Hey guys, I'm about to buy an 86GT 5spd that's been sitting for about a year. I hooked her up to my 87GT and the battery (was totally dead before) read up to 10V. But once you try to crank it, everything dies. I was getting all the startup lights and headlights/brake lights were functional. On cranking, the engine would turn over very, very slow about 3 times. I can hear the starter going at it hard... Also, the gas has been in there for that year.

Any suggestions as to what I can do? If I get it to start, I'm buying it! $500

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Christian Thomas
87 Pontiac Fiero GT Maroon/Silver

If the battery was allowed to discharge that much for that long, it's toast. Get a new battery, pull the plugs and squirt a teaspoon of oil into each cylinder, then crank the engine a few seconds with the coil wire disconnected to give the oil a chance to get distributed in the cylinder walls. Also, you really should change the oil before running the engine as it's probably got water condensate in it.

JazzMan

if it's not the battery, check the ground coming off the battery. mine was not fastened properly and it cause the whole car to die just before it would crank.....

good luck sounds like a good buy but check for rust on the frame, and other such things before jhumping into it. 500 bucks doesn't seem like a lot now but wait until you have to eat it, it will seem like a lot more then.

take you time and pick out the one thats best for you

good luck

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In search of a 86-88 fastback in Northern IL

I've actually crawled around the entire car and checked the frame for rust everywhere. This is an awesome buy. I'll try to keep the existing battery in there for my test drive, but I understand I might need to get a new one even to do that. I'm going to try what you guys prescribed, thanks!

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Christian Thomas
87 Pontiac Fiero GT Maroon/Silver

If you jump start it and let it run on a totally dead battery you are likely to destroy the alternator (black death).

Be careful