Car been idle for 3 years, change tyres?

[PoorSucker]

Be sure to check your blinker fluid levels before driving.

[natway09]

Few laughs you got anyway,

If tyres look OK & not been getting a lot of morning or afternoon sun you should be good to go !!

If they look a bit flat they probably are

[ujayujay]

7 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Because manufacturers recommend that oil changes are made at mileage intervals or after time periods, regardless of whether the vehicle has been driven.

This Joke is a recommandation from the Oil Industry????????????

[Eaglekott]

17 hours ago, Almer said:

Who told you that rubbish? Brake fluid is recommended to be changed every 4 or 5 years not every year.

Sorry, The correct statement should have been "Most manufactures recommends break-fluid to be replaced every second year even if the car is unused."  Not sure why I missed the word "second" in my first post.

Edited October 19, 2021 by Eaglekott

[transam]

11 minutes ago, Eaglekott said:

Sorry, The correct statement should have been "Most manufactures recommends break-fluid to be replaced every second year even if the car is unused."  Not sure why I missed the word "second" in my first post.

Just looked in my old Vigo handbook, it says 2 years or 40,000 km. They are probably right, difficult to know how much water a particular ride pulls in, so to be sure, I can see why the 2 years change period..

[seedy]

52 minutes ago, transam said:

difficult to know how much water a particular ride pulls in

Kits with strips are available - like PH testing, go by the color for water saturation level

But change all mine every 2 years. Cheap insurance.

Along with the oil around the fuel injectors - don't want to blow a head gasket - 555

Edited October 19, 2021 by seedy

[Liverpool Lou]

22 hours ago, seedy said:

23 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Because manufacturers recommend that oil changes are made at mileage intervals or after time periods, regardless of whether the vehicle has been driven.

And what will happen to the oil, contained in a crankcase, out of the weather ?

Nuttin'

The regular cold starts and short running period of the engine has no effect on the engine oil, is that what you're saying?    You really think that engine oil does not deteriorate?

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, Eaglekott said:

Sorry, The correct statement should have been "Most manufactures recommends break-fluid to be replaced every second year even if the car is unused."  Not sure why I missed the word "second" in my first post.

My Isuzu is 4 years old the brake still work. 

So does the Clutch. 

I guess another oil change thread will be next. ????

 

[Kwasaki]

22 minutes ago, seedy said:

Kits with strips are available - like PH testing, go by the color for water saturation level

But change all mine every 2 years. Cheap insurance.

Along with the oil around the fuel injectors - don't want to blow a head gasket - 555

But what about if the vehicle has caught Covid 19. ????

[Eaglekott]

37 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

My Isuzu is 4 years old the brake still work. 

So does the Clutch.

And one day you take a longer drive, use the breaks a bit more than usual and at 100km/h you notice the breaks don't work anymore. So to have the speed down fast you need to put it 1st gear. Hope your clutch can still handle it ????

[Kwasaki]

26 minutes ago, Eaglekott said:

And one day you take a longer drive, use the breaks a bit more than usual and at 100km/h you notice the breaks don't work anymore. So to have the speed down fast you need to put it 1st gear. Hope your clutch can still handle it ????

Thank's for the laugh are you a qualified motor vehicle engineer, you sound more like a salesman for auto products companies.

So sad that some people would listen to your advice. 

[VocalNeal]

On 10/16/2021 at 6:21 PM, Velleman said:

Will have the car serviced and the tyres checked for cracks and flat spots.

If it has been started and bought up to operating temperature as you say once a month, then the battery is OK. If me I would drive it straight to the car wash and get them to clean inside and out. Turn the AC to max while outside the car as we have been warned about ants. The following day go for a short vigorous drive and do some emergency stops and the like.

Go to Esso or Shell top off the tank and check the tire pressures. ( those two because they have a tire pump available). 

Play the rest by ear, as the saying goes. 

[seedy]

3 hours ago, Eaglekott said:

And one day you take a longer drive, use the breaks a bit more than usual and at 100km/h you notice the breaks don't work anymore. So to have the speed down fast you need to put it 1st gear. Hope your clutch can still handle it ????

Shift to First gear at 100 K !!!

WOW !

[seedy]

2 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

If it has been started and bought up to operating temperature as you say once a month, then the battery is OK. If me I would drive it straight to the car wash and get them to clean inside and out. Turn the AC to max while outside the car as we have been warned about ants. The following day go for a short vigorous drive and do some emergency stops and the like.

Go to Esso or Shell top off the tank and check the tire pressures. ( those two because they have a tire pump available). 

Play the rest by ear, as the saying goes. 

