My car has been sitting for a year

[JMJNet]

Have you even try to start it?
I will and see what problem comes out instead of imagining the problem before it happens.
If the car was maintained properly before it goes on storage, then it will still be as good as before.
If the car was giving you trouble before, the trouble will not magically vanished.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: TheKracken
I personally would put in some seafoam or some other type of fuel stabilizer and let it sit in the tank while your battery is being charged back up. Your oil is just fine, but check the level to be sure before you start her up.


There is no additive that will help old gas. Period. Additives can stabilize new gas but not resirict old gas. Best is to drain it and replace. You can dillute with 93 octane if you have less than 1/2 tank.

Your gas will probably start the engine but will be low in octane.

Make sure your batter tender is actually charging. Some of the smart chargers will not charge a really dead battery.

 

[fdcg27]

A year is nothing.
The battery may or may not have survived. Put it on a slow charge rate for a day or so and see how it does.
Once you get the car running, it will run and drive fine.
Burn the old gas down to a low level and then refill. You should be fine.
I've done this in the recent past with no problems at all in a state where E10 has been the norm for some decades.

 

[Nick1994]

It should be fine. My Camry has been sitting since February. I took it to Walmart last week and it ran and drove perfectly, like nothing ever happened.

 

[philipp10]

Oh I think we should all over-think it as so many do here. I would drain the gas and then pull the tank and flush it. Would'nt want a drop of the old gas in there....I am sure if you don't the motor will blow up......lol

 

[Ducked]

You might try running some fuel gas (I MEAN actual gas, as in butane or propane, not petrol) into the air intake. That's what I do after a long stand and it seems to work. Same effect as starter fluid but no adverse effects on lubrication (plus I don't have any starter fluid).

You can get the butane from WD40 or similar which will also give you some initial cylinder lubrication, though I don't usually bother with that.

After a year I'd take the plugs out and turn it over a bit first, but the plugs are easy to get to on my car, and it probably isn't really necessary.

 

[Johnny2Bad]

Store your vehicles long-term with a full tank of fuel, keeps moisture problems to a minimum.

Gas stored in large containers (like a gas tank) and in reasonable volumes (more than a gallon or three) usually is OK after a reasonably short period of rest (a year qualifies; ten years doesn't). It's the fuel stored in small areas (like float bowls) that goes bad fairly fast (months). If you can get past that by draining or just running it, regardless of how bad it runs initially, you are probably good to go.

The bacteria (that's why it smells bad if tainted) that eats fuels needs oxygen. Your car's fuel system is sealed against the environment much better than, say, a lawnmower with a hole in the gas cap to vent to the atmosphere as fuel is used during operation. So that's why there are more problems with small recreational craft, boats (plus water doesn't help) and the like.

Consider filling up with premium for your first fill, as it has a bigger additive package, but there should be no need to do that twice, revert to your Owner's Manual recommended grade after that.

By all means check all fluids and observe for leaks. Be aware your tires might not like that first drive much, so assume a blowout is imminent; in other words no 75 MPH runs on the freeway until you are confident they are in good condition and proper inflation.

 

[Johnny2Bad]

Originally Posted By: Ducked
You might try running some fuel gas (I MEAN actual gas, as in butane or propane, not petrol) into the air intake. That's what I do after a long stand and it seems to work. Same effect as starter fluid but no adverse effects on lubrication (plus I don't have any starter fluid).

You can get the butane from WD40 or similar which will also give you some initial cylinder lubrication, though I don't usually bother with that.

After a year I'd take the plugs out and turn it over a bit first, but the plugs are easy to get to on my car, and it probably isn't really necessary.


At the Big 3 factories, engines used to be started and run-in on oxy-acetylene gas, not gasoline, for first run before installation in the vehicle. Maybe still do, wouldn't take anything more than a "special" ECU tune at the assembly station. Clean, much safer, appropriate cylinder pressure load, etc.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: Johnny2Bad
Originally Posted By: Ducked
You might try running some fuel gas (I MEAN actual gas, as in butane or propane, not petrol) into the air intake. That's what I do after a long stand and it seems to work. Same effect as starter fluid but no adverse effects on lubrication (plus I don't have any starter fluid).

You can get the butane from WD40 or similar which will also give you some initial cylinder lubrication, though I don't usually bother with that.

After a year I'd take the plugs out and turn it over a bit first, but the plugs are easy to get to on my car, and it probably isn't really necessary.


At the Big 3 factories, engines used to be started and run-in on oxy-acetylene gas, not gasoline, for first run before installation in the vehicle. Maybe still do, wouldn't take anything more than a "special" ECU tune at the assembly station. Clean, much safer, appropriate cylinder pressure load, etc.


Say WHAT? Why on earth would they do that?

It be very susceptible to flashing back, since the whole charge is ignitable. Bit like trying to run on oxy-hydrogen.

It'd accordingly be quite dangerous, and fairly expensive. Miss-adjusted welding torches smoke a lot, so it wouldn't necessarily be all that clean.

Since oxy-acetylene flames can weld steel, get it wrong and your aluminium bits would be puddles.

And it would tell you very little about how its going to run as an air-fuel engine for the rest of its life.

Sorry, I'm not getting it.

Running-in on methane/ethane/propane or butane, with air, does have some or all of the advantages you mention, thouugh.

 

[gathermewool]

Might be a good time to pickup a cheap digital multimeter (can be had on-sale for less than $10) to check the voltage. Unlikely that a cell would short just from sitting, if it was fine before, but it would be a good check. You never know, it might show some capacity remaining. Regardless, the advice to put it on a charger to get the resting voltage up to >= 12.6VDC is a good one.

Also, I'll +1 the advice to check the water levels in the six battery cells, to ensure the plates are covered before charging. if the cells are very low, you can pretty much kiss that battery goodbye - instead of wasting time, go buy a new one and prevent stress on your charging system trying to keep up with a potentially severely damaged battery, as well as reduce your risk of being left stranded one cold morning.

What oil was in there and how many miles were on it? Has this been answered?

 

[Hounds]

llmercll, you still here? If so, I'll add my voice to those who've said the gas will be fine. You can add Stabil or its equivalent if you want to, but IMHO simply adding fresh 93 octane fuel will do just as well, but even that's overkill.

I base my humble opinion on 33 years of Navy/Fed LEO deployments. Like many here, I started out doing all the usual stuff -- changing oil, experimenting with all sorts of gasoline preps, airing the tires, etc, when storing everything from Austin-Healeys to Porsches to boatloads of V-Dubs, Hondas, etc. The carbureted cars required some extra effort to bring back to life, but IMHO nothing with electronic fuel-injection garaged indoors requires anything more significant than turning the ignition key.

If going through some extensive pre-start routine will make you feel more mechanically sensitive -- and that's not criticism, btw -- by all means do it. But multiple decades of experience taught me such things are seldom, if ever, necessary.

 

[llmercll]

Yes thank you very much everybody. I charged the battery with the battery tender and it started right up. Gas smelled a bit like go kart gas though haha.