Help me with my friend car, he's a handicap Vietnam Vet's and the car has sat for 5 years, what to do first.

[BillsCamino]

Picked up an 62K mile '09 Cadillac Sedan w/Northstar about a month ago. It had been sitting outside for at least 5 yrs.
Previous owner was deceased.
Jumped it off ( after finding it's battery) and to my surprise it fired right up.
Aired up the tires, cleaned off the windshield and drove it home...about 15 miles.
No problems.

 

[savannahboy]

Picked up an 62K mile '09 Cadillac Sedan w/Northstar about a month ago. It had been sitting outside for at least 5 yrs.
Previous owner was diseased.
Jumped it off ( after finding it's battery) and to my surprise it fired right up.
Aired up the tires, cleaned off the windshield and drove it home...about 15 miles.
No problems.

Ewww, what disease did previous owner have?

 

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

New "timing kit" including idler pulley, water pump, timing belt and gaskets will run ya about $150 for that year. If ya know how to bend a wrench a little, yeah......I wouldn't trust the timing belt after 24 years either. If it isn't brittle yet it will be soon.

 

[BillsCamino]

Old age...lost her license a couple years before passing from Alzheimer’s.
Paid $1K to the Estate for this car. They just wanted it gone.

 

[SniperStraz]

I might be interested if y’all get it to run and the price is right.

 

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

Apologies, this one used the 2.0L, not the 5VZ (3.4L). Timing belt component kit is about $83 for a Gates, $110ish for a gen-u-wine "Tie-Ota" (aka Aisin).

 

[GeorgiaShooter]

Go boy! I'd do just the basics to see if it will get started then go from there. Here are some ideas to consider that may not be needed. I grew up on a car lot and had to get all kinds of cars going, especially during a repo. Good friends are hard to find. Most shops I know will try to suck you into flushing systems and fluids for a fortune and rarely do the actual work, so be careful. You can trust few.

1. pull a spark plug and ground it to block then turn over to see if spark is present.
2. Inspect the air filter on the intake side to make sure not clogged.
3. Fuel filters can fail and prevent fuel. But spraying into carb or pouring gas can get it started.
4. Make sure something is in radiator and hopefully no rust. You can always do more later.
5. Make sure brakes pump up and the reservoir is full with the correct DOT brake fluid.
6. Oil change with new filter is a must.
7. New battery is a no brainer. Walmart has some decent ones for value.

 

[K79540]

If it's at deer camp we just mat the gas till everything starts to sound right..and clears up...

 

[roundhouse]

I asked Some mechanics about how to start a car engine when that car has been sitting for several years unused.
I think what they recommended was taking the spark plugs out pouring some oil or other lubricant into the cylinders themselves, leaving the spark plugs out so that there's no compression. And then turning the engine over (cranking w/o starting). All you're trying to do is get the Pistons moving without forcing them to compress anything.

Another thing the mechanics recommended was disconnecting the fuel line and cranking the car and collecting the old fuel that was sitting in the fuel pump & lines into a jar --not sending it into the carburetor/fuel injectors.

Only when you've cranked it enough so that all the fuel in the fuel line going to the engine is part of this week's fresh refill of the tank *then* you can reconnect the fuel line.

Yep that’s the best way

I got a free bus a few
Years ago , that had the van cab and bus body , it had a throttle body injected 454 Chevy engine

I was
Gonna pull the plugs and spin the engine over etc etc
I couldn’t even see the spark plugs on that stupid thing ,

Meh , screw it , I just put new gas in it and a new battery and it fired right up .

Spent two days washing it , and replaced the rubber brake lines and brake pads .
Sold it for $6000

 

[C ountry]

I am trying to help my friend that was a pilot in Vietnam. I brought him home from the hospital yesterday. In addition to cancer he had a stroke last month. His wife is also in a wheelchair and her car hasn't been started for over 5 years. It's time to get it gone. It's a 1999 RAV 4 and probably has less than 40K miles. It will make a great car for some kid. I suggested we change the oil before starting it. Fresh gas with additive. I know it needs a battery and while the tires have plenty of tread they will need to be replaced. Should we do anything else? Also is there a mobile mechanic in Marietta? He's a great guy and is now confined to a wheelchair, probably for the rest of his life.
Thanks

Wash it, clean it out & contact carvana. Save the money you would have put in it.