what do you do to a car to get it started if its been sitting for at least two years?

 

Siphon out as much of the old gas as you can, put in 5 gal of fresh premium. Change fuel and oil filters, install new battery, turn the key and cross your fingers.

If it's been more than 2 years or of you live in a wet climate, you probably want to pull the plugs and squirt some light oil into the cylinders first.

 

You dont just change fluids and turn the key after 2 years of sitting. That wouldnt be a good thing to do. Any or all the oil that was on the valvetrain has dripped off long ago. If you just turn the key you will be turning over the motor with no oil on the valvetrain. You need to prime the motor before you even touch that key so oil is distributed throughout the motor.

 

Wouldn't hurt to turn it by hand a cople of times either.

 

I see that term used a lot but, what does "priming the motor" with oil entail? I understand priming something with fuel, because you just depress the pedal,plunger, whatever to squirt some in. I thought the oil pump was a mechanical pump rather than an electric one, so you can't just turn it on without the engine. Can you get away with just pulling the valve covers and pouring some on or is there a better way?

 

To prime an engine you need to remove the distributor and insert a oil primer or a modified distributor. Get a drill attach it to the top of the primer and spin it until you get oil pressure and then I usally hold it for another mintue or less just so there is oil circualted well.The oil pump turns by itself because there is not gear on the prime tools either one i metioned it just engauges the oil pump.

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...0&autoview=sku

 

84z28 has the best advise so far, but i would gets new plugs and wires as well, and clean the distributor cap while your at it. new battery, new oil, filters, premium fuel, plugs, wires, clean cap, cross your fingers and turn the key

 

alright would it be a nice car to buy because i am saving up money for my first car right now but i don't desperately need one. this car is not on the market but i wanted to make an offer to this guy how is a $1000 offer sound cause the car has a surface rust spot on the RR quarter next to the backglass and hasn't started in at least two years

 

First car huh? Well seeing as how the car hasn't been started in 2 years and you technically don't even know how it runs, 1000$ is being generous, i'd offer 800$ if that. before you even offer at least plug a battery into it, make sure everythings hooked up, and see if it will even turn over, if it does, try and start it, just don't let it run very long (just a couple of seconds). Wait, technically you havn't even told us the make, model, year, engine, or anything of the vehicle, you might want to start with that.

 

from seeing it and asking around this site which you guys are great with helping other camaro/pontiac fans out that it is a 1982 Camaro Indy Pace Car
idk if its manual or automatic or if its carburated or crossfire fuel injection but i love camaros and have always wanted one and since i don't desperately need a car right now this would be perfect

 

Well lets hope its the cross fire injection, the fact that its a indy pace car doesn't change much, besides a different paint job and maybe a upgraded suspension. the actual pace car hefted a highly modified 350. anyway, the cross fire would give you about 20 more horses then the 4 barrel. just look under the hood next time you can. but just to let you know, stock, this car won't be a race car, 165 HP MAX, if you have the cross fire. but LG4's are common so you could seriously soupe it up if you have the motivation. i'd say, seeing as you don't know whether it starts and runs, its got body problems, and its the oldest model 3rd generation car, i would offer 800 if it ran, and 500 if it didn't. it would be a great project car.

 

and i'm looking for a semi-project car which this is i am gonna look at it and check it out before i even make any offers just so i'm not getting into something too serious....and if i bought it i would get it running to tip-top stock condition then in spring buy headers and an exhaust kit and maybe a shift-kit and a shifter (unless it's manual then a short-throw shifter)

 

plus i have heard so many different theories on how to get this thing started because i have asked a couple people including my automotive teacher...
So here is what everyone said to do:
-Automotive Teacher: "pull plugs and squirt some oil in there, drain/ siphon gas and possibly rebuild carb. if it has one, and plug in a fresh battery"
-Guy at work who used to wrench cars: "dump in some fresh fuel with like 3 bottles of Dry Gas, new battery, replace plugs and wires"
-you guys: "replace plugs and wires, clean cap and rotor, all new fuel, new battery, all new fluids, squirt some oil in cylinders, prime engine with oil, turn over by hand some"

which advice to follow?
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you guys are such a big help to an aspiring camaro fan and owner i can't wait until my next day off to approach the guy about the car

 

New battery only if the one in it won't charge up.

If you do all the things that have been suggested here, you'll cover all the bases, right?

I wouldn't bother pulling the distributor, but removing the spark plugs, squirting some oil in each cylinder, disconnecting the distributor power wire and turning the engine over with the starter will have the same effect. Doing that after draining the oil, changing the filter, and adding fresh oil would be better than doing this with the old oil.