Starting a truck that has been parked for 9 months...

[MikeS29]

I have a couple questions about a truck that has been parked for 9 months. It was running when parked.

Assuming it won't start, and I buy it anyway and tow it home:

What are the minimum steps you would take to get it up and running? Would you replace all gas, all plugs, all plug wires, fuel filter(s), what else? Cap and rotor? Would you flush the cooling system?

If you were starting and running a vehicle that had been sitting, what else would you do post-haste?

Thanks guys, newbie here!

[fordman]

battery gas and a key. then i fit doesnt start i begin checking to see why it wont start.i mean you can change the oil and so forth if yo uknwo the motor is suppose to be good. but on a unknown motor. battery gas and key. why waste money on soemthign that may be in need a work or a rebuild?

[MikeS29]

OK, sounds like a good place to start, thanks.

[hazelnut]

Before you try to start it i would pull the coil wire and sparkplugs and check the oil. If oil is full turn over the engine like your trying to start it for 10-15 seconds, This will help getting oil pumped through the motor. If the plugs look ok stick them back in or if they look bad get a new set. Gas with ethonal goes bad fast, when the motor starts and sounds rough and dont clear up. get some new gas and go from their.

[TimTeresa]

I like to pull the plugs and give a dose of WD-40. I have also set them up on #1, pulled the dist and primed the oil pump but I have adaptors for my drill to do that with.

[1982 flareside]

If you dont want to use the gas tank you can take off the line going to the tank from the fuel pump that way you are sure of clean gas. On are bumps there is a filter on the bottom of the fuel pump, MAKE SURE YOU CHECK IT because at the bottom of my fuel pump it was full of rust. My 68 was sitting since 1980 and we got it start so you ought to be fine.
Good luck

[MikeS29]

Sounds like good advice all around. On Sunday, we had an aborted atempt at starting it. It did get turning, if ever so briefly. Didn't get a sputter, and then the battery died hard. Wednesday is when I am supposed to have another look with a friend of mine who is a better mechanic than I, and we will see what we can do to get it going. If not, then I make my offer accordingly and push it the four driveways away to mine.

[MikeS29]

Well, I pulled the trigger. $800.

The 302 fired right up once we got a good charge on the battery, one small blast of starting fluid and it caught right now.

Tomorrow we do paperwork and it comes home!

[papabug71]

Good deal ! Welcome to the club

As long as these old motors are complete you can usally get them to fire up. I pulled a 429 out of a T-bird in the summer of '03. The car had been sitting in the same place since '88. Prior to pulling the motor I wanted to test run it, still in the T-bird. After I replaced the fluids, plugs, & wires it popped right off. It was like an old dinosaur comming back to life

[MikeS29]

She's home!

http://www.fordification.net/forums/vie ... f=15&t=246

[MaxKlinger]

My truck gets parked every year from Thanksgiving to Easter. Not quite 9 months, but definitely a while. Usually I check the oil, spray a little carb cleaner or starting fluid in the carb, and hit the key. She fires right up!

Also, I keep her in the garage, so there isn't a big problem with mice, insects, or other animals. If mine were stored outside I'd want to inspect carefully animals that may have chewed things or built nests.