Chuck S

You do not want to run 87 octane (just an example of what octane number means). Increasing the octane -- with an octane booster -- will make the fuel less volatile and harder to start than it already is. Starting fluid is about 80% extremely volatile ether which is the reason it works but it's a solvent and will wash all the oil off the cylinder walls so should be reserved for emergency use only. A shot of starting fluid will tell you if the engine will start -- it might not be frozen fuel. During decades living near the shores of the Great Lakes I never experienced fuel line freeze -- slush in the radiator but the fuel was always fine.

In extreme cases you may have to drain the fuel tank and substitute clean, dry fuel. Water condensation in the fuel will settle to the bottom the tank and can freeze. Keeping the tank nearly full will minimize this. Some fuel additives advertise their ability to disperse water in the fuel.

-- Chuck

MCepelik

i did got 2 gallons of fresh 93 but with this winter storm I’m going to have to wait a few days before I can attempt to start it again. I got some starter fluid so I’m going to spray that into one of the vacuum ports on my k&n intake pipe and see what happens as well, pulled the battery and am charging it in the garage

MCepelik

PROBLEM SOLVED

After weeks of attempts to no success I finally was able to figure out the issue.

The pressure regulator on the fuel rail screw backed itself out somehow and it was dumping way too much fuel into the cylinders essentially washing out the cylinders.

i changed the plugs, tested the coil packs, compression tested it, added the craziest gas mixture known to the east coast, and funneled out the old gas and added fresh new 93 and all it was was a damn screw that backed itself out.

None the less we’re back in action.

I’m going to swap out the plugs for new ones just to be safe as well as do another compression test because the numbers weren’t where I expected them to be at.

cylinder 1 215
cylinder 2 215
Cylinder 3 205
cylinder 4 175

In going to drive it tomorrow and get some miles on it and do another comp test to see if it will as because it was sitting for so long and how much I washed out the cylinders with gas attempting to get it started over the past several weeks.

i know cylinder 4 is the furthest from the oil pump so if one goes that usually the one but I’m hopeful that it will be ok, if not we’re going boost boysssssssss!!!

just want to say Thankyou to everyone that pitched in some advice it was all extremely helpful and appreciated!

windhund116

Driving it will be good. Getting the oil into all the passages.

s2000Junky

Make sure you drain the oil to get any fuel contamination out of it before running the car further, and hope you didn't score the cylinders during this whole ordeal. Gas dilutes oil lubrication quickly. Your compression numbers aren't real encouraging though.

MCepelik

I haven’t changed the oil but definitely will as it’s time for one ironically. That being said I drive it around for about 5 miles today and it felt as good as ever!

i let it sit for a few hours and did another compression check on it and these were my results. Funny enough the one that was reading 175 is now 230/235 and the highest compression of the bunch. I’m pretty sure these numbers are as good as they get on Ap1s and am beyond happy!

s2000Junky

Well that's good. Could be the difference between hot and cold test. Obviously you will read higher compression when the engine is warm/hot. Possible you just had a false reading on number 4# when done initially. Who knows. But for sure if you are running oil with fuel in it, you can score the cylinders and bearings... depending how much contamination you got, and you just don't know how much, so air on the side of its bad oil and change before you continue to drive, seriously!

noodels

Good call get new oil & filter

rpg51

Good outcome. Enjoy your call. I have to say personally I think the manual advise about starting the car during storage is not a good idea. It makes zero sense to me. The thing to do is to put it up properly and leave it alone. One dry start up in the spring seems a lot better than 10 or 12 dry start ups all winter long.

BuggyofMildDiscomfort

There's nothing worse for machinery than leaving it stood and letting the oil film dissipate and moisture build up, belts and seals start to take a compression set, etc.
The racecars get fired up, warmed to operating temp once a month over winter without fail. I've seen what happens when you don't!


Might be lucky and the low reading on one cylinder was just a ring sticking from the fuel wash.