So i have to go later and help a friend of mine get his car out of storage. He has had it sitting for the longest time as he was overseas doing his job and i would expect that the battery would be dead as a doornail.

The car is a 77 Pontiac Firebird with a 400 and a 4 speed.

He thinks that even trying to jumpstart it would be futile as the battery was already about 8 years old when it was put into storage and i was thinking we could maybe Push start it by popping the clutch.- something i have never done on anything bigger than a lawnmower.


How exactly is this done? I am leaving at 4 to get him and try to get it started. Last i saw it (6mo ago) the tires had adequate air, and the storage unit is built at the top of a hill with a nice long slope to a pretty dead road.

Key on, engine off, car in 1st or 2nd gear, clutch in, push it up to a decent speed and dump the clutch as fast as you can.

However this really only works if the car would normally have started on the first or second revoltion should the battery not have gone dead, I dont know that I would reccomend trying it on a car that has been sitting. Between the fuel pressure having bled off, plugs oxiding slightly, whatever might have gone wrong with the car sitting, and that inexplicable reason that cars never want to start after they have been sitting for a while, I see you sitting at the bottom of a hill with a car that wont start and no way to get it back into the storage unit lol.

Maybe borrow the battery out of some other car to at least get it started?

Put it in gear, 2nd, push and hold the clutch in, turn the key on to where it's running, or would be.

Have him push it down the hill, when you get to about second gear speed let out the clutch real fast, if it doesn't start right away give it a few seconds.

The gas in the tank may be bad after sitting, and you will damage things by starting the car. Or it won't start at all.

Brad

I doubt if it will work with the car sitting that long.

Is that a carburetor car? I can't remember. If so, you had better drop some gas down the carburetor.

[This message has been edited by Gall757 (edited 03-01-2011).]

Some dudes were coming down the road trying to do this the other day. I asked if they needed help. "Sure!" So I went and started helping them push. The guy in the drivers seat had no clue... after 5 or 6 attempts, my calves were hurting. I ask "What's up with this" He said "Dead Battery".. I though he had a messed up flywheel. Went back to my house, got my truck and cables, 30 seconds later.. it started right up. Try giving it a jump before resorting to this nonsenes.. its hard on the legs.

yeah its carbd and the tank is empty so i have to grab a gallon before i leave. I dont have a side post battery sitting around here as all mine are top post and the neighbor has one but it barely cranks his Civic so there is NO way its going to crank over a 400. We plan on trying the jumpers to see if it will atleast attempt to start up but failing that he wants to have it towed over here for me to go over and check this and that.

FIRST check the BRAKES

- pull the cover off the master cylinder and look for fluid -- empty - done do not try it!! fluid present replace cover
- with car in neutral rock the car to see if brakes are siezed to rotors?
- that care should have power brakes ... will not have power until running!!! may work if pressed hard enough but do you really want to find out rolling down the hill? ... pump on them hard several times and hold... if they fall to the floor - done do not try it!!! if the hold... recheck fluid and all lines and calipers and slaves for signs of fresh fluid leaks...
- If you do atttempt... keep the windows down if not also power... if power leave door open... jump and role

Not for the weak of heart... "Fools rush in were angels fear to tread" somebody sometime said

BBTs

quote Originally posted by Ramsespride: yeah its carbd and the tank is empty so i have to grab a gallon before i leave. I dont have a side post battery sitting around here as all mine are top post and the neighbor has one but it barely cranks his Civic so there is NO way its going to crank over a 400. We plan on trying the jumpers to see if it will atleast attempt to start up but failing that he wants to have it towed over here for me to go over and check this and that.

Make sure to put a capful of gas in the carburetor.

Brad

I once had a situation where the battery in my car was so dead (dead cell) that it couldn't be jump-started with the battery attached. So I removed the negative cable from the battery, and connected it directly to the jumper cables. The car fired right up. And I drove home with the negative cable sitting loose.

That said, the battery acts as a buffer of sorts for the electrical system (it smooths out power fluctutations from the alternator). So driving without the battery should only be done in case of emergency.

Another idea would be to put the neighbor's battery in, use the jumper cables to charge it for a few minutes, then have him start his car (with the jumper cables still attached). That will get him home. Then he can go get a good battery.

Which brings me to this question: Why doesn't he just buy a good battery? He can use his old one as a core.

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 03-01-2011).]

quote Originally posted by Blacktree: I once had a situation where the battery in my car was so dead (dead cell) that it couldn't be jump-started with the battery attached. So I removed the negative cable from the battery, and connected it directly to the jumper cables. The car fired right up. And I drove home with the negative cable sitting loose. That said, the battery acts as a buffer of sorts for the electrical system (it smooths out power fluctutations from the alternator). So driving without the battery should only be done in case of emergency. Another idea would be to put the weak battery you talked about in his car, use the jumper cables to charge it for a few minutes, then have him start his car. That will get him home. Then he can go get a good battery. Which brings me to this question: Why doesn't he just buy a good battery? He can use his old one as a core.

He litterally JUST got off the plane home about an hour ago and has 0 in his bank account, his bank closed already and he needs his car to be able to bring it to the new owner tonight or tomorow. Alot of jacking around but i guess they served together and he owes the guy or something.

quote Originally posted by 86GT3.4DOHC: car in 1st or 2nd gear

I was taught (40 years ago) to let out the clutch while the tranny is in high gear, in this case that would be 4th. As soon as the engine begins to run, step in the clutch.

The problem with using 1st or 2nd is that letting the clutch out while in those gears will instantly kill the car's momentum during the push start. The engine doesn't need to be turned over very fast for it to catch (if it's going to run).

Junkyards sell used batteries for $10-$15. Theyll test it before you take it to make sure its good.

I would try 3rd gear, maybe 4th if there is some snow left on the hill you're pushing it down.

Come to think of it, when I test drove my 87 GT, the starter was out and we push started it in reverse. We discussed it a bit as neither of us had ever tried it...it worked.

[This message has been edited by fastblack (edited 03-01-2011).]

Ok so the beast lives! I scrounged up some spare change and got him some top post battery connectors and we put in a battery i have that has a bad cell and hooked the cables up. Took two tries but it fired up and man does it sound good! BUT my stupid ass forgot to grab batteries for my camera so unfortunately i have no video of it.



This is as close to how it sounds as i can find so far. Skip ahead to about 4:10 to hear it run.