Tips for pulling my E30 out of storage after a year?

[josh-hocking]

Hi guys..
Well sometime soon the Bronze 318i will becoming home and swapping places with the white one. This is so i can properly clean/ mint her up, till she is like new.

Only problem is she has been sat still for over 1 year now, With the occasional polish / push as batteries flat.

Just before i jump in and try and start it what should i do? I stored it properly i think, ie cover over engine all fluids toped up, cover over car etc...
I just don't really see it doing it any good starting it as the engine will have no oil in the top etc.

Should i be doing things like taking rocker cover off and pouring oil over camshaft and similar? or just start it?

Only being careful as that M40 engine is mint with only 50k on it so dont want to add any unnecessary noise.

Thanks in advance.
Josh

[500]

Turn the engine over a few times by hand first, if all is ok, you can either turn it over with the plugs out and fuel pump fuse out until the oil light goes out and start or just start it, and don't rev it for a few mins either!

Adam

[Alex]

Check fluids and fire it up.

My old 318i had stood on a guys drive for 18 month a new battery and it fired up

[E30BeemerLad]

I'd pull the centre lead off the coil to spin it over so it doesn't fire and brings the oil pressure up, then re-conect the lead and fire the old girl up. If it is very low on fuel then 5-10ltrs of fresh fuel will help it. If it has 1/4 tank then prob not much point.

Right or wrong, it's what I would do to my own car

[Silverfang]

I'd whip out the plugs, and disconnect the lead to the coil first and fuel relay

Check all fluids first then hand crank gently over a few times to make sure nothing's seized.

Then attach a jump pack and spin over till the oil light is out, then plugs back in, lead back on and fuel relay back in.

[josh-hocking]

cheers guys...making sence

[bss325i]

Just removing the fuel pump relay or fuse is not enough as there will still be residual pressure in the fuel rail so i would either disconect the injector plugs or easier still, leave the ignition switched off and bridge the correct pins in the C101 connecter which will crank the starter.

No need to disconect the plug leads or anything else.

The last thing you want is fuel being injected into the bores without it firing as this will wash the bores off oil.

[gareth]

When you do fire it up, don't let it idle for ages.
hold the revs at about 1500 RPM to ensure you have good oil pressure if you're warming it up fully.

[daimlerman]

As the poor thing has been standing for a year without the engine being turned,I would make swapping the cambelt an early job,once you have the thing home.