Any Advice? My 205 Wont Start After 3 Years In Storage.

[Arwing 3 1 Cars]

Hi.

 

After returning from 3 years backpacking around the world, i was re-united with my 205 GT today. I prepped it well for storage and everything seems OK except i can't get it to start. I wasn't expecting it to start, first turn of the key, but i thought she'd start eventually.

 

I had 3/4 tank of fuel with preserve in it and i can hear that swishing around if i shake the car. So i don't think the fuels turned to Vasseline and clogged things up. Brake fluid was changed from dot 3.1 to dot 5.1 (silicone based) although the brake pedal won't budge. Seized?

 

The battery i was a good diesel battery which i kept in the car. Seems to have juice in it still but might be worth charging it and trying again. I'm guessing the starter motor or something has seized.

 

Any advice on things to try or possible causes appreciated. Thanks

This was the last photo taken in 2014, just before i put it into storage. Was running sweet as a nut then.

​

[allye 530 3 Cars]

I would highly doubt a battery to last 3 years regardless of quality!

 

New battery, wack the starter with some wood and it might go.

 

Trip sounds amazing btw and the GT looks great, remember seeing that one on here a few years ago.

[toolie72 67 1 Cars]

I used to (with old starter) have a hammer and socket extension behind my seat (ha try explaining that to the old bill) to jump out and hit starter when car went NOH (insert French accent) usually in a crowded petrol station!!

[Biggles 65]

I would highly doubt a battery to last 3 years regardless of quality!

 

New battery, wack the starter with some wood and it might go.

 

Trip sounds amazing btw and the GT looks great, remember seeing that one on here a few years ago.

 

Agree - would be the world's best battery to last 3 years without any use.

 

Rock it in gear to jolt the starter might be worth trying too.

 

BTW, DOT 5.1 isn't silicone based.

[DamirGTI 344]

I'd suggest avoiding prolonged practice hitting/hammering the starter as you can crack the magnets and eventuality ruin the starter .. if it won't turn on key , fix it being the wiring solenoid replacement or brushes replacement .

If musted , make sure you hit it on the solenoid rather than the starter body .

 

For troubles starting older cars after logner periods of non use , if everything seems fine mechanically and electronics wise , easy start spray comes handy to help initial start-up after which the engine usually restores normal start-up procedure after an cycle of heating/cooling .. moisture often couses issues which then spread to contact oxidation on long trem stored cars

 

D

Edited March 29, 2017 by DamirGTI

[steve@cornwall 100]

When you say won't start and starter may be seized, what exactly happens when you turn the key? First click

Do the dash lights light? Turn key to start and what happens then? Lights stay on/ go off? Any sound or movement from starter at all? Or does it spin over but not start? Can anyone aid you with jump leads?

[Leslie green 116]

Modern petrol will be useless after 3 years and needs drained.

[welshpug 1,666]

Modern petrol will be useless after 3 years and needs drained.

Thankfully thats bollocks, I've had many a vehicle sat with well over 3 year old petrol in it start without any problems at all.

 

it may be the case with low grade fuel in some parts of America and 3rd world countries but not our stuff.

Edited March 30, 2017 by welshpug

[jackherer 543]

I agree, I've left cars for three years and longer and they have started and run fine. Also the brake pedals have never become stuck, I would definitely be concerned about that.

[Tom Fenton 1,548]

Cars will start OK on old petrol but certainly in the case of an Mi16 205 of mine, it would start and run OK but as soon as you put it under any load driving it started coughing spluttering and misfiring. New fuel in sorted it out.

[Arwing 3 1 Cars]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I should have explained it better in the first post... With the "diesel" battery i mentioned, the interior light came on, dash lights and fan/blower all worked. Exterior lights worked bar the full beam - it didn't like that. The engine tried to start - chh chh chh chh noise, but didn't spark up. Problem is, the car's in storage 25 miles from where i am (making it a 50 mile round trip). Money isn't my strongest asset at the minute as i'm sure you can imagine after 3 years travelling. So i can't keep going back and forth. I'm temporarily borrowing my mum's X-Trail which isn't the best on fuel.

