Parked up for a while, what should I do?

Hi Guys,

Basically I have a DX engine in my VW T25 campervan which has now been sat unused on my mums drive whilst my wife and I have been working abroad.

It gets turned over every 6 months and run for a bit and no had any issues so far.

This July will have been 3 years, and the following July will be when I am looking to move home and will be using it again regularly so really looking into what I should start to do to get it ready for this.

Before being stored it had only had a coolant, fuel and oil filter and oil change maybe 500 miles before, and so wondering if any of that can be reused? I did not drain the coolant as it would be a hassle for my neighbour to turn it over each 6 months if needed to add coolant and bleed etc. I will be draining the old fuel this year and changing fuel pump as it is noisey.

So

Do I need to replace the coolant or as it is so new can I keep using it?
Do I need an oil change?
Should I prime the oil pump before I start or can I fire her up as usual?

Cheers
 

My GTI had sat for 14 yrs in the garage, engine started every couple of years for a while, but I think last start up before I recommissioned it was about 4 years.

I had like you changed oil just before putting away, but coolant had been in for about 10 yrs before that!

I drained fuel from tank and replaced filter, sprayed carb cleaner in the metering head to remove gummed deposits.

I took timing belt cover off and checked didn't look perished (although it soon got replaced before I used car on road).  Took plugs out, poured a bit of fresh oil in filler cap as top of engine would be very dry, and turned engine over several times.

Then put plugs back in and started up. it ran fine after I put the spark plugs leads back on the distributor the right way round!

I ran the engine until really hot and was fine. As it had sat so long I did get the coolant changed and then changed oil and filter before going to get it MOT'd

The only problem I had was after running it for about 250 miles the oil cooler burst. I put a new one on and that burst again straight away, this time I didn't catch it quick enough and oil pump went dry and failed as well.  All I could put it down to was the breather outlet from the rocker cover was blocked, I had the cover powder coated whilst the car was stored away and think the gauze filter was blocked. I cleaned that out, had pump and oil cooler replaced and has been fine since.  So I would take off rocker cover and make sure the gauze isn't blocked with old oil gummed in your case.

No doubt some others will be on with helpful tips, this is just how mine went after all the years.

Wise words from Richard so not much to add really. 

Hopefully it's been parked up in 1st gear with the handbrake off. 
Do spend a bit of time checking over all the brakes and have a close look at your tyres to see if they at showing signs of perishing. 

Yours hasn't sat all that long and has been run regularly so just do the basic checks and I'm sure you'll be fine!  

Do let us know how you get on. 

Great news Cheers guys. I was worried the coolant being left in might do damage.

I spoke to the guy who put this DX I'm the camper back on 1997 when it only had 20000 miles and was put of his mates flipped his showroom mk1. I am hoping that dispute a few unknown owners between then and 2008 when I got it, that the engine is in fairly low miles good nick. Looking forward to getting her running right.

Yep change the coolant as it only cost £7.99
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories/winter-essentials/antifreeze-coolant/blue-antifreeze-coolant/?523770501&0&cc5_865

Change the oil and filter, use a good quality filter then I would change it again in 1000 miles.

Stick on a new fuel filter and change it again in 1000 miles.
 
I would keep the revs below 3000 and only use 1/2 throttle just be be sure it's all run in.

Cam belts are also cheap enough at £6.79 so I would change that and the tensioner.
Tensioner £17.99.
http://www.eurocarparts.com/timing-belts
http://www.eurocarparts.com/tensioners-idlers-and-dampers
 

mark1gls said

Yep change the coolant as it only cost £7.99
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories/winter-essentials/antifreeze-coolant/blue-antifreeze-coolant/?523770501&0&cc5_865

Change the oil and filter, use a good quality filter then I would change it again in 1000 miles.

Stick on a new fuel filter and change it again in 1000 miles.
 
I would keep the revs below 3000 and only use 1/2 throttle just be be sure it's all run in.

Cam belts are also cheap enough at £6.79 so I would change that and the tensioner.
Tensioner £17.99.
http://www.eurocarparts.com/timing-belts
http://www.eurocarparts.com/tensioners-idlers-and-dampers
 

Sorry to dig this back up, only now returned to the UK.

Is that coolant OK for  DX Engine? I thought it was G13?

Yep blue coolant is fine for the engine, been using it for over 20 years no problem, it does need changing every few years.
G13 is made for modern cars and will no mix with older coolant so if you do us it you need to really clean out the coolant system lots of times to get rid of any trace of older coolant before using the G13 stuff.