Sitting for a Year Won't Start

[mike d]

I haven't driven my truck in about a year. I put a battery in it today, tried to turn it over, and it wouldn't start. Anyone have a suggestion on the best way to address this? I was thinking of draining the gas tank from the plug and putting in new fuel. Will that be enough, or is there a good way to clear the fuel line near the engine?

Also, I'm putting it up for sale. If somebody wants a good deal, they can come over and get it started, or tow it out of here. It runs fine aside from a tank of bad gas. It has about 160k miles, deflared, white, and always well maintained. I just haven't driven it much over the past few years. It's spent most of it's time in the garage.


Thanks.

Mike

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Pictures or it isn't real, what do you mean by no start, does it crank or no crank?

 

[mike d]

Yeah, it cranks. It just won't fire up, and I can smell the bad gas.

Here's a few pics. These are a few years old, but it's the same condition. That's the last time it saw snow, and it's always been garaged.

 

[dr335i]

I wish you were in the south I’d probably jump all over this. How much were you looking to get out of it if you don’t mind me asking?

 

[mike d]

I was going to list it for $8k today. I expected it to fire right up, as usual. I'm super busy with some work projects right now, and it has to go. If somebody gives me a decent offer, and can get it out of here, it's theirs. It's in an underground garage outside of Philadelphia. You can tow it, or work on it in the garage to get it started.

I am still looking for good suggestions on getting all the gas out. This doesn't have a schrader valve on the fuel rail, or that would be the logical place to pump it out. I can't spill fuel in this garage. So I want to avoid pulling the tank plug.

 

[dr335i]

Honestly I faced this same problem when I bought my extremely neglected 92. Granted, I’m sure a 3FE could run on anything and I eventually got it to start and just ran it out (it was low to begin with).

I gave it a lot of thinking, asked a few mechanics I knew, no one had any good ideas. Dealing with disposal of gas is apparently just a headache no one really wants to or is equipped to do. My only real thought was to jack up the rear with a few 5 gal buckets ready and just pull the plug and try to do it as neatly as possible. Under the rear seat there’s an access door to pull the pump out that maybe you could use to get some access and pump it out (funny thing is - something’s clogging my fuel neck so I actually had to fill the tank up through that hole)

I’d also try mixing in some new premium gas or maybe trying a little bit of octane booster. It would really be ideal to get it started.

 

[mike d]

It's just under a quarter tank. I was tempted to pour in five gallons of premium today. Then I envisioned myself just adding five additional gallons to my fuel disposal issue. The fuel level is so low, I thought using the fuel pump somehow to get it out would be cleanest, but I may just pull the plug tomorrow.

Maybe I'll just pour in a bunch of new gas, and use a can of starting fluid while burning up the old crap in the lines? If that's a really bad idea, somebody stop me.

 

[Sc0-]

Just went through this, '95 that had been sitting for 1.5yrs. 20 gallons of bad fuel, pumped it out from the fuel pump access cover. Had spark but no fuel, pulled the fuel return house from the fuel pressure regulator and no fuel. Swapped fuel pump relay and no go. Ohmed the pump from the relay connector and it wasn't within specifications. Jumped a positive wire to the fuel pump power wire and still no go... Bad fuel pump or bad wire going to the fuel pump....

 

[BILT4ME]

Try using ether (starting fluid) to spray into the intake to see if it will fire. If not, it's not the fuel, it's no spark.

Do you have a CEL with the key in RUN position?

 

[White Stripe]

Bad fuel can in some instances actually glue the valves open. Only way to fix is to pull the head, hammer the valves out, and clean out the valve guides.

 

[sea bass]

You don't need to pull the head and Hammer the valves open, it only sat for a year, if it ran when you parked it there it's just bad fuel

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Just use a cheap fluid pump and pump it out through the access hole.

 

[mike d]

It's in a parking garage under a highrise building. So decided not to mess around trying to drain or siphon. I poured in five gallons of premium, gave it a good slosh, and it still didn't fire up. It fires right up with a shot of starting fluid. I'm going to check the fuel pressure next if I ever get any time to go down and work on it. Ironically, I have another car down there I hand't started for a year, and it fired right up, and it runs perfectly.

 

[dr335i]

It's in a parking garage under a highrise building. So decided not to mess around trying to drain or siphon. I poured in five gallons of premium, gave it a good slosh, and it still didn't fire up. It fires right up with a shot of starting fluid. I'm going to check the fuel pressure next if I ever get any time to go down and work on it. Ironically, I have another car down there I hand't started for a year, and it fired right up, and it runs perfectly.

It's very possible your fuel pump is bad. That's what mine did when the pump was shot. Replaced it and it fired up after some encouraging and burned out all the bad gas. (Left a massive black spot on the ground under the exhaust from all the bad gas black smoke -- thats a different story though)

 

[mike d]

It's very possible your fuel pump is bad. That's what mine did when the pump was shot. Replaced it and it fired up after some encouraging and burned out all the bad gas. (Left a massive black spot on the ground under the exhaust from all the bad gas black smoke -- thats a different story though)

That's exactly what I was thinking. I don't have anyone to crank for me while I whack it with a mallet to get it going. They're pretty cheap, so I think I'm going to order one for Friday delivery. Hopefully I don't have to mess around with the fuel filter. I replaced that within the last few thousands miles (years ago), and remember it was not a fun time. It was a much more pleasant experience doing the PHH.

 

[dr335i]

That's exactly what I was thinking. I don't have anyone to crank for me while I whack it with a mallet to get it going. They're pretty cheap, so I think I'm going to order one for Friday delivery. Hopefully I don't have to mess around with the fuel filter. I replaced that within the last few thousands miles (years ago), and remember it was not a fun time. It was a much more pleasant experience doing the PHH.

Can you do that with a fuel pump? I know you can a starter. That’s really useful information for me actually.

Make sure yours comes with a strainer. Mine did not and I don’t see how it would be possible to reuse it. Had to wait another three days for shipping

 

[BILT4ME]

Have you checked your fuses?

The fuel pump on these only run while the engine is cranking.

You can pull the relay and hotwire the fuel pump to test for operation. Way easier than randomly buying and changing parts.

Please search fuel pump hotwire and see what you get.

It may be part of the FAQ section under troubleshooting.

 

[Red Merle]

It's not OSHA approved, but if you slide a kids swimmy pool under the tank area, there is enough room to get some buckets and a plan, but be aware, it's a lot more than you think it will be. At least one metric futston.

You could just try treating the gas that is in there and diluting the bad fuel with some good premium gas and maybe something more along the lines of a high octane alcohol to sort of clean out the pipes when you give it the berries.

I would be shocked if you have a fuel problem.

 

[Red Merle]

I have fuel pump that I will part with for the ride if you want to try it, but they pretty much never die, at least not this soon. In 17-23 years, we can have another look at it, but I am not even half way done wearing this mule out.

 

[Red Merle]

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