My father has a 1996 XJ12 that has been lying dormant behind the garage for
2-3 yrs. Aside from emptying/replacing the old fuel and changing the battery, is there anything else I need to do before driving it to my mechanic for a good once over? Any help is appreciated.Thanks, John
Ensure brakes havent seized, various brake seals havent failed, condensation problems both brakes and electrics Assuming you can start it, run it stationary for some time, before attempting to move it. Then ensure you test brakes.
If it were my car, I would have it towed. Otherwise, I would definitely disconnect the coil and crank the engine several times to be sure oil gets into the valve cover and pistons. You could have some minor scoring which could cause blowby in the case of dry cylinders and that could spell a big repair. And if you are comfortable working around raw gas, you may even want to disconnect the fuel line from the intake and flush it through. Can't be too careful. But do know what you're doing around all that fuel. Tricky business and even the pros don't like it. Have a fire extinguisher close at hand.
Paul
Thanks for the tips. After reading what everyone wrote, and calling around town, I've decided that it's probably best to go ahead and get it towed to the shop.
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