Need advice for starting older car, not driven.

SupraDoc · 06-18-2006, 04:09 PM

I just bought a 1988 Supra that has not been driven in two years. What problems can I expect in trying to start the car? It was driven prior to being parked.
If it won't start, can I tow it or do I need to trailer it?
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks

mrnickleye · 06-21-2006, 07:06 AM

Don't tow an automatic trans car.

Change the oil before trying to start it.

Fresh gas. Syphon out the old gas first.

Check the coolant level, top up with water for now.

Check trans oil level.

Power steering oil level.

Look around under hood for anything unusual or disconnected.

Have a knowledgable friend or mechanic help you, if you are unsure.

IHateHacks · 06-21-2006, 01:50 PM

What problems can I expect in trying to start the car?

Besides needing a brand new battery, Id watch out for chewed through wires under the hood or fuel pump. Ive seen it on a 1990 ford truck parked for a couple of years.

SupraDoc · 06-30-2006, 03:01 PM

Thanks for the advice. I installed a new battery, checked the fluids and turned the key. It started right up. Filled it up with premium gas, checked the air in the tires, said a prayer, and drove it from Orlando to Tampa. It drove like a charm, now I can start to give it some TLC. Thanks again

GMKC1234 · 08-24-2006, 06:30 PM

My car sat idle for a year and it wont start start I was told that it was igniter and I just changed it, but it wont start i had a new battery in last year but never drove it. I tried to jump start and fifuired new battery would rejuve, do you think that the battery may be the cause? Keep in mind it is new and I was jump starting it from a 4 runner.

ravenmaster · 09-06-2006, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SupraDoc

Thanks for the advice. I installed a new battery, checked the fluids and turned the key. It started right up. Filled it up with premium gas, checked the air in the tires, said a prayer, and drove it from Orlando to Tampa. It drove like a charm, now I can start to give it some TLC. Thanks again

You drove it from orlando to Tampa? thats about how far I drove mine :-)
I used to live on McDill AFB so good to see another Tampa Bay guy :-) Live in Cali now. i used to go running on Bayshore Blvd all the time :-) Anyway back to the topic at hand. Mine sat for a year, WOULD NOT PASS SMOG for the life of it, checked the cat, turned out it was fine (even though I still took the damn thing off and dunked it in Citric Acid which did clean some gunk).
So I did the following:
Checked and noticed that the guy before me had taken off and redid most of the EGR system including:
The BVSV valve (top nipple was broken $5 USD on ebay)
The Charcoal Canister (another $5 on ebay)*/end EGR*
There is more to what he took off but it was mostly Vacuum Hoses.

Also took out the Spark Plugs and was absolutly shocked at the quality of them. Horrible looking, and not even platinums as recommended, they were normal resistors and some brand I have never heard of.. However I took them to a mechanic and he said it was typical after having sat for a year, not to mention I have pulled the spark plugs for checking and they seem to be doing great. I replaced them with Bosch Double Platinums, boy what a diffrence. The stock preheater hose (as posted before when I thought was a problem with the AFM) had a cut in it so I replaced it with Spectre Air intake Pipe and Spectre Poweradder intake which I moved to the bumper and is now a semi cold air intake. Replaced the Spark Plug wires with Nology Hotwires, again what a diffrence. I still have to fix the Knock Sensor . I also dropped in this stuff called I can't remember but it was something like HPX or something which cleans out all the gunk and stuff (and i swear by it, the state of forida actually ised it in their cars for a year and noticed that it reduced smog outut in thier vehicles 24%. I took my car to get smogged and it passed in the NORM rather than Gross Polluter like it had before. See its just the simple stuff you can do to make your car like new again. i still have my roblems every now and again, but I love my car.

generationracing · 07-05-2007, 09:00 PM

my 87 sat for 3 years and it started pretty fast

supragreen · 09-12-2010, 11:49 PM

I HAVE A 82 SUPRA THAT SAT FOR 7 YEARS WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS NOW I HAVE TO FIX THE TANK NEW LINES PUMP AND FILTER I HOPE NOT THE FUEL EJECTOR

any advice lol

DaveC · 01-27-2014, 04:37 PM

I bought a 1986 P type sight unseen and I think I am screwed. Does the Supra activate it's wipers with the start cycle?

Dirty · 02-01-2014, 03:09 PM

My supra has been sitting for 4months and now all it does when I try to start it is taps very loud any ideas?

06-18-2006, 04:09 PM	#1
SupraDoc Stock Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Tampa,FlAu Posts: 2	Need advice for starting older car, not driven. I just bought a 1988 Supra that has not been driven in two years. What problems can I expect in trying to start the car? It was driven prior to being parked. If it won't start, can I tow it or do I need to trailer it? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks

06-21-2006, 07:06 AM	#2
mrnickleye 1000whp postwhore Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Mojave Desert, Calif. Posts: 1,705	A Few Things First Don't tow an automatic trans car. Change the oil before trying to start it. Fresh gas. Syphon out the old gas first. Check the coolant level, top up with water for now. Check trans oil level. Power steering oil level. Look around under hood for anything unusual or disconnected. Have a knowledgable friend or mechanic help you, if you are unsure. __________________ Had a Red 1989 N/A. Automatic. Sports Pkg. w/wing. TEMS, and some nice MODS. Sold to a friend 10/08/08.

08-24-2006, 06:30 PM	#5
GMKC1234 Stock Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Piscataway, NJ Posts: 18	Help me with supra My car sat idle for a year and it wont start start I was told that it was igniter and I just changed it, but it wont start i had a new battery in last year but never drove it. I tried to jump start and fifuired new battery would rejuve, do you think that the battery may be the cause? Keep in mind it is new and I was jump starting it from a 4 runner.

07-05-2007, 09:00 PM	#7
generationracing Stock Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: La Grande, OR. Posts: 8	??? my 87 sat for 3 years and it started pretty fast

09-12-2010, 11:49 PM	#8
supragreen Stock Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: california Posts: 17	82 supra I HAVE A 82 SUPRA THAT SAT FOR 7 YEARS WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS NOW I HAVE TO FIX THE TANK NEW LINES PUMP AND FILTER I HOPE NOT THE FUEL EJECTOR any advice lol

06-21-2006, 01:50 PM	#3
IHateHacks 20psi boost Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Haven/Hamden Posts: 793	What problems can I expect in trying to start the car? Besides needing a brand new battery, Id watch out for chewed through wires under the hood or fuel pump. Ive seen it on a 1990 ford truck parked for a couple of years.

06-30-2006, 03:01 PM	#4
SupraDoc Stock Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Tampa,FlAu Posts: 2	Thanks for the advice. I installed a new battery, checked the fluids and turned the key. It started right up. Filled it up with premium gas, checked the air in the tires, said a prayer, and drove it from Orlando to Tampa. It drove like a charm, now I can start to give it some TLC. Thanks again

01-27-2014, 04:37 PM	#9
DaveC Stock Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Helena, MT Posts: 6	Turned the key..wipers activate, no starter response.? I bought a 1986 P type sight unseen and I think I am screwed. Does the Supra activate it's wipers with the start cycle? Last edited by DaveC; 01-27-2014 at 04:45 PM.

02-01-2014, 03:09 PM	#10
Dirty Stock Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Bettendorf ia Posts: 2	My supra won't start My supra has been sitting for 4months and now all it does when I try to start it is taps very loud any ideas?

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