Gonna try and get this running at the weekend. Just ordered a new battery but thats as far as I've got.

Any advice for someone with limited mechanical knowledge before I try to turn the engine over.

Cheers for any advice.

Check the oil, maybe see if it turns freely by hand, make sure the fuel tank hasn't rotted out before you put petrol in it, and you really should drain the tank anyway as there could be some water collected.

Once you've got it running, make it a priority to change the oil and filter and probably the cam belt.

Check the oil, maybe see if it turns freely by hand, make sure the fuel tank hasn't rotted out before you put petrol in it, and you really should drain the tank anyway as there could be some water collected.

Once you've got it running, make it a priority to change the oil and filter and probably the cam belt.

Cheers for reply. Yeah fuel tanks only 3 years old (replaced just before garaged) so should be o.k. There is no fuel at all in it so just gonna thow £5 in to get it started.

I read somewhere that when a car has been stood for this long you should remove the spark plugs and crank by hand for 2 or 3 turns and something about removing the crankshaft cover and pouring oil over the pistons (could be wrong as I,m no mechanic.

Hopefully it will start and then I'm straight off for an MOT where I'll also get an oil/filter change as my local garage does the job for under £20. The cambelt might have to wait as I know its a pricey job and no matter how many times I read up on how to change a cambelt/tensioner I still cant suss the bloody thing out.

Once again thanks for info

when you get it started and you wish to move the car, the rear drums might need a few gentle beatings for the shoes to unstick themselves, general condition of rubber bits, coolant? oil as mentioned as it may have thinned, keep us posted. oh the bit about removing the crankshaft cover, maybe you mean the rocker cover? but i'm not sure what that would achieve.

Pouring fresh oil over the cam might well be a good idea. 70% of engine wear occurs at start up, and if there hasn't been any oil up there for a while then there will be a fair amount of wear going to happening in a short time. With a bit of oil or assembly lube then that wear should be reduced. I daresay the cam lobes will be fairly dry.

If it doesn't want to fire straight away pour a cap full of petrol down the throttle body and it should give it a bit of a kick start. I usually have to do that or create a vaccum to bring the fuel up from the pumps when I fired up my Derby after a long stand.

Never thought about putting oil into via the top end of the engine but thinking about it, it makes perfect sense

Cheers for all advice - v.helpful. Just got the new battery today (£42 next day delivery so not too bad). Gonna try to start on Sunday. I've wrestled with the old dilemma of buying another used polo with mot and tax (min about £500) or trying to get my old banger going.

Even if I end up spending £200 -£300 to get it through its Mot (inc cambelt/tyres) at least I know the work has been done and it should run for another couple of years.

Not mobile at the minute and working 6 days a week so scrapyard searches are not really an option unfortunatly.

Does anyone know the law on driving to an Mot station without tax+mot cos I've read that it is legal as long as you are insured and you have valid insurance.

Once again many thanks.........

You've got to be insured and have a pre-booked appointment at the testing station.

You might find that the camshaft is rusty,or has rust spots. If so,clean it with some scotchbrite and thin oil - or it'll grind your tappets out. Also,water is heavier than oil,so if there's any condensation found its way in there (notable with any rust on the camshaft),then empty a cupful of oil out the sump - as any water in there will come out first. No matter how good it looks under the cam cover,do pour a cup of oil over the camshaft and tappets,as suggested. And dont rev the engine above 3k for at least 10 seconds after firing. Personally,id do an oil change now,then another after 100 miles - but with the above,your way should be fine.

Cheers all good advice

Speaking of cranking the engine by hand to get the parts moving is that just a case of removing the spark plugs and turning the flywheel or is there more to it than that.

Also got a feeling that its gonna fail its MOT on ropey discs as they are covered in a thin layer of rust but another poster on this forum who was in the same position said that he just drove it around gently braking and the pads cleaned up the discs and it passed its MOT (not an ideal way to clean brake discs but hey if it works !! )

Cheers

Gently braking? I'd just slam the brakes on hard, will shift any rust

Agreed - rusty discs are no problem. They'll soon clean up with a few prods. More important is ensuring the caliper pistons or rear cylinders haven't seized. Its not likely to pull up perfectly straight,but if its clearly braking much stronger on one wheel than another,that'll need addressing. New fluid would be good,and even if they get through the mot,brakes are going to be the first port of call during impending stages of servicing.

Yeah even if it gets through I'm gonna have to look at the brakes sooner or later. What tools do you need for brake caliper removal on the mk3 polo. Is it a 7mm or 8mm allen key.

I,ve done a full pad/disk/shoe replacment before on a peugot so sorta know what to do. The only problems I had with that job was seized bleed screws which were an absolute nightmare to free up.

Cheers

Gonna try and get this running at the weekend. Just ordered a new battery but thats as far as I've got.Any advice for someone with limited mechanical knowledge before I try to turn the engine over.Cheers for any advice.