 

I did take the battery away with me. Will be getting it tested and charged before going back up there. I'll give the starter motor a "tap" if need be and try everything else people have mentioned. I guess the battery is the most likely reason. I can't get a car in to jump it either as it's surrounded by crates and pallets. They're more than happy to get the forklift and move them for me but only when i'm ready to take it away.

 

Thanks again. Will keep you posted on news

[welshpug 1,666]

I would attach a length of wire directly to the starter solenoid, turn the ignition on and give that wire 12v from the battery.

 

This will bypass any old corroded wiring in the ignition circuit and 99% of the time will get the starter motor turning.

[Leslie green 116]

If the battery won't power the full beam it certainly won't power the starter motor which takes many many times the power, you should just get them to pull it out and jump it of the x trail .

If the starter noise was a clicking ??? then its the solenoid trying to engage the starter but there isn't enough power to do the job ,if you don't want to take the car out first just borrow a charged battery and leads and jump start it in there , ever take the battery from the xtrail but don't go flattening it or you will be stuck and from what you have said so far the starter sounds like it is ok .

 

Modern fuel now contains ethanol which doesn't keep very well but as you put an additive in it may be good enough to get you going but as said it won't run the best .

Edited March 30, 2017 by Leslie green

[Arwing 3 1 Cars]

***Just an update***

 

I had the battery checked and remarkably, it was fine, all-be-it a little low on charge. Anyway i took 2 different batteries up with me today. One from a recently running Ford Focus diesel and the other from my brothers running Golf turbo. My 205 still refused to start with either of these. I gave the starter a "tap" and nothing still. I should have taken a video. Would be easier for a problem to be diagnosed then. The only way i can explain it is, the chh chh chh noise when i turn the key, sounds more like a dry heave than a chh chh chh.

 

So i'm going to take off the front bumper and tow it back using a tow arm (last time i used one of those on a different car, it split the bumper so i'm not making that mistake twice). Will update this post as things progress. In an ideal world i'd just replace it with a GTi but they've shot up in price since i went travelling. Seen some go for over £3k on e-bay

[jackherer 543]

The only way i can explain it is, the chh chh chh noise when i turn the key, sounds more like a dry heave than a chh chh chh.

 

It's probably a wiring fault or maybe a dead starter but before you go any further I'd take the spark plugs out and try turning it over by hand with a socket or spanner on the crank bolt to check the engine is free.

[steve@cornwall 100]

When first on the tow bar, try very gently pulling it forward with a high gear engaged and clutch out ( not a bad idea to disconnect the king lead); if the front wheels/engine turn, try a bump start.

[Leslie green 116]

1....Is it spinning over just watch the fanbelt to see if its moving check ?

2...is there a spark ? ,

you can buy a ht lead tester on ebay or a set of 4 in halfords called " laser ht lead spark teser " which flashes if there is a regular spark , it goes between dissy cap and the lead or lead and plug if possible.You just need one on any lead doesn't matter ,no spark it will never start.

 

3. if its turning over and you have a spark its fuel , carb cars often use a mechanical fuel pump on the back of the engine that only pumps as the engine spins over, when they sit a long time the fuel drains back to tank, it takes ages to get fuel up to the carb again often over a minute .I don't know anything about gt's but I assume its carb ?

 

to get it to go take of air filter top if its over the carb and either spray easy start down the barrel or put a thimble of fresh petrol down the carb no more !!!, it must be direct down the carb not in the piping !!! If it backfires and spits flames out the carb top stand on the accelerator to stuck the flame in .I have started many an old carb car like this in the past.

 

After this if you can answer the 3 above questions you should have a running car if only briefly it may be enough to draw the old fuel back up from the tank.

Goodluck and take care !

Edited April 8, 2017 by Leslie green