Mea Culpa - no gas stabilizer and the car has sat for probably a year

[w261w261]

I can't believe I've done this. It was always going to be "just another week or so," and now it's a year. So the question is: is there anything I should do before trying to start it? Maybe put a little oil in the top end and crank it over w no spark? And if the gas has turned to varnish then it will run like shit or not run at all. I'm hoping that if I can get it started, and maybe have put an additive in the tank, it will run like shit long enough to flush through the old gas through. I'm really not looking forward to cleaning out the whole system, which I will probably not do.

It's been maybe 3 years since I've been on the site, glad to see some of the regulars still popping away. I've been so conflicted about my car. It got hit in the right rear quarter ($1700 insurance check), then a bookcase fell on it in the garage ($800 insurance). So in a couple of months I got more than I ever could have sold it for, and I know that anything I put into it will never come out. My wife says i can't drive it as is (more to the point, she won't be seen in it). It needs a new center pipe in the exhaust, probably a new power steering hose, the usual oil leaks fixed, and some rust over the rear wheel wells repaired (I have new steel inserts), but that's about it. The leather interior is cherry ($450 into the driver's seat for new leather awhile ago), it has Bilsteins/1" drop Eibachs (I revalved the Bilsteins twice to get them right), new tires, v nice stock SE-i wheels), Hellas, a working original Bose system, and Infinity speakers. Paint is original, car has always been garaged. I got the last bronze-tint windshield (only in the SE-i) in North America by driving up to Montreal about 6 years ago. The Bilsteins and Eibachs are now unobtanium.

So what do I do? If it leaves, I know it's gone for good, irreplaceable. Yet, to fix it up implies a level of financial commitment and anticipated use that I don't -think- I'm ready for. So it has just sat there. But I didn't intend to fuck it up, for chrissake.

Thanks,

Hal

[2oodoor]

Hey! Long time, good to see you check in! You can part it out but it may take a while, reasonable priced suspension upgrades sell faster than anything here though.
Don't these have a drain plug on the tank? I may be thinking of a toyota.. One year isn't real bad if it was full. Fuel filter should get the worst of any solid residue.

[Dr_Snooz]

Good to see you Hal! You have a real heart vs. head war going on there. Let us know what you end up doing. I'm still grateful for the ETM, BTW. Thank you again.

My brother bought an outboard motor that had sat for 3-4 years with the gas in the tank. We tried for about an hour to start it. We added fuel stabilizer and shot starting fluid, drained the tank and refilled, wore out the arms of three different guys. Nothing worked. Finally, we drained the carb (on an outboard, you can do this by turning a single screw). The fuel that came out was yellow and waxy. I've never seen anything like it. Once we got that out of there, it started right up.

I'm not sure what that anecdote is supposed to teach, but I guess don't worry too much about it. Worst case, you'll have to drain the fuel rail. I think you'll be fine though. Just start it up. Run a bottle of injector cleaner through it if you're real worried.

[w261w261]

Hey Snooz! Yep, I am in the same place as a couple of years ago...and so is the SE-i. When I think of what's in it...all new bushings, wheel bearings, camber-adjusting UCA mounts, main relay, window relay, Infinity's, correct bronze glass, Hella conversion, beautiful leather, Bilsteins and Eibachs, thethought of selling it to someone who will not keep it up is hard to contemplate. I think what I'll do is find a backyard guy to fix the basketball- size dent in the rear quarter panel. I had wanted to cut and weld in the new arches and paint it all together, but that job is probably 800.

[Dr_Snooz]

Not sure the best way to phrase this, but would your car paralysis benefit from something new and sparkly landing in the wife's jewelry box?

Theoretically speaking, of course.

:ugh:

[w261w261]

What! You want me to spend good Accord fix-up money on my wife?

[Dr_Snooz]

Oh dear. It's worse than I thought! :rofl: