New member, parked my 98 LS Camaro about 9 years ago

[Mike98]

Hi everyone I am new. I used to look things up on here years ago when I drove my Camaros. About 9 years ago I parked the LS Camaro. Nothing was wrong with the car. I started to raise my nephew and I was always in a 4 door vehicle from then on out. At first it would occasionally be started. I was a complete idiot. I let it sit uncovered and eventually never even started it. It was never prepped to sit or anything.

It moved twice in the 9 years being driven to two different places when we moved locations within a 5 mile radius. it has set for 2 years now since the last startup. Now my nephew, about to be 10, has been talking about this car for years. He looks at old pics and old videos and when we go to my mothers house where it sits he always wants to just go walk around it and look and imagine. He has actually got upset because he wants to ride in it, he also wants it one day, and to work on it. Something I have always responded with, "one day, one day."

The past month he has really been going on about the car. It hit me hard not too long ago that "one day" will never come and he will inherit the car in its bad shape that it is in. (it is very weathered now) sure I am lucky enough that he would get some money to help fix that car up but he made a point of wanting to do it with me. Later in the day I am checking my bank account like always on payday and I see more money than should have been deposited. I then look into it at work and find out we were all given a little bonus. Nothing big but I start thinking about some things we were wanting when there was a little extra. So we get in the Impala and head to town later on. It's like the first time it's been in the 80's since last year. The highway is empty and I feel good. I never drive this car hard but really leaned on the gas in this V6 impala. LOL My nephew goes "Oh yeah! now this is what I want to do with the Ttops out in the Camaro.

I turned around went to my mothers house and we pulled up and I walked to the car the whole time My nephew saying "what are we doing" and I told him we were going to start working on this thing. He was so excited and literally had tears in his eyes and it had me tearing up when I saw that. We aired up the dry rotted tires to get it to a better location to start washing it up. I started looking online for new tires. We went to get a new battery. I wanted to check fluids before starting and of course I am not expecting smooth sailing at all. I didn't get to start it because it looks like there is water in the oil pan. The last time it ran was when it was drove from my house to my mothers house two years ago, at a distance of just over a half mile. So now I am not sure where we are. I also checked oil when I did this two years ago and the oil was fine. I don't think the car even got to operating temp when we drove it to my mothers house. Head Gasket is what comes to mind but I am also reading and seeing people talk about condensation.

It was dark by the time I saw the dipstick. So I never got a look at the coolant to see if oil was in there, but for condensation it seems like it was a ways past the full mark on the oil dipstick. So we will be heading over there later today and hope to be more active with the car and on here. Any info or experience with this issue by the way is more than welcome.

[SMWS6TA]

Welcome.

steps I would do.

drain oil and replace with fresh cheap oil and new filter.
drain coolant and just use water for time being. no cost involved if it leaks. plus you'll need to do a flush or two once it's road worthy.

check trans fluid also.

most important....look for signs of mice/rats eating wire harness.

gas - this is probably the first head ache you'll have to deal with. gas goes bad within 6 months, turns to varnish in a yr. if you have any left in the tank. I would pop the filter off and drain it out by cycling the key on/off till empty. Hell I would do the trap do anyways to be able to look inside. if pump is dead, you'll need to replace it. change the filter too. if all is working here put in no more than 2-3 gallons. you're just trying to see if fuel system works. once you know it makes it to the filter, hook back up and now go to the engine bay. disconnect the fuel line from the rail. cycle key to see if fuel makes it here. have a rag or container to catch it. if fuel makes it here, connect back to rail. Cycle keys on/off a few times to see if any injectors are leaking. o rings dry out over time. no leaks you can try firing it off. KEEP EYE ON OIL PRESSURE.

[liamleque]

Hello! Welcome Hope, you will solve your problem!

[Too Fast]

Hello and welcome. Where in Indiana do you live? I may be able to help, I am located in Speedway.