Sitting for 3 years

[chrlsful]

I can shove a hose dwn any tank I'm called to go start..

"...Besides, 2 yr old gas is fine..."
more intrested in the contaminants in there, I've hada change 3 filters when tryin to start these ol timers i visit.

 

[atikovi]

Most any car made in the last 30 years has a rollover valve in the filler neck making it difficult if not impossible to get a hose into the tank, or to get it back out if you do.

 

[chrlsful]

most I'm called out to, often those sittin longer than the 3 yrs listed here (as mentioned) are syphoned w/a 1/2 inch (I'd guess) OD line.
Justa nother reason it's fun (for me) to problem solve w/these vehicles. I've even started bringing a tq wrench to put on the HB to see how stuck one might B (so as to not bust rings, etc) rather than "jolt it alive" when unturnable by hand.
To kick alive after sitting so long (using most ur diagnostic skills) brings a feeling of accomplishment~

 

[Ifixyawata]

Drive it first. You would be surprised how little you have to do. Unless if you enjoy the recreational aspect as mentioned in the above suggestions. No need to create issues when they aren’t there.

I brought the car home on a jump start (1 mile trip) with a bad battery. Aside from absent-mindedly trying to run the A/C it ran decently well all the way home. There was a decent amount of shaking from flat spots and a bad tire. One tire was completely flat, aired up with a portable compressor. That one and one other have some pretty advanced dry rot. So I'm looking at 2, maybe 4 new tires.

After I replaced the battery, I replaced the air filter and cleaned the TB and MAF sensor. Started it and aside from forgetting to plug the MAF back in at first, it ran fine. A/C was a no-go but I added some Wal-Mart r134 and now it works well again.

Biggest issue I've faced is that the old license plate bolts will not budge. They're Philips pan head screws and so far I've used PB Blaster and cut slots across the heads to use a large straight blade screwdriver to no avail. I think I may end up cutting/grinding the heads off the bolts and then attempt to drill them out.

I will definitely change the oil, also, just want to make absolutely sure all the snakes are gone from any hidden areas.

 

[PontiacHO]

Usually the license plate bolts have the nylon nut inserts. If there’s enough bolt head to grab with vice grips I’d bet they come out easily. Tires may be your most costly issue. Drive it and enjoy.

 

[Nick1994]

I brought the car home on a jump start (1 mile trip) with a bad battery. Aside from absent-mindedly trying to run the A/C it ran decently well all the way home. There was a decent amount of shaking from flat spots and a bad tire. One tire was completely flat, aired up with a portable compressor. That one and one other have some pretty advanced dry rot. So I'm looking at 2, maybe 4 new tires.

After I replaced the battery, I replaced the air filter and cleaned the TB and MAF sensor. Started it and aside from forgetting to plug the MAF back in at first, it ran fine. A/C was a no-go but I added some Wal-Mart r134 and now it works well again.

Biggest issue I've faced is that the old license plate bolts will not budge. They're Philips pan head screws and so far I've used PB Blaster and cut slots across the heads to use a large straight blade screwdriver to no avail. I think I may end up cutting/grinding the heads off the bolts and then attempt to drill them out.

I will definitely change the oil, also, just want to make absolutely sure all the snakes are gone from any hidden areas.

Do you know someone with a welder? Tack on some nuts on the screw heads and then wrench them off.

 

[Ifixyawata]

Usually the license plate bolts have the nylon nut inserts. If there’s enough bolt head to grab with vice grips I’d bet they come out easily. Tires may be your most costly issue. Drive it and enjoy.

Do you know someone with a welder? Tack on some nuts on the screw heads and then wrench them off.

Turns out these had some sort of steel nut that was sort of crimped in I guess you'd say. I CUT the plate up to the bolts, pulled it off and then tried a pair of vise grips and it tore the nuts out of the sheet metal. So now I have a couple of jagged holes where the plate mount bolts used to be. I'm going to try to find some nylon inserts that snap in and use those to mount the new plate.

I don't consider myself a Honda fanboy at all, and as a matter of fact most of my previous cars have been Ford and all have been domestic. But there's something different about the build quality of these cars. Even at 18 years old, there's a solid feeling when you close the door. Even after sitting for three years, a quick jaunt up the highway and the car was accelerating and shifting smoothly.

I think I just need to schedule an appointment to get a couple tires and this car will be ready for the road. Going to head to the car wash soon and get the years of tree dirt/moss crap off of it.

