After hibernation - the brine is now officially off the road - the classic season starts again. And there is a good chance that that season will start for you this weekend. We go through the CPR procedure briefly:
Of course the battery has not been forgotten last winter, but it has been hanging dreamily on a good dropper. If no electric gas pump is fitted, the engine will have to be flung around a number of times before the float chamber is full of fuel again. If it does not start, but you can smell strong gasoline from the exhaust, there is a problem in the ignition section. Perhaps corrosion at the contact points? Or condensation in the distributor cap? Perhaps excise duty juice? (Or had you added a can of fuel treatment to the tank capacity before hibernation ?. That should not be the problem.)
No gasoline, but still not catching on? Then the pump can be the cause or the float that gets stuck. If the engine does start, let it run smoothly for a while and you have the time to check for leaks of gasoline, oil, and coolant. That does not warm up in an enclosed space, exhaust gasses are toxic. Also check the tire pressure, look and 'feel' if there are any damage to the profile or 'cheeks' of the tire. Try to roll the car. If that fails, the brakes are stuck. Does not have to be a disaster, unless the brakes were not completely in order before the car entered the garage.
After months of rest, it sometimes happens that the link is not released properly or not at all. Switching is then not fine .. If your classic is equipped with a hydraulic coupling, check the supply of fluid in the reservoir. If you are working on it, then also check the stock in the brake reservoir. If that is all right, then the clutch plate is 'frozen' (another word for fixed)rusted) to the flywheel or pressure group. There are some methods to easily solve this inconvenience. With the engine running, press the clutch a few times, keep it pressed for a while and carefully try to engage a gear. (Storing the car for hibernation with a stick between the clutch pedal and the seat of the seat is also an option, by the way. But it is an option that can lead to slackening of the springs.) If that fails, then the engine is off, first gear switch on, press the clutch and let your assistant push.
If it still does not work, then start the engine with the first gear engaged and the clutch fully engaged. Make sure there is sufficient 'space' for you. If it still fails, then it is a matter of dismantling the engine and gearbox, or - depending on the possibilities of your classic - disassembling the engine or gearbox, loosening the clutch, sanding the pressure group and flywheel lightly with extremely fine sandpaper ..., very little fat on the prize axis and reassemble. And that is all possible on a Saturday morning if you start a little on time.
After you have made your first ride, open the hood again and check everything for leaks. Is the car easy to roll now? A stuck - or lingering brake - can be recognized by a warm wheel or blue smoke. Plus a hot drum or disc. In the latter case, a brake is very stuck. With regard to the fluid level in the brake reservoir, we would like to say: if you need to add a lot to very much brake fluid, then the system is leaking somewhere. This is very dangerous and must be repaired immediately!