inaety

Hello everyone, I have a 99 Civic Si and due to college and other circumstances, my car has been just sitting in my driveway for about three or four months. The battery is definitely dead and I am gonna have my buddy jump it to just get it moving a little bit. Is there anything I should check specifically before I try turning or just start driving it a bit since its just been sitting there for so long?

Eddie 70

I would make sure the fluid levels in the radiator and oil are all good. Jump starting a dead battery and driving the car is going to be harder on your alternator. If you can, charge the battery for a few hours with a charger and see if it is even going to take a charge.

PSU

iTrader: (2)

You don't have anyone who could start the car up and drive it once a week or so?

94EG8

Watch the alternator when you go to start it, they ususally seize within a few weeks. A lot of times you can take them off and put an impact wrench on the nut that holds the pulley on to free them up.

inaety

The battery is dead enough to the point where it won't hold a charge. What do you mean seize up? Any way I can check that before I pull it?

94EG8

The armature runs very close to the winding. Due to condensation a slight rust build up happens the alternator wont turn, it will be immediately apparent when you try to start the car as the alternator wont spin and the belt will burn.You can turn the engine over with a ratchet on the crank pulley and see if the alternator turns as well.

Former User

You also might want to put some fresh gas in the tank.

virgineg6

gas goes bad after a while, as soon as you get it running fill that sucker up.

tahoeroscoe

If the car is in otherwise good condition it should be fine. Had my 97 HX sitting since June and just started it up. Drove it around for a few minutes and then took it in to get smogged with old gas and all and it passed jut fine, been driving it for a few days now and it runs like it always has. The only thing i had to do was top off the motor oil.