy TD stories! Just my .02 cents as I've got the shitty side of the story stuck in my mind. (Happened in Kentucky in '06. A State trooper inquired about the brake fluid leaking from underneath my Omni (GLHT). He then proceeded to comment on the illegal exhaust system. "Sir can you have a seat in the car please!" ......) Anyway, spare yourself the stress and just tow it back and save the fun for later

[crazymadbastard]

You could always just have the car shipped, probably 3-400$

[Chad T]

Thanks for all the good words fellas.

I've actually decided to just pony up and rent a u-haul to pull it back. It's actually a 48k mile GLHS that's really clean. (Hope you guys aren't disappointed I just realized clean GLHTs are probably rarer than clean GLHSes). I'm sure it would probably make it but I've decided the hassle and cost of the rental will probably be worth it in the long run. The present owner actually offered to pay half of the rental if I dolly it back. It's coming with a bunch of spare parts too and I don't really want to stuff those in the mint interior.

I called the owner today to tell him and he was starting the car and reving it a little bit so I could hear it. Sounds like it runs perfect! Started on the first bump and idled real smooth. He says the timing belt was done about 5 years ago but it's only got about 1000 miles on it!

Can't wait to get it. 13 days to go......

[fiater]

Congrats on the find. Must be nice to get a clean GLHt. Mine was total crap, but I found a mint interior Horizon in red, and replaced all the innards. More work than I thought, but worth it in the end. Now needs the outers redone. What's the color combo? Make sure you post pics pls!