Yup - good advice

[impulse]

6 hours ago, transam said:

Just looked in my old Vigo handbook, it says 2 years or 40,000 km. They are probably right, difficult to know how much water a particular ride pulls in, so to be sure, I can see why the 2 years change period..

Advice like that in the manual is a gift from the car makers to their dealers, prompting customers to spend money on services they don't need.  Brake hydraulics are a closed system.  No place for water to get in, unless it's damaged.  Most people can drive their cars for 20 years between brake fluid changes.  In fact, I'd bet that 90% of cars retire to the boneyard with the original brake fluid. 

 

Unless, of course, they bring their car to the dealership for their 10,000km services at 30,000 baht a pop...  Yeah, that's an exaggeration.  But not by much.

 

Edited October 19, 2021 by impulse

[seedy]

11 hours ago, impulse said:

Brake hydraulics are a closed system.  No place for water to get in, unless it's damaged. 

WRONG - hydraulic brake systems are vented to atmosphere to allow for fluid volume changes. When it gets hot it expands. When the pads and shoes wear, the wheel cylinders and calipers need to adjust to close the gap.

This is why your brake fluid level in the master cylinder goes down.

So if the system is sealed this is not possible - they would be working against a vacuum.

This explains how water enters - that very same vent

https://www.mysciencework.com/patent/show/vented-reservoir-master-cylinder-US6178747A

A reservoir including a housing having a chamber formed therein for the storage of hydraulic brake fluid. The chamber is in fluid communication with a master cylinder. The housing has an opening which is in communication with the atmosphere. The housing further including a passageway in communication with the cavity and the opening. A membrane is disposed in the passageway of the housing. The membrane has oleophobic properties such that the membrane permits the passage of air therethrough and substantially prevents the passage of brake fluid therethrough.

Edited October 20, 2021 by seedy

[impulse]

19 minutes ago, seedy said:

WRONG - hydraulic brake systems are vented to atmosphere to allow for fluid volume changes. When it gets hot it expands. When the pads and shoes wear, the wheel cylinders and calipers need to adjust to close the gap.

This is why your brake fluid level in the master cylinder goes down.

So if the system is sealed this is not possible - they would be working against a vacuum.

This explains how water enters - that very same vent

https://www.mysciencework.com/patent/show/vented-reservoir-master-cylinder-US6178747A

A reservoir including a housing having a chamber formed therein for the storage of hydraulic brake fluid. The chamber is in fluid communication with a master cylinder. The housing has an opening which is in communication with the atmosphere. The housing further including a passageway in communication with the cavity and the opening. A membrane is disposed in the passageway of the housing. The membrane has oleophobic properties such that the membrane permits the passage of air therethrough and substantially prevents the passage of brake fluid therethrough.

You've provided a link to a 2001 patent.  Meaning it was a novel idea in 2001.  You have not provided a link showing that any auto company has adopted that patent.  Every car and truck I've ever owned has a diaphragm in the cap of the master cylinder/ reservoir that allows for expansion and contraction of the brake fluid, while keeping the fluid completely isolated from the atmosphere.

 

If you've been spending money to change yours out every 2-3 years, we call that hook, line and sinker.

 

Edited October 20, 2021 by impulse

[sandyf]

On 10/18/2021 at 5:36 PM, seedy said:

Lived in Yukon for over 25 years. Temps regular in winter minus 40.

Tires get flat spot from parking overnight.

Drive a few Km, flat spot gone.

Stretched ??? 555

Different circumstances, different experience.

If you do not believe in caution that is up to you. As for the the tyre wall being weakened, from personal experience following 4 months in Thailand.

[seedy]

45 minutes ago, impulse said:

You've provided a link to a 2001 patent.  Meaning it was a novel idea in 2001.  You have not provided a link showing that any auto company has adopted that patent.  Every car and truck I've ever owned has a diaphragm in the cap of the master cylinder/ reservoir that allows for expansion and contraction of the brake fluid, while keeping the fluid completely isolated from the atmosphere.

 

If you've been spending money to change yours out every 2-3 years, we call that hook, line and sinker.

 

 

The cap on the brake fluid reservoir has a hole for air, or is vented, to allow the fluid to expand and contract without creating a vacuum or causing pressure. A rubber diaphragm goes up and down with the fluid level's pressure, and keeps out any dust or moisture. If the cap's seal becomes distorted, it usually indicates a brake fluid contamination problem.

