 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Totally my own fault for being busy-in my defence I'm in the military so spend a lot of time away in hot sandy places....
To cut a long story short, my 55 reg ford transit camper van hasn't moved in 12 months and has a very flat tyre and equally flat battery.
It's now sunny and I live in Cornwall-and I fancy going for adventuring times with it. What are the chances that a new battery will start it first time?
Also how do you access the spare tyre that's underneath the chassis?
Also what are the chances that the brakes have seized up?
Cheers
M
Bugger-how do I move this to the chat forum. Mods-sorry for the muppetry!
I'll throw some positivity your way - I reckon it'll start. Maybe not first time but you have to believe it'll be reet! Jump leads are your friend before you wedge out on a new battery just in case it is dead. Re the wheel I'm surprised you can't reach it with a socket set? Suppose you could always jack it up and get at it that way. Others will be along shortly to tell you that you will die of you try this without axle stands.
Bugger-how do I move this to the chat forum. Mods-sorry for the muppetry!POSTED 6 MINUTES AGO #
Report your own post, that'll bring it to their attention and if they're feeling benevolent they'll move it.
i think the battery is completely knackered now as I have let it die before between deployments I'm afraid. Happy to shell out on a new one if it means reliability-I'm more afraid that leaving an engine for a year without starting may have killed it
We didn't touch our Van for 5 months and apart from a dead battery which we replaced it was fine. Went though MOT first time on Monday and everything.
Don't worry too much about the engine
I'd change the fuel and filter as a minimum and I'd seriously think about changing the oil and filter if not before almost immediately after its running.
Before attempting to turn it over on the key I'd turn it over by hand first - big socket on crank bolt.
I'd reckon that you might have rusty valves which in turn might give you leaky valve stem seals but that's no biggy compared to what could be .
Fwiw I left my land rover for 2 years without turning it over and with a fresh battery and the above it turned right over and started.
My old v8 sat for ,5 years and before it went to the scrappies I cleaned the points and dizzy an it too started. Didn't sound clever but it started.....
It'll be fine. I had a resto project that sat for about 5 years before I finally did it, just needed a fresh battery and fuel to get it started - obviously as a restoration it needed more work to get an MOT!
If you do need a new battery fit one of these before you leave it standing again. I've used them on a few old cars they make a world of difference for less than 20 quid.
[img] 
[/img]
Also how do you access the spare tyre that's underneath the chassis?
If it's the same as older Transits, there should be a hole where the bottom of the rear doors meet the floor. Feed the end of the wheel brace through this (horizontally) and keep going until it hits something, then wind it counter-clockwise to lower the spare wheel on a winch cable. If you've got a LWB van, the handle may have to go in 2 - 3 feet.