 

[chrlsful]

ck ALL fluids too (brake fluid can absorbe H2O from ambient air, tranny, coolant). I use the plastic 'screws' and those same square plastic press in white (usually) holders (change plate back'n forth among several ) if possible. Often on models like urs the frnt bumper cover is enuff. I just twist a sheet metal screw thru it w/o over turning to strip out the hole. No plate holder.
1st: Get running, stoping, ck safety (mostly frnt end wrk - tie rods, wheel berrings, SB links, etc). Diagnose Y 'stopped' / sitting there might B final in some cases, 1st in others. I wrk on the cheepest stuff 1st as I dont wanna invest if I find other bigger issues later. (compresion ck is often early as I go thru that in certain cases to just get running) or in offering opinions to customers. Otherwise I do as they ask (many direct me to do specific things, even bringing their own parts. Most I give an opinion if they are way off on vehicle need, investing in junk vehicles, etc). Cosmetics last. Just got one it might B the reverse 1st time ever for me. Y dumped was easy. Auto tranny fluid pourin out. Just puta gasket on frnt of pump. It's back on the rd (tires and full exhaust system needed - 2nd owner cut out cats to sell when dumpin it.)
Nota "...Honda fanboy..." but there's something to be said abt a good functioning appilance. That's what they are. 'Set it and forget it' fits typical merican need, no surprises, follow the maintainence schedule. Those I dont care the milage (it's how those mi were maintained). Here? you just throw an odd alternator in occasionally, keep up w/the brakes, a battery each 8 yrs, etc. Nota body man but gota solid tree and get them to pass inspection when crinkeled...

 

[PontiacHO]

Turns out these had some sort of steel nut that was sort of crimped in I guess you'd say. I CUT the plate up to the bolts, pulled it off and then tried a pair of vise grips and it tore the nuts out of the sheet metal. So now I have a couple of jagged holes where the plate mount bolts used to be. I'm going to try to find some nylon inserts that snap in and use those to mount the new plate.

I don't consider myself a Honda fanboy at all, and as a matter of fact most of my previous cars have been Ford and all have been domestic. But there's something different about the build quality of these cars. Even at 18 years old, there's a solid feeling when you close the door. Even after sitting for three years, a quick jaunt up the highway and the car was accelerating and shifting smoothly.

I think I just need to schedule an appointment to get a couple tires and this car will be ready for the road. Going to head to the car wash soon and get the years of tree dirt/moss crap off of it.

Good news then. That car will probably last you a long time. We had an Accord that went to college with my daughter. It made it through her stay there and I “inherited “ it when she was working and got another car. I drove it for several more years. Just regular maintenance and it kept on ticking.

 

[Ifixyawata]

Good news then. That car will probably last you a long time. We had an Accord that went to college with my daughter. It made it through her stay there and I “inherited “ it when she was working and got another car. I drove it for several more years. Just regular maintenance and it kept on ticking.

... but there's something to be said abt a good functioning appilance...

I'm at a time in my life when I need an 'appliance' car and I never thought I would be excited to drive something so boring. If it's as reliable as they're reputed to be, I look forward to that boredom.

 

[chrlsful]

yup, 'fixed income', baby. No surprises. Gotta 2nd (fox bodied wagon) sittin waitin for this one to die (250K mi - a yr of 2 left I guess).

 

[philipp10]

Instead of assuming the gas is "bad" as they say, I would siphon a small bit out and take a smell and look. If the fuel system is tight, it's probably going to be just fine. The misnomer people have is that "old gas is bad". It should be " old gas can be bad if stored in a leaky fuel system".

 

[BAJA_05]

Run back to back full tanks with Chevron Techron Fuel System Cleaner. Would not hurt to spill and fill the tranny fluid neither. Good to hear besides tires, running decently for you.

 

[Ifixyawata]

Instead of assuming the gas is "bad" as they say, I would siphon a small bit out and take a smell and look. If the fuel system is tight, it's probably going to be just fine. The misnomer people have is that "old gas is bad". It should be " old gas can be bad if stored in a leaky fuel system".

I did as described above and added a can of Berryman and topped the rest of the gas off with some fresh Top Tier stuff.

For the record the old gas didn't smell anything like what I have always associated with bad gas.

Run back to back full tanks with Chevron Techron Fuel System Cleaner. Would not hurt to spill and fill the tranny fluid neither. Good to hear besides tires, running decently for you.

I think I will probably get some Honda transmission fluid soon and do one of the incremental changes Honda specifies in the manual. It has a shudder or incomplete shift every so often upshifting from 3 to 4, I think.

 

[chrlsful]

"bad" rubs a spectrum.
I wanna get out contaminates (rust, etc).

 

[Ifixyawata]

Got a disappointing 21mpg on my first tank. I will probably do spark plugs next.

What's the go-to for Honda? I know that Autolite, for for example, is the go-to for Fords.

 

[cbrf3]

Used to be NGK's.

 

[Ifixyawata]

Used to be NGK's.

That's what I'm seeing. A split between NGK and Denso

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Look in the air filter box and all the associated resonator boxes for rodents.

I took about 2 lbs of desiccated mice and nesting out of my used 2011 Subaru Outback I bought in 2019.
Had a hard time getting the MAF to play ball afterward even with a couple CRC MAF spray cleanings

Also drain the tank if possible - you don't want that gunk upstream. I would skip any harsh chemicals in the tank that will "loose the hounds of hades"

Like someone said, the snake knew where the rodent hotel buffet was

 

[Nick1994]

Got a disappointing 21mpg on my first tank. I will probably do spark plugs next.

What's the go-to for Honda? I know that Autolite, for for example, is the go-to for Fords.

If you’ve got city driving mixed in, probably not the most fuel efficient car. My old Camry gets 23-24 with mixed driving. Out in the highway it’ll do low 30’s if I drive slow.