Help me breath life back into my baby

[Redjeep!]

Hello everyone,

First post, so please be kind. (I've tried searching and not really found anything).

I've had a 1989 500SL for about 8 years now, only ever using it as a weekend car and it's been laid up for the past 2 years for a variety of reasons which I'm not going to go into here. She was one of the very first of the newer body shape that was introduced that year.

Anyway, I'd like to get her back onto the road but am scared just to try and start her up.

Does anybody have any advice on anything that I should do before I turn the key. I've spoken to a mechanic friend and he's suggested flushing out the oil and pouring a drop of oil into each cylinder and turning her over with the spark plugs removed to help distribute oil over the pistons and liners.

She's been parked in a dry garage and was sound when I parked her.

Any suggestions?

Cheers.

 

[ant500sl]

Got pretty much the same car and I have had this one and others off the road for quite a while on occasions.

First step I would suggest is to get a new battery as the old one will be totally dead by now and will not respond to charging. Do not jumpstart the car as this can destroy the various computers on the car in some circumstances especially if the battery is completely dead.Also you will need fresh petrol in the tank as the stuff in there at the moment will be stale, bet you didn't know petrol went off!

Starting the car without doing any work on it should not cause any problems as the design of the engine and the residual coating of oil should prevent any damage. The fact that there is old petrol in there should prevent it starting for a good while which gives it chance for the oil pressure to build up.

If the car actually starts I would suggest turning it off straightaway and getting a reputable mechanic to give it a full service with all fluids and filters replaced as well as the brake fluid and engine coolant. If you have a specialist near you I would recommend getting it trailered there so it can be recommissioned and MOT'd.

Being a complex car for its day means there may well be a number of faults present which may require lengthy and expensive attention. As a rule these particular cars do not like standing for to long, but you may be lucky!

Good Luck.

 

[Redjeep!]

Thanks. I liked it all until the 'lengthy and expensive' bit, but then, I guess I knew that !!

BTW - I'll check when it was first registered, but I understand that it was actually used on a stand at one of the car shows in 1989 when the model was launched so must have been one of the very first few.

 

[television]

That will be a 129 I would change the oil, and filter,,new battery (good make) and start it up,, leave it running foe 20 mins then slowly shunt it backwards and forwards a few feet using the brakes and take it from there