What to check before starting a Porsche Turbo that hasn't ran for 6 years?
 

A friend recently contacted me regarding her late husbands 2008 911 Turbo (997). It has not been started or ran in the last six years, and she would now like to get it ready to sell. It has always been stored in a climate controlled garage. She was wondering what should be done before attempting to start it. What first comes to mind would be to change the fluids (engine oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, etc), along with draining the fuel tank. However, perhaps the entire fuel system should be flushed first. I have worked on a number of Porsches, and would prefer to do this work myself.
Any thoughts? Thanks.

Jerry

I'd imagine for "just to start", you'd want to flush the fuel system, then after it runs for a bit, change all other liquids that you can.

Start it. Actually I would do what you are doing and seeking some advice.... I know of no way of priming the oiling system... that would be my biggest worry.

Full disclosure... I have no restoration experience. My experience is where I put my 1982 Datsun 280ZXMYQZzzz Turbo into storage in a cement cave in Wampum PA. Seven years later, I put in a new battery, filled the tires and it started right up. Yep, right up. Unbelievable. Think Woody Allen Sleeper. The gas was fine, the engine ran very well... I little rough but smoothed out shortly. The tires were flat-spotted and required replacement... immediate replacement. The car ran fine for one month and then started having problems....

Peace
Bruce in Philly

For something that hasn't been started for 6yrs, it's going to be a lot of work, so get your wallet ready. Other than fluids, I would do a close inspection to see if the car has become a home to other animals or life form. Depending on the climate condition of the garage, excessive moisture could create moldy condition in the vents. I would also be pretty weary about the condition of the gaskets and seals in general even if it's a climate controlled garage.(Including the brake caliper seal) You can check the condition of the coil pack and spark plugs while you're under the car.

Good luck.

If stored as described the fuel should be fine. Start it and have the fluids changed and any service brought up to date. Don’t overthink it if it’s been cocooned as your post describes. Get fresh fuel through it and some injector cleaner too. New tires if age requires and flat spotted. The storage environment means everything in this case and six years is not a long time. I’ve seen airplanes come out of ten years of hibernation in an unheated hangar and the fuel was fine.

I would crank it with the fuel and ignition systems turned off (pull the fuses). Or, just roll the car with the engine off in a high gear to get the engine to turn over to get some oil moving and make sure everything is moving freely.

If the car was indeed stored “in a climate controlled garage” and not in the car port, outside or in someone’s hay barn - ignore this advise. Post is dead wrong and you’re wasting your time and money.

At this time I have only had one conversation with the owner, and my understanding/assumption is that the climate controlled garage is kept at approximately the same temperature and humidity as what would be in the house. So I don't think that it saw unreasonable temperature or humidity levels.

Check air pressure. New battery. Insert key. Start. Drive to gas station and get fresh gas. Get a PPI and estimate of all service to get up to date and sell for market price minus service costs including new tires.

Ditto. Good advice.

Yup, it is good advice. I recently restarted a 997 C2S that had sat for nearly four years in a climate controlled garage doing pretty much exactly this. It started instantly like it had never been stored. Biggest issue was flat spots on the tires that caused some minor shimmy but completely smoothed out after about 50 miles or so. Despite the tires being 7 years old and reading lots of scare stories about hardening, they are fine. It did throw one CEL after a few miles (bank 1 lean) that never came back after being cleared. No leaks of any kind. Also needed to resynch the TPMs and had the usual PASM and PSM errors that show up and clear after battery disconnect. Main annoyance is that the PCM date is wrong and it can't be changed as the car has GPS/Navigation. It thinks its 2016.

Very surprising as we expected problems like the windows being stuck, issues with the cab top movement, and fluid leaks. Instead, everything is fine.

Exactly this !!!!!

Just sell it as it is. Let the buyer resurrect it as he sees fit, once he's bought it. Buyer assumes all risk. He might want to trailer it out, or take the chance on starting it in place and driving it home.

But just let the next guy do it.

DO NOT START THAT CAR WITH 6 YEAR OLD FUEL IN IT.

Fuel starts going stale within 4 weeks unless it has been stabilized when it was filled. The fuel tank needs to be drained and refilled. Then pull every spark plug and fill the tops of the cylinders with marine storage fogging oil that foams and expands as that will provide at least a little lubrication for the first time the cylinders move in the bores.

Change the oil - its now very acidic. Change the coolant. Change the brake fluid. Disconnect and fully recharge the battery, or if it wasn't on a tender, just replace it - it's toast anyway if not on a maintainer.

Put the old plugs back in to start it as the oil is going to foul them when the pistons force it up to plugs, but it will run for a bit that way, then change to new plugs.

New tires will be needed. Hopefully the brake pads haven't rusted and bonded to the rotors, as you may then need new rotors. If it has PCCBs then this won't happen.

Good luck.

100% this. Also, if it was my car, I would certainly rotate the engine with the starter without the plugs to get the new oil up to the crankshaft and camshaft journals and some on the lifter-cam surfaces. What is the hurry anyway, do it right.