How do I start a car that has not been started for over a year?

Question

The car has been parked in the driveway, outdoors in a northern climate. It was in excellent running conditioin when left. I know it will need a battery jump, but my big concern is fluids, lube and ignition. I don't want to blow the motor!

Answer 1

This is the correct way to start an engine after long-term storage. Basically, you start it the same way you start a new engine that has never been run before.

First, remove the spark plugs and put a small squirt of WD-40 into each cylinder - don't overdo it. A half second squirt in each is plenty. This will help lubricate the cylinder until your oil pressure picks up. Change your oil (it's never good for more that 6 months inside an engine), and check your coolant level.

Now, turn the engine over on the starter motor (remember, the spark plugs have not been replaced yet) - no more that 30 secs at a time before giving the starter motor a chance to cool down. Once the oil light goes off, you have pressure - meaning that there is now oil spread throughout the engine's internal galleries. Put the spark plugs back in, and start it up. You may see a little smoke from the oil, but it'll burn off quickly.

In the future, if you are leaving your car for an extended time, try this: squirt a little diesel (it's thicker, and will grip the cylinder walls better than WD-40) into the cylinders and spin the engine a couple of times on the starter motor to spread it around - this will help you retain a little oil on the cylinder walls, so you don't wear out your piston rings when you start it next. Then put the spark plugs back in and leave the car. When you get back, you still need to get your oil pressure up before starting the car (the higher engine speed of idling, compared to turning on the starter motor, can ruin your crankshaft and connecting rod bearings if there is no oil pressure yet), so you will still need to remove the plugs (getting rid of compression makes it easier for the starter motor and the battery) and crank it until the oil light goes out.

Of course, you can just start it up - which will probably work - but those first few seconds of running will put a lot more wear on the cylinders, rings and bearings. I guess it depends on how much you want the engine to last.

Answer 2

First take a wrench(or large socket on the crankshaft nut and see if it moves. If you can turn over the engine by hand then the starter will be able to do it.
It shouldn't be too bad. Just be sure you have coolant in the rad, and oil in the crankcase.
Mine was shut down for 4 years. They say to pull the plugs and put a couple of squirts of oil in each cylinder....but in my case it was a diesel so that would be a job, so just did the hand crank and then battery with NEW fuel.
It cranked over for a bit with the key and then ran like it just had been parked an hour ago. Yeah, and I got it from Canada

Answer 3

i have done this befor i have let cars sit for 5 years befor

check all the fluids
check all the wires to make sure none are cut up or anything
cleen the batt post and charge the batt if it will if not jump start it
if that don't work u may need to buy a new batt. check all the filters to make sure nuthing really bad is in them if it don't start
try this

it may need a good tune up
new spark plugs and spark plug wire
cap and rotor and a new coil new air filter
PCV and EGR and O2 Sensor

to make things kind of easy take the air cleener off and spray some starting Fluid in there that will make the car start easyer for you.

good luck

Answer 4

pull all of the plugs out,pour some 30 weight motor oil into each cylinder,that will lube the rings if there stuck,drain all the gas out of it cause it will be bad,charge the battery and turn it over a little bit,dont start it yet, just turn the ignition over a couple times so it coat the rings,pistons,cylinder walls,stuff like that....put new spark plugs in since you pulled the old ones out cause they will probably be bad. it should start .change the oil before you drive it too much

Answer 5

Recharge the battery, check all fluid levels and start the puppy. Your biggest concern should be the brakes. The rubber seals and other components could malfunction because the brake fluid acts as a lubricant during everyday use. It's easier to get the thing going than to get it stopped with no brakes

Answer 6

Get in the car and turn the key. It will start and it will be just fine. I just recently picked up a car that had been sitting for 4 years. I charged the battery and it started right up. I have since been driving it every day.

Answer 7

your worried about the small items

the one thing that normally happens in this case is the brake components tend to seize up such as the calipers and the brakes will be noizy due to the rust buildup on the rotors

the other system that tends to break down during this dormat time is the exhaust ----

Good luck but the best advise is to take it to a mechanic and let him / her look at it before putting a lot of trust into the car.

Answer 8

If you know any thing about a car, unplug the distributor, so you can spin the motor over with out the motor starting up,, So that all the lifters will pump up, and all the rod bearings will get oiled up,,, You don't want it to start with dry bearings,,,, If you can't do this Them have so one that can,,,Good Luck

Answer 9

Check the fluids, make sure there is oil in the car, and check the radiator fluid, if all is well then you are good to go and after you've gotten it started check the transmission fluid....

Answer 10

oil should be ok, you could maybe place a heater on the oil pan to heat up the oil before starting it. The gas is the problem. They sell stuff to add to old gas. First just try and spray starting fluid into the carb or injectors.