Hibernation & mileage, Cool Commodore, Midlife Corolla and more – Mick's Workshop

By: Mick McCrudden

Date: 09.11.2023

Mick is toiling away in the workshop and providing you with the car advice you need.

How can you get the most mileage out of your car?

HIBERNATION & MILEAGE

We’re working on a lovely Mustang at the moment, which has developed some pretty typical problems for something that has been sitting for a few years.

It’s developed some typical problems for a Windsor, such as corrosion where the timing cover/water pump meets the block. Aluminium to steel, two different metals, and the coolant has become acidic and is slowly eating at the softest metal.

Let’s just say your job is taking you overseas for a couple of years and the love-affair with the car is still alive. Then, as your grand-dad used to say, put it up on blocks!

So get the weight off the tyres so they don’t flat-spot – or if that doesn’t work for you, at least run them up to maximum inflation. 

Then you remove all the fluids, except the engine oil. Fuel out, coolant out, brake fluid out. Seal the lid on the master cylinder with a bit of tape to discourage air getting in.

As we know with fuel, it goes off and does horrible things, so you siphon out as much as possible, while running the carburetor/injection dry.

With engine oil, let’s say you’re working on your 289 Mustang which holds five litres – put another five litres in, so all the bottom end of the engine is sitting in oil.

Make yourself a warning note and stick it on the steering wheel, to not start it until it’s been drained and refilled to the proper level. 

Unhook the battery and maybe put it on a tender. 

When you go to restart the car, you obviously need to refresh all the fluids. Plus, disconnect the coil and turn over the motor on the battery to get some oil pumped into the top end. 

Recommissioning doesn’t require any special tricks, just plenty of patience, For example, you can gravity bleed the brake system.

Open the furthest bleed nipple, which is usually the left rear on right-hand-drive cars, and work your way wheel-by-wheel around the system as clean fluid comes through. So long as you don’t touch the pedal, you’ll be right.

Now, let’s talk about mileage in cars and how people get wrapped up in this. It’s just not important. If you buy an old car with proven low kilometers, well fine. They’re a rarity. But never be worried about high kilometres.

For example, we recently had a Holden Sandman in for a few repairs. The thing runs as well today as it did when it was made and still looks like it did when it was made, with 678,000km on it!

The owner is very proud of the distance and has maintained the car its entire life. That car, if you saw it, you wouldn’t run away. So don’t worry over scary numbers, just do your due diligence.

People used to wind back speedos with an electric drill and now they do it with a laptop, so I’m always a little skeptical of what the odometer says. Oh, and service records can be falsified.

You’ll find out far more by putting a car up on a hoist and having a good look around – then there’s nowhere to hide! The car will tell you the truth once you’re underneath it. 

I’d rather have a car with high mileage in good condition than one with low claims that’s patchy.

Cool Commodore

Hi Mick. I’m not all that experienced in a workshop, though I’ve done some basics like oil and spark plug changes.

My VH SL/E Commodore runs a 4.2 V8 and I reckon the coolant needs changing. Are there any tricks to this? What should I be looking for?

Jenny Sims

Shadow tone VH SL/E Commodore is one of the most sought.

Mick says...

There are no tricks to this, Jenny. Drain it out as best you can – you’ll never get it all out, there will always be some left in the block. (Older cars sometimes had a tap in the side of the block, but those days are long gone.)

Get your mixture correct – 50/50 and not too strong. Fill it up and run it and it’s better to have the nose pointing a little uphill, if your driveway allows. 

Grab yourself an old Gatorade bottle (or similar) and cut off the bottom. With a bit of tape around the neck, you’ll find it’s a good fit for the radiator filler aperture, so you fit it upside-down.

As the thermostat begins to open, you’ll see the coolant raise in the bottle, and when it opens fully it goes down.

The best way to have it completely full, have an assistant raise your engine revs (1800 to 2000) and you’ll see the coolant drop fully as the water pump takes effect.

Top it up with the revs in place, take the bottle away and put the cap on. All the air is out. That works on just about all cars.

Midlife Corolla

Hi Mick, I have just been reading a recent issue of Unique Cars and found your comments about old Toyota Corollas.

We have a 1993 Corolla Seca Ultima, which we’re now planning to sell.

It came with all the options for the day, including electric windows, electric mirrors, air-conditioner, CD player, 14-inch mag wheels, four-wheel disc brakes, blue velour interior, central locking – key operated, pinstriping on the sides – front to rear, mud flaps – front and rear, power steering, fuel injection and chrome strips on all wheel arches.

It’s always been garaged and we’re now planning to sell it with around 147,000km on it.

Is it worth much and would Trade Unique Cars be a good place to advertise it?

Lance C

Mick says...

