1982 Alfa

Spark and Gas, are your issues, and you know what to look at already.

Gas turns to varnish and clogs carb jets more quickly in hot climates, than in cold climates.

If it won't start, it will be either fuel or spark.

If it is a carb, and not fuel injection, for I admit I don't know if the Alfa Spyder in '82 had a carb, or turbo, or fuel injection, and you are in a hot humid geography you may need to drain all the lines, and flush to clean them.

In my past I had problems with motorcycle engines that had not been run in awhile, and had to clean with solvents.

I have seen mechanics spray some ether around to get something going, though a little is good, but a lot can blow the heads off, or cause a fearful explosion.

Safety glasses are highly recommended when messing around with this stuff, since a good number of people are blinded each year when jump starting automobiles.

For AC you always ground first, but I've heard that when jump starting a car you are supposed go Positive first. Supposedly I did it wrong many times, so I am lucky, I guess.

The reason automotive jumpers are done is the odd fashion is to move any spark as far away from the battery gases as possible.Connect the positive cable on both ends first, then the negative on the live car, finally the negative on the dead car gets connected to a location that is away from the battery. ( A section of frame or the engine block.)

As a suggestion, first check all of the fluids on the Alfa. Put a battery charger on the battery for a few hours. Put 5 gallons of fresh gasoline into the tank. Check that the throttle on the engine returns completely when released.You might want to spray some light penetrating oil into the spark plug holes. This will allow the dry engine to spin over with less friction when trying to start. If the throttle opening is straight down, pour about 1/2 oz of fresh gasoline into it and hit the key. I would suggest using jumper cables on it when first trying to start it. Give it a try, and let us know how it works. Good luck.

Do what Bob says. But wear safety glasses all the same.

From the previous owner of a 1973 Alfa Spyder.

First, as you already know, your Alfa has fuel injection, unless it was modified to put dual Webers back on like in the old days. If it is stock factory, it is fuel injection. The older ones like mine had Spica mechanical injection, the newer ones like yours (I believe) had Bosch electronic.

This is not Alfa specific, but if it has been sitting a long while, I would remove the spark plugs (easy to do on a four cylinder hemi!) and pour a little oil in each cylinder, then I would crank it a few times to move that oil around and let the rings loosen up before getting the full acceleration due to combustion. If your battery is weak or dead, you can use one of these external charging stations that are used to either trickle charge a battery, fast charge, or provide enough oomph to start an engine directly.

Or you can put the right size socket on the crankshaft bolt and turn it by hand using a socket wrench. Used to know what size socket that was, but have long since forgotten.

By far the most beautiful car I ever owned - sheet metal and under the hood. Good luck!

GA from me.

The OP should also replace all brake/hydraulic fluids before driving, check/replace coolant.

Further to your excellent post, the OP should:-

1) Do not start or attach a battery etc..

2) Follow EMC C's recommendations with regard to spark plugs and the oil.

3) Turn the engine over by hand for about 10 minutes or so to get the oil into all the places that it should be. If there is any thought (look at the oil, is it black and dirty?) that the oil is old, then replace both oil and filter first and pump the oil around by hand for at least 20 minutes to make sure that the filter has filled up and supplied everything with fresh oil. This oil need not be of high quality other than it should be of course of the correct standard, replace it with correct high quality after an hours running, while hot (be careful!)

4) Spin the motor over STILL WITHOUT THE PLUGS IN THE ENGINE. Watch oil pressure gauge (if I remember correctly, this car has the gauge, if not watch the light) till it shows oil pressure.

5) Replace plugs, connect plug leads and try and start. Do not rev if she starts, listen for strange noises, look for oil and coolant leaks.....let her warm up slowly. Be alert...

6) Use a high quality carb/injector cleaner to clear any deposits away.....

7) Check and replace tires and brakes if needed.

8) Enjoy!

GA.

electrolysis will eat holes in the block and cylinder head.

Not without stray electricity; the battery is dead.

The source of the stray electricity is often electrical engine accessories that have not a sufficient ground, a missing engine or transmission ground strap may cause coolant to become electrified. Is normal to have very small amounts of electrical current pass through the coolant, values greater than 0.10 volt can start reactions between the coolant and the metal in the engine.

Other than actually spotting signs of corrosion you can perform a current flow test. Connect the negative terminal of a voltmeter to the chassis ground. Test for adequate continuity by touching another point on the chassis—the resistance should be near to zero. With the engine cold and running, submerge the positive probe into the coolant tank; make sure the probe doesn't touch any metal parts. The voltage should be less than 0.10 volt. If not, methodically turn-off or unplug each electrical accessory until the meter reads below 0.10 volts. Have a helper switch accessories (A/C compressor, heater blower, etc.) while you measure the voltage.

If an accessory doesn't have an on-off switch, test it by temporarily running a ground from the accessories housing to the chassis. Ground each component, and then check the voltmeter. If the wire restores a missing ground connection to the accessory, then you've found a component with a faulty ground.

During this test be sure to check the starter. A poorly grounded starter will struggle to turn over the engine, and it will zap away tremendous amounts of metal in the cooling system components. Watch the meter carefully when starting the engine. Any voltage spike will indicate a faulty ground connection.

Since you just want to start it and check for potentialproblems, use the KISS method and Keep It Seriously Simple (I'm trying to leave the stupid part out of the KISS)...

Buy a battery or pull it out of another car, throw it in place and start the damn thing.

