Tips for starting a car that hasn't been in 4 years

[Leung]

So i'm going to finish my accord and use it for delivering pizza with. The car has been in my garage for a few years and hasn't been started in that time. Before storing her, the tank is full of middle grade gas and fresh mobil 1 dino oil.

As a precaution, i'll change the oil with fresh stuff.
Should i drain the gas too? change the filter (It's never been changed since i've taken ownership of it)?

I've read a few things after googling and some guys say to spray a little lubricant down each spark plug hole and turn the crank by hand to break. Do i turn it clockwise or counter clockwise on our engine? I wasn't the one that changed the timing belt or water pump, had a mechanic do it, so i'm unsure of the direction.

The coolant should still be good right? when i had the water pump replaced, i had used genuine Honda's dark green coolant.

I've already had the battery tested and it just needed to be charged.

Anything else i should look at?

[Ralphie]

So i'm going to finish my accord and use it for delivering pizza with. The car has been in my garage for a few years and hasn't been started in that time. Before storing her, the tank is full of middle grade gas and fresh mobil 1 dino oil.

As a precaution, i'll change the oil with fresh stuff.
Should i drain the gas too? change the filter (It's never been changed since i've taken ownership of it)?

I've read a few things after googling and some guys say to spray a little lubricant down each spark plug hole and turn the crank by hand to break. Do i turn it clockwise or counter clockwise on our engine? I wasn't the one that changed the timing belt or water pump, had a mechanic do it, so i'm unsure of the direction.

The coolant should still be good right? when i had the water pump replaced, i had used genuine Honda's dark green coolant.

I've already had the battery tested and it just needed to be charged.

Anything else i should look at?

If it were me I would change ALL fluids.

Its so easy on our cars.

Oil you said already...

coolant...pop to cock and let it drain....fill with new...

brake fluid...absorbs moisture naturally so im sure it is close to needing to be changed if good at all.....get a turkey baster and suck out as much of the fluid as you can.....then replace with fresh brake fluid...no need to bleed anything....

power steering is the same as brake I believe....

clutch fluid im not really sure about(if it is 5spd)....never owned one.

Other then that, check all belts and hoses for fraying and cracks etc...

tension, you know the usual.

Other then that you should be good.

And yes, I would definitely drain the gas and fill with new....there is a drain plug underneath on the tank.

[Jarrett]

The engine turns clockwise.

[Leung]

If it were me I would change ALL fluids.

Its so easy on our cars.

Oil you said already...

coolant...pop to cock and let it drain....fill with new...

brake fluid...absorbs moisture naturally so im sure it is close to needing to be changed if good at all.....get a turkey baster and suck out as much of the fluid as you can.....then replace with fresh brake fluid...no need to bleed anything....

power steering is the same as brake I believe....

clutch fluid im not really sure about(if it is 5spd)....never owned one.

Other then that, check all belts and hoses for fraying and cracks etc...

tension, you know the usual.

Other then that you should be good.

And yes, I would definitely drain the gas and fill with new....there is a drain plug underneath on the tank.

i'll have to look harder for that drain plug on the fuel tank.

As for the brakes, i'm replacing the front rubber lines this weekend so i'll be bleeding the lines anyhow.

The engine turns clockwise.

Thank you.

[oyajicool]

The engine turns clockwise.

Yes. If you are looking at it from distributor side.

But, if you are turning the crank by hand using a socket on crank pulley, it will be counter clockwise.

[Mike1357]

A little trick we use at work it to put just a cap full of trans fluid down into each cylinder. It'll smoke on startup but its brought some flood cars back to life quite nicely for us, but I don't know if you have to go to such extremes.

I'd change the fuel filter for sure and instead of draining your gas tank, I've heard of people dropping some 100 octane race gas in to bring the octane of the gas in there up. I did it with my car but I wasnt sitting for nearly as long.

Hope it helps.

[Leung]

A little trick we use at work it to put just a cap full of trans fluid down into each cylinder. It'll smoke on startup but its brought some flood cars back to life quite nicely for us, but I don't know if you have to go to such extremes.

I'd change the fuel filter for sure and instead of draining your gas tank, I've heard of people dropping some 100 octane race gas in to bring the octane of the gas in there up. I did it with my car but I wasnt sitting for nearly as long.

Hope it helps.

I wouldn't even know where to get 100 octane fuel at out here in Cincinnati.

[Granite CB7]

I bought a 91 SE recently that sat in a garage for 2.5 years untouched. 1 thing that I did was pulled the valve cover and pre-oiled the top end since it would be so dry. Then pulled all 4 spark plugs, sprayed alittle liquid wrench down each hole and spun the engine over by hand. I def. suggest at least pulling the plugs and turning it over by hand while there's no compression.

[Leung]

I bought a 91 SE recently that sat in a garage for 2.5 years untouched. 1 thing that I did was pulled the valve cover and pre-oiled the top end since it would be so dry. Then pulled all 4 spark plugs, sprayed alittle liquid wrench down each hole and spun the engine over by hand. I def. suggest at least pulling the plugs and turning it over by hand while there's no compression.

yeah i plan on doing that but which way am i cranking it by hand if i'm on the driver side facing the engine? Jarret said clockwise and then someone else said counter clockwise.

[oyajicool]

Do you realize that Jarret and some one else is talking about the same rotation of crankshaft? I wonder why I even try to help some one else, sometimes.

[deevergote]

My H22 has been sitting for about that long... and I just sprayed some PB Blaster down the spark plug holes, turned the engine by hand (counter clockwise by the crank pulley), and turned it on. I just let it idle.
The oil is old, the gas is old, hell... it was idling on a PT3! Didn't drive it yet, but it idles fine. No error lights, so oil pressure is good, coolant seems to be working. It idled for over an hour one day with no issues.

[quaidum]

remove ecu fuse(blue) from under the hood
remove all four spark plugs
put a cap of oil in each cylinder
make sure oil level in pan is correct
try to start motor for about 5-10 seconds, it will spin fast and will shake very little b/c no compression will be building
after about 10 seconds the oil pressure light should go out
put spark plugs back and ecu fuse back in

[Leung]

My H22 has been sitting for about that long... and I just sprayed some PB Blaster down the spark plug holes, turned the engine by hand (counter clockwise by the crank pulley), and turned it on. I just let it idle.
The oil is old, the gas is old, hell... it was idling on a PT3! Didn't drive it yet, but it idles fine. No error lights, so oil pressure is good, coolant seems to be working. It idled for over an hour one day with no issues.

Well this is good news then. I just bought a new bottle of Liquid Wrench so that'll be what i spray down each spark plug tube and i will turn that crank counter clockwise.