It is thru that seal, and the fact that hydraulic fluid pulls water right out of the air, that the problem of water contamination occurs

Google Brake System Operation Master Cylinder

PDF with diagrams for you to read - and learn

Edited October 20, 2021 by seedy

[seedy]

Water vaporizes easily with heat and can corrode the metal parts of the system. Water which enters brake lines, even in small amounts, will react with most common brake fluids (i.e., those which are hygroscopic^[8][9]) causing the formation of deposits which can clog the brake lines and reservoir. It is almost impossible to completely seal any brake system from exposure to water, which means that regular changing out of brake fluid is necessary to ensure that the system is not becoming overfilled with the deposits caused by reactions with water.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_brake

[transam]

12 hours ago, impulse said:

Advice like that in the manual is a gift from the car makers to their dealers, prompting customers to spend money on services they don't need.  Brake hydraulics are a closed system.  No place for water to get in, unless it's damaged.  Most people can drive their cars for 20 years between brake fluid changes.  In fact, I'd bet that 90% of cars retire to the boneyard with the original brake fluid. 

 

Unless, of course, they bring their car to the dealership for their 10,000km services at 30,000 baht a pop...  Yeah, that's an exaggeration.  But not by much.

 

The braking system is not a closed system. A/C is.

Tell me, why do slave cylinders or even calipers fail, why, when you take them off there is rust to be seen causing the failure.

 

The system pulls in moisture that's in the air via the master cylinder. Over a period of time the moisture, water, is pushed to the very end of the track, slave cylinders or caliper. It sits there and does its thing.

 

 

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

reservoir that allows for expansion and contraction of the brake fluid, while keeping the fluid completely isolated from the atmosphere.

Correct that's what happens with most motorcycles anyhow. 

My scoot has never had a brake fluid change in since I bought it in 2006. ????

[Rampant Rabbit]

On 10/18/2021 at 3:53 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

Because manufacturers recommend that oil changes are made at mileage intervals or after time periods, regardless of whether the vehicle has been driven.

nah, so  oil  on the shelf in a container could  have set there for years, the time is  usually  for  people who do SHORT  journeys where engine never gets  warm and is  full of condensation, I would change brake  fluid  though many reccomend 2  years  now for that, id also check everything inc air filters and importantly  rat/mouse infestation. If its a diesel change the fuel  filters that  bio diesel forms  fungus

Edited October 20, 2021 by Rampant Rabbit

[Kwasaki]

The OP will do what he will do and what he wants to. 

In Thailand a car left for years the main concern is grimlens, rats,  mice,  jinjocks, cats are the only thing to worry about IMO. 

 

[EVENKEEL]

I just fired my car up after 2 yrs idle. Changed battery fired it up and had oil changed, aired tires and checked fluids. All good.

[Ralf001]

On 10/18/2021 at 4:29 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

Why would not changing the oil result in the head gasket blowing?

Because the oil breaks down causing friction on the big end bearings.

One seizes then the rod snaps punching the piston up into the valves ever so slightly bending the head.

 

Then the head gasket leaks aKA is blown !!

[Ralf001]

52 minutes ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

nah, so  oil  on the shelf in a container could  have set there for years, the time is  usually  for  people who do SHORT  journeys where engine never gets  warm and is  full of condensation, I would change brake  fluid  though many reccomend 2  years  now for that, id also check everything inc air filters and importantly  rat/mouse infestation. If its a diesel change the fuel  filters that  bio diesel forms  fungus

The oil on the shelf is sitting in a sealed air tight container.

 

Oil sitting in the engine sump on the other hand has been exposed to moisture (condensation), unburnt fuel, heat cycling ETC ETC.

 

Best to follow the manufacturers recommendation in my opinion.

 

A few liters of fresh oil and a filter is far far cheaper than replacing a junked motor.

[Olmate]

18 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Because the oil breaks down causing friction on the big end bearings.

One seizes then the rod snaps punching the piston up into the valves ever so slightly bending the head.

 

Then the head gasket leaks aKA is blown !!

One sneaky way to blow a head gasket!! 

[DrJoy]

Michelin states that their tyres carry an expiration date of abt 6-10 yrs.

 

The four-digit tyre age code is usually located on the tyre sidewall. The first two digits of the code represent the week of production during the year (from 1 to 52) while the second two digits represent the year of manufacture.

 

Don't quote me. These details are mentioned on the website of Michelin. Link here -

 

https://www.michelinman.com/auto/tips-and-advice/advice-auto/tire-buying-guide/when-do-i-need-new-tires

 

 

[transam]

I quite like this article from Haynes car manuals regarding brake fluid.  ???? 

 

https://haynes.com/en-gb/tips-tutorials/how-and-when-change-your-brake-fluid

Edited October 20, 2021 by transam