Motormouth: Is car OK after sitting for 2 years? | Auto Features

Q: I am crafting on behalf of my 94-yr-aged dad, who has a 2000 Dodge Intrepid with 110,249 miles that has not been driven for about two a long time. His neighbor would like to get the vehicle. Even so, he has listened to that if a car has not been utilised for a lengthy time, the cylinders are dry and need to be oiled right before driving. Is that real? If so, how do we go about undertaking it, or would it will need to be towed to a garage? What would the charge for a thing like that be?

J., Minneapolis

A: Except the automobile has been sitting down in a corn field for many yrs, the cylinders may possibly not be dry. A garaged auto could however have an oil movie. Chances are, it is Okay. To be on the safe and sound side, you could squirt a little bit of oil into every single cylinder by removing the spark plugs. But I recommend supplying the motor vehicle a compete once-above by a pro. It may perhaps just take about an hour or shut to $100. On the carry, the tech can check for leaks and adjust the oil if important. The oil ought to be clean up. The air filter need to not be a mansion for mice. The gasoline will be stale so adding contemporary stuff along with some fuel conditioner is a superior idea. The tires are likely Alright. The moment the car or truck is base-lined, the new proprietor can push it with self-assurance.

Q: I examine and love your column each and every Saturday in the Las Vegas Evaluate Journal. I push my 2020 Toyota Camry TRD about two times a week. If I have been to use a battery maintainer, would it hurt my electrical program? I question simply because of all the components on the new automobiles. I use 1 on my 1967 GTO, which can help me in trying to keep the battery billed up.

V.T., Henderson, Nev.

A: No, a battery maintainer will do no harm to neither a new, substantial-tech car nor your classic, small-tech “Goat.”

Q: Considering the fact that shifting to the Twin Towns in June, I have been browsing for stations prominently displaying the Top rated Tier emblem. Just about every list of TT sellers I’ve discovered incorporates BP and Holiday break (just two illustrations), but I have still to see any labeling or signage about Best Tier at any of these stations close to listed here. Early on, I went to a BP station hoping to discover TT. No labels, no signage. I went within to ask and was not surprised at the blank stare I got. I think Acura states my 2017 RD should really burn off only Best Tier. When I lived in California, I grudgingly compensated the quality at Arco, and religiously saved every single receipt in case I had a warranty assert and required to verify that I was a Leading Tier apostle.

G.G., Eden Prairie, Minn.

A: You won’t see any neon symptoms asserting, “We have Leading Tier gasoline.” But there is usually a sticker on the pump stating so. Oil organizations concur to sell only gas that satisfies the Top Tier conventional at all of their retail shops. You can uncover the listing of stations at the organization’s web site (www.toptiergas.com), which states:

— All retail spots in just the licensed state must fulfill the large specifications of the Major TIER plan.

— All gasoline grades ought to be treated with an approved Major TIER Detergent Gasoline additive at the correct focus.

— The Leading TIER emblem need to be prominently exhibited.

— Leading TIER licensed shops agree to not use organometallic additives (this kind of as MMT or Ferrocine).

Bob Weber is a writer and mechanic who grew to become an ASE-licensed Master Vehicle Technician in 1976. He maintains this standing by looking for certification just about every 5 yrs. Weber’s get the job done appears in qualified trade magazines and other consumer publications. His composing also seems in automotive trade publications, Purchaser Guideline and People Digest. Send issues along with name and city to [email protected].