The Alda is a decent car and should tart right up... Even if the gas is a bit rough, don't drain the tank if you can mix at least 5 gallons of good gas to 1 gallon of the old stuff. Spray starting fluid in the air intake after you have cranked it a while and you should be good to go. A year in a garage should not have totally dried up the gasoline to leave you with turpentine.... (I've added a half can of Dr. Pepper to few gallons of bad turpentine smelling gas in the tank of an old International Scout, and it started right up!).

Of course, if it leaks from the radiator and fuel lines, etc... You know the ethanol grain fuels added to the pump gas probably ate away at the gas lines or rubber
O-Rings at the injectors.

Being 100% safe is for men with female hormones... Go for it.

JL Mealer
http://mealercompanies.com

GA from me for a really good safety point!!

I have to admit I myself would likely just be prepared to jump it, with some good gas in it, and go from there.

It was not that unusual at all in my past for pilots to leave a car in the parking lot for months just sitting there, fly in, get in the car, and go.

How often do they go around in the car dealership lot, start all the cars, and run them for awhile?

So far what has happened? I am really interested for some reason on how this turns out. I wonder what Anonymous Hero would suggest?

The only car I ever had that I now consider a "work of art" was my first car, my 1954 Pontiac Star Chief.

I did also have a Triumph Spitfire, but it was really a piece of junk. I also had a 68 Bonniville, and learned to drive in a Sunbeam Tiger, a 38' Packard, and a 442 Cutlass Olds.

Hey, at least this time we are disagreeing about technical stuff.

The Alfa two litre engine, as I described it in previous posts, was a very fine piece of work. It was all the best engineering practices - no corners cut. Mine (1973) was rated at 120 hp, which means 1 hp per cubic inch of displacement. Normally aspirated mind you, fixed valve timing, two valves per cylinder, no smarts at all, just magnificent mechanical engineering. You treat something like that with respect.

If you were to ruin that engine, there are likely only a few shops nationwide (USA) that would work on it, at least with any experience and competency.

emc_c

If you were to ruin that engine, there are likely only a few shops nationwide (USA) that would work on it, at least with any experience and competency.

That's fine howdy-do, now we're incompetent

"That's fine howdy-do, now we're incompetent," and incontinent also.

In addition to other posts, I was out of the country for a year and my car sat the whole time. When I drove it again many of the seals in the tranny were bad. I had other seal and bearing issues too.

I guess its a question of using a bit of common sense, some shade tree mechanicing nouse, and a dash of luck.

The important thing is not to just hop in start it and drive across the country and hope it will hang together.

If this car has been well cared for previously then there is no reason to assume the absolute worst. However, if the car was abandoned for a mystery reason then all care should be taken in recommissioning to ensure you don't create more headaches for yourself.

This car of your daughters is a desirable car in the eyes of those who appreciate the finer things in life. The nintendo me generation don't get it but that's ok by the rest of us.

There is a lot of good information here put forward by several interested people. You haven't mentioned why it was laid up, which is why most of the advice is of a very cautionary measure.

Be nice to know how you go.

Cheers

Perry

<...What should I pay attention to when she wants to get it started again this summer?...>

Check it hasn't corroded to powder.

I think she left the doors and the trunk open for the entire time. What should I pay attention to when she wants to get it started again this summer?

What critters may have taken residence within...err what vermin etc. of possible unknown inhabitants.

I think some little creatures called "chipmunks" and they are not the cute little Chip and Dales from Walt Disney. Trying to get rid of all of them with moth balls. May be a myth but I'm willing to try for under $5.

Do they take Money nowadays to clear off? That's modern!!

Just don't forget to check the brakes too, ok? And be nice with her and use the car yourself several times before leaving she use it, as the other guys mentioned. By the way: really nice car!!! No "big-is-beautifull" or "drive-my-truck" stuff. I don't mean powerfull cars are not nice, but you should admit that a decent-sized car with a well finished 2 liter engine like this one is much closer to be a piece of art than a blazer like thing with huge engine making 1 mile per gallon...

K.I.S.S. version:

You're in a generally temperate climate. Needn't be too fanatical. Turn on the headlights... day time. If good shine, battery's okay...at least to get started.

Next, check dipstick oil level; add as required but don't overfill...be mindful of engine temperature...including after start and warm up.

Next, check radiator/reserve tank...for clean coolant filled to bottom of filler neck. Remember, if you had to add coolant now, you might have to add more later after t-stat opens. If added little or none (to radiator), engine probably okay.

Now check tyre pressure (kidding?)

Now the final preparation: Put key in ignition/start/run switch.

Start the car, idle and inspect (leaking fluid and such) and correct. Drive moderately.

If the car did not start, run, and drive then there's something the matter that almost certainly had nothing to do with storing for as little as a year...or not undertaking lots of repairs/renewals.

Just to feel good about your daughter driving the car...drive it to you mechanic for updated scheduled maintenance and checkout.

Good luck.

I thank you all for your help. I'm am going to turn all these responses over to her and her boyfriend..a graduate of RPI as of last weekend ... BS in ME ... and let them take it from here. I just want to make sure that the youngsters are paying attention to the crucial items and not playing with a too high to gusto to brains ratio. Her Dad bought the car and knew what to do - unfortunately he's no longer with us - therefore the sentiment and I don't want everything to go SNAFU. I promise that the young lad will not be allowed to do anything wayward. Thanks again.