Cars that age are in a sort of twilight zone in the market. They’re not quite old enough to attract collectors, and not modern enough to appeal to most people looking for daily transport.

The good news is that car has just become old enough to be eligible for club plates around the country. Those Corollas have a reputation for doing 400,000km without any big issues.

As you probably know, that Seca Ultima was a $30,000 car back when it was new. The price guides we’ve looked at suggest they’re now worth around $3-5K in reasonable condition. You could certainly give it a go on tradeuniquecars.com.au.

Trivial pursuit - First turbo

What was the first production turbo car?

Up for debate, but solid claimant are the Oldsmobile Jetfire hardtop and the Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder of 1962.

The Oldsmobile engine was produced for just one year, while production of the Corvair powerplant ran until 1966.

XJ birthday

Mick, I know you’re a bit of a six-cylinder Jaguar fan and I need your advice. I have a Series 1 XJ6 with the 4.2lt six and I reckon it needs a bit of a birthday.

I’m thinking fresh fluids, hoses and the like. What should I be adding to the list?

James Walters

Mick says...

You can’t kill those 4.2 sixes, so long as you don’t mess with them. I would, as you suggest, do all the fluids so you then have a good starting point.

Also, replace all the hoses, plus the metal crossover pipe under the radiator that runs in between two hoses – that does wear out. The parts are readily available from a couple of Jaguar specialists such as Jagdaim.

For more reliability and just an easier life, I’d contact Performance Ignition Services in Nunawading (Vic) and talk to them about the electronic distributor they do for the Series 1 and 2, so you can get rid of the old GL19 points set-up. That cures a whole heap of problems – I did it on my own and it’s the best thing I ever did.

Do the ignition leads at the same time – they have a limited lifespan. And buy quality. If you can’t get genuine leads, go for something from the people I just mentioned or Ice Ignition.

Charger bitsa

Hi. I have an old Valiant Charger that I reckon is a bitsa that’s had a pretty colourful life over the years. It’s currently running a 340 V8 with a four-speed manual and goes okay, but I reckon the old carburettor is on its last legs. It’s a four-barrel Carter, like you’d find in all sorts of things from that period.

Is it worth rebuilding it or should I look at something new?

Muz Mehmet

Mick says...

I reckon any Charger is a good Charger, particularly if it’s got a 340 in it! As for the Carter, it’s time to go and I wouldn’t bother with a rebuild. Maybe put it to one side.

Get a new 600 vacuum secondary with electric choke, which will bring your old bent eight to life. You have a choice between Holley and Edelbrock –I lean towards the Holley as it’s a little simpler and easier, but either will be just fine.

It’s direct, bolt-on, let’s go play. Don’t be tempted to go over 600, as what I’ve suggested is perfect for street use.

Here's my tip - brake fluid

Your old DOT 4 brake fluid (which is what most old cars are running) is fine for the job but needs to be changed every two years.

It’s hygroscopic (absorbs water from the air) and loses effectiveness over time. A move to DOT 5 is good, as it doesn’t absorb water and lasts longer.

However, you need to freshen-up the brake system, change over seals, cylinders and the like. When you do the switch. Don’t be a tight-arse – do it properly.

Bimmer dampers

G’day Mick. My old BMW 635 (E24) is getting tired in the suspension department, crashing through rather than cruising over bumps.

Springs are easy enough to source and I’m not too concerned about them. However there is a big choice in dampers. I’m not sure if I can still get the original pattern Bilsteins. Any thoughts? 

David S

Mick says...

Bilsteins or Konis are your best choice and I lean towards the Konis because you can get them as adjustable units.

Installation in the rear is a bit of a bugger, as you have to pull out the back seat and access isn’t great. Doing it at home could end in divorce … you’ll go inside, you won’t be happy and say something regrettable to the wife.

Save your marriage and use a good workshop!

Escort buy

Hi Mick. I’ve been offered a Mk2 Escort which is a GL – no-one got around to turning it into an RS! It’s a manual and seems to be in good shape, probably a grandpa or grandma car.

It’s got the 2.0lt engine and is a four-speed manual.

What should I be looking for?

Anders Edsteen

Adding some colour to the landscape is this gaggle of Chargers. What colour do you want?

Mick says...

What a great car! Lots of go and really well-balanced with sharp steering and handling.

There’s one main thing to look for: Rust! The metal is thin and doesn’t take kindly to the elements. The driveline is super-tough.

That little engine was just great, as was the gearbox, and the diff was tough enough to put behind a six-cylinder.

Got a problem? 

Want some advice on a build or a potential car purchase? Heck, we'll even tackle long distance diagnosis.

Drop Mick a line at uniquecars@primecreative.com.au

From Unique Cars #483, Sept 2023

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