Hi

Taking the plugs out wiil make it easier to turn it over by hand.

Also, a teaspoon of engine oil through each of the plug holes onto the pistons should help.

Also, remember to inflate the tyres. If it has been standing on the tyres for so long, they may feel funny.

Well threw in the new battery, poured oil over the pistons and she started up fine. The only thing I,m worried about is when I turn the ignition to warning lights the oil light blinks repeatedly then when I start the engine it goes off and stays off.

The oil level is a little over the max on the dipstick could this be the problem or is it proberly because the engine oil has been sitting in the sump for 3 years.

Anyway just drove 18 miles to MOT centre with no problems so after I've got the bad news bout what needs doing gonna also add an oil/filter change and hope that solves the problem.

cheers.........

I'm pretty sure the lightts being on when the ignition is on is okay aslong as the ygo off when you fire it up. I know my Lupo does the samething and I'm pretty sure the Polo does, been a long while since I drove it

The only thing I’m worried about is when I turn the ignition to warning lights the oil light blinks repeatedly then when I start the engine it goes off and stays off.

Yeah, that's what it's supposed to do. The flashing is just a functional check, to make sure the bulb and circuit are working. When you start the engine, the oil pressure rises and the light goes out to signal sufficient oil pressure has been reached. If it illuminates with the engine running, pull over and turn the engine off ASAP.

poured oil over the pistons and she started up fine

Personally, I wouldn't have done that with car fitted with a lambda probe and catalyst. But if it passes the emissions ok, then no worries.

Well just got the mot report over the phone and failed on

1. brake light bulb - no worries

2. Corroded brake line - no worries

3. split cv boot joint - not sure

4. Emmissions failure - leaking centre box on Exhaust - DOH!!!

Dunno if this is because of old oil or what as not too clued up on the emmisions thing. The mechanic said that the procedure would be to fit a new exhaust and do the then do the emmissions test but he also said that it could still fail and then this would be due to something else such as valves.

Dunno whenether to proceed or scrap but got to give the garage a ring tommorow as they are gonna price it up.

Can see this possibly turning into a money pit as I could shell out for the new exhaust part then it still could fail the emmisions and sorta back to square 1.

Like the previous poster said - maybe I shouldnt have pored the oil over the pistons but how that would affect the emmissions reading (then again I dont know too much about it).

Cheers for any advice / comments (also anyone know how much to fit new cv boot joint )

A leaking exhaust box is just a blow isn't it? Meaning they can't do the emmissions test (sticking the reader up the tailpipe) because exhaust gases are leaking before the tailpipe. A new centre section shouldn't cost too much.

The reason pouring oil on the pistons wasn't a good idea is because it gets burnt when the engine starts and can damage the lambda probe and clog up/damage the catalytic convertor.

Aye its a blow allright. Thought it might have got through with minor stuff (new tyre etc) still its a 14 year old car so gotta expect some problems.

The irritating thing is and I reckon that most of the forum users who have had a car fail its MOT will have experienced this is that it drives absolutly fine with no ropey noises.

I'm looking at it this way £300 for repairs, save £300 a year on insurance cos its an old car. Swings/roundabouts etc

Anyone have an idea about prices for a new centre box and cv joint - £200/£300 inc labour.

Cheers for all advice. V helpful

Edited 25 June, 200719 yr by Docbooze

I haven't got a clue labour wise but I'd recommend you doing the centre box yourself. Exhaust fitting is not difficult, but can be very time consuming. The section shouldn't cost more than £30 or so I wouldn't have thought. CV boot, never had to do that. Brake line, I'd make a new copper one myself, but see how much the garage want, coz again it's not difficult making copper brake lines but by god it can take a while.

Yeah dont think that the brake line's much trouble. Also been looking online and apparently a repaired exhaust is fine for an MOT pass if it does its job and doesnt present safety issues so I'm gonna see if the garage will weld the hole/crack for a few quid then do the emissions test, if it passes that I'll get the cv boot replaced. Seems you can get a repair boot which glues together but almost everyone advises against these. So will proberly have to get a new boot at around £70 fitted.

So with a bit of luck I might be able to get it through for about £150 inc Mot fee which isnt too bad. A mate of mine has just put his 5 year old Golf through and it needs £700 for a pass so russian roulette eh !!!

* Just found out apparenly its just rear brake hose (not leaking just corroded -fail ). Mechanic phoned and said he's welded and sealed the centre box so gonna put it through emissions test again. If it passes he want £50 for new cv boot which isnt too bad. The rear brake hose he wants £40 to do which I reckon is way steep but once yer motor's in the garage they sorta have you over a barrel as I dont fancy driving the car back home with no tax/mot to fix the work myself. I'd rather pay £40 extra than risk 6 points and a fine.

Cheers

Edited 26 June, 200719 yr by Docbooze