# Please Help!!



## QwikSilver04 (Dec 25, 2010)

So ive had my car in storage all winter and I took it out about a month ago and brought it up to the main garage and have been fixing the little things and have been getting it ready for the summer and I occasionally start it to keep everything flowing, but I went to start it today as usual and I was letting it idle while I swept out the garage and then it started sputtering and sounding like it was gonna die so I got in it and all the gauges werent working and so I shut it off then it wouldnt start. So I put the battery charger on it and let it charge then I tried it again and it started fine and everything was working then it said abs fault, then the gauges stopped working, then it said airbag fault, and I could hardly keep it running. So i shut it off and tried it again and it wouldn't crank over just like I stated earlier. It has a quarter tank of gas and I just replaced the plugs and wires. Any suggestions, tips, or advice? Every piece of help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.


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## RJ_05GTO (Jul 6, 2008)

sounds like your battery is low or isnt taking a charge. Things go haywire like that when the battery is low. Check your charging voltage to make sure the altenator is charging the battery.


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## firebird (Feb 6, 2011)

how long was it in storage for? did you refill the tank, if not it might be bad fuel as it can go bad in 30 days??? 

also if you start the car during winter and not drive it, you do this once a week, its bad for the car due to condesation build up in exhaust from sudden cold to sudden hot to sudden cold, you fill the exhaust with water and the next thing you know it wont start. any of these familiar...


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## QwikSilver04 (Dec 25, 2010)

No I didnt start it while it was in storage, I've been starting it while its in the heated garage. Thanks for the replies guys I'll check the battery and alternator.


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## firebird (Feb 6, 2011)

how old is the fuel in the tank? did you put stabil in it before storage? and how long was it stored for? i'm thinking fuel might be an issue, but check the battery charge, but i doubt it was the battery that made the car do that.


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## QwikSilver04 (Dec 25, 2010)

Its not the fuel, I dont think, and I put seafoam in before I stored it.


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## firebird (Feb 6, 2011)

After battery check, if still no help, I'd drain the fuel out and put fresh one in,I never use seafoam. I heard good and bad. Maybe you put too much of it and it's chockin on it.


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## firebird (Feb 6, 2011)

Recheck plugs and wires and for correct spacing.


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## QwikSilver04 (Dec 25, 2010)

Ya i'll throw some new gas in tomarrow and the plugs are pre-gapped. Thanks for the help


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

QwikSilver04 said:


> Its not the fuel, I dont think, and I put seafoam in before I stored it.


Seafoam will clean the interior its not going to eliminate moisture in the fuel or preserve it.

Throw a bottle of Heet in the fuel to absorb any moisture that may be in there. Next time you store your vehicle for 3X months at a time add stabil and heet to the fuel run the engine for a few minutes to mix it in the block. Many protect the outside of the vehicle for storage but don't think to protect the inner workings of the motor.


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## BRZN (Jan 31, 2011)

Symptoms sound like an electrical issue caused by a dead battery. Did you have a battery tender hooked up while in storage?

I read (in a magizine not from someone on a forum) that today's gasolines will remain fresh for at least six months. However, I still put Stabil into a completely topped off gas tank prior to putting her to bed for the winter. Don't start her unless you can take her out to run. The cars electrical system is made to maintain, not really to charge, so you're putting undue stress on the alternator: especially if you've got an underdrive pulley. Not to mention the problems "dry starts" can cause.


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## firebird (Feb 6, 2011)

Get a rubber hose and drain as much as possible before putting fresh fuel in. If you don't drain, you may not help the issue at all. 

I thInk if it was the battery the car would die instantly, it would not sputter, but it's possible. I still think its liquid related as the car was choking. And depending on fuel and how the pump mixes it, there might be more water in it from the gas station itself to profit more. So in this case it would not take long for fuel to spoil. There are just certain pumps in my town that I don't go to. Filled at those once for my 4cyl. and each time the car shook like a mofa tractor with ses light on.


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## QwikSilver04 (Dec 25, 2010)

I took the battery up to the main garage while it was in storage and I never cold started it while in storage. So I put a battery charger to it for about an hour then I took a volt meter to the battery last night while the car was running and it was consistently showing a 14.06-14.07 charge. So could it be that the battery was so low that the alternator couldn't bring the battery to sustain the car, and it was just killing the battery the more the car ran? Thanks for the help guys.


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## BRZN (Jan 31, 2011)

QwikSilver04 said:


> So could it be that the battery was so low that the alternator couldn't bring the battery to sustain the car, and it was just killing the battery the more the car ran?


Yes, if it wasn't on something like a battery tender over the time it was stored, that could defintely be it. The alternator is to maintain a charge not to charge a dead battery.


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## QwikSilver04 (Dec 25, 2010)

ya and seafoam does the same as heet and sta-bil so I think it would be fine.


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## BRZN (Jan 31, 2011)

I'm not going to do the research for you but I will throw in my .02 FWIT.

As advertized:
Seafoam is a fuel system cleaner.
Heet is "Dry Gas" used to remove water from gas.
Stabil is a fuel stabilizer.

Any one of the three may do more than advertized but they're not the same products/ingredients.


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## QwikSilver04 (Dec 25, 2010)

Yes I understand but on the sea-foam bottle it says it stabilizes gas, and removes water and cleans. But this is now off topic anyway, so I just want to thank all of you for giving me advice and helping me figure this thing out.


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