Old Car Restarting

A few years ago (before ethanol) I would say check all the fluid levels and crank it up. Ethanol doesn't last as long as pure gas. I would recommend draining the tank and putting fresh gas in it.

James

I would drain and replace the gas and add a bottle of HEET to the gas tank to take care of any small amounts of moisture that might remain. I would change the oil and filter and I would at least pull the coil wire, but preferably the spark plugs and crank the engine until the oil pressure had a chance to get up and relube the engine. If you pull the spark plugs, I would squirt some light oil or WD 40 into each cylinder to lubricate it during the cold cranking. Once it starts, check the brakes before roaring off down the road and testing them at the first stop sign.

:good: :good: :good:

''Blaster'' for Small Engines

Go to a small engine store or Tractor Supply and get a spray can of Blaster. Whatever combination is in it you can hear the engine perk up as it runs.

Take off and replace/leave off the airfilter as it probably now has a mouse nest in it. Before you put it back on if it covers the carburetor, spray 2 shots into the throttle body. Start it up and give it a shot if/when it starts to slow down.

Save the rest for your lawn mower. A couple of shots directly into the gas tank and one shot into the carb. Intermittent sprays in the carb until it is singing smoothly.

Take care of the other things mentioned but Blaster is the prime ingredient.

Personally I have had vehicles sit that long and just try to start them first.

Paul in PA

> I have a car that hasn't been started in almost a year. It ran well the last time it was run. What should I do before trying to start again (I have a new battery to replace the old one that was removed last year)
>

As with most things: it depends.
Is it a carbureted motor of fuel injected?
My experience has been that fuel injectors don't mind sitting for a couple years.
Carburetors don't like having gas in their bowls just sitting around.

I took apart my 86 Mustang 5.0 HO motor and didn't get a chance to put it back together for a few years. I got spunky one weekend and put it back together. I won't say it fired right back up because it didn't. I didn't spray any starter fluid in it because I didn't want to blow the thing up. It took some jump starting of course. I hadn't hooked up the exhaust pipes to the headers yet.
When it did fire up!!!! Golly mercy... take me to the strip!!!

The only that had gone bad was the power steering pump which I replaced the same spunky afternoon. About $40 or so.

Good luck Thad. I'd come help if I was near by.
E.

Shoot I would just check the oil and fire it up.

But then I never had the American slash Protestant obsession with over complicating everything 🙂

Come on Dave. You would never jump in a plane and fire it up and go would you?
You MUST do a walk around and waggle the flaps and such.

Drain the fuel by knocking a hole in the bottom of the tank.

Toss a match at the leaking fuel.

Run like the Devil is after you.

Buy a decent vehicle and keep using it.

(Note: I have more vehicles that haven't been run in over one year than I have that are used every week.)

> Shoot I would just check the oil and fire it up.
>
> But then I never had the American slash Protestant obsession with over complicating everything 🙂

That's what I would do. If it didn't start after a couple of tries, I would take the air cleaner off and dump some gas in the intake and try it again.

So I replaced the battery and she fired right up. Mazda Protege, '94 I let her run for 15 minutes and all looks good.
Now to get the ball joints replaced and she should be good to go.

Glad you got it going.

I would still consider changing the fuel filter after you run out the old gas.
If it even has a fuel filter, some newer vehicles don't.

James

Does it move? Sometimes the wheels are locked up after sitting that long.