Worth trying to resuscitate?
Posted by THespos@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 26 comments
My next door neighbor passed away several years ago. In his driveway is a 2003 Hyundai Elantra GLS that has been sitting five years. About two years ago, the neighbor’s son and I tried charging the battery, but it wouldn’t hold a charge and we couldn’t get it to crank. Still, my neighbor who passed away used this car only sparingly, and I imagine mileage is low.
He has the title and keys. I bet he would just give it to me if I asked.
My question is whether or not it would be worth it to try to bring it back to life. I could use a small car like this for a number of reasons.
I do oil and filter changes and basic maintenance on my vehicles, but I am not a mechanic. What do you think I should do? Throw in a new battery and see if I can get it to turn over? I’d be comfortable putting $1-2k in it if it gets me a car I can run to the grocery store in.
sumiflepus@reddit
I know a few folks that have put over 200K miles on that era Elantra.
If you are in a rust belt be cautious.
Be ready to address tires and hoses and other rubber parts like o rings. The junk yard is your friend.
good little car to learn to wrench on.
THespos@reddit (OP)
Starts! 46,311 miles. Half a tank of gas.
Is there a way I can drain the fuel without dripping the tank? I have a shake siphon from my Jeep’s auxiliary tank. Can I stuff that down the fuel filler neck and get the fuel out that way?
sumiflepus@reddit
Woo Hoo! Awesome.
Harbor freight has a cheap hand operated fluid pump. I do not know where you are going to store/dispose of the old gas.
Consider topping off instead of draining. Put in the highest oxetane with the most cleaners from whatever is closest, Shell, BP or Exxon. I would run these premium fuels for at least the first 2 full tank fulls, 1000 miles.
THespos@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the advice, all. By way of first update, the neiggbor’s family gave me the car after I asked about their plans for it. They’re going to get me the title and keys the next time they’re here. I’m hoping that’s before the holiday weekend, as I could spend some time on it.
I am going to get a Wal Mart battery, per someone’s suggestion. I’ll let you onow how it turns out.
sumiflepus@reddit
That's awesome. Have a nice bottle of bourbon for them when they arrive.
4The2CoolOne@reddit
Hell yeah, bring that thing back!! My brother had a little Hyundai back in the day. Got it free from the Hyundai dealership, voluntary repo that no one ever picked up. Was ugly, slow, but it just never would quit. He got hit twice while he was in that car, both times by people who didn't want to involve the law. Made over $6k cash off those two wrecks, from a free car. We still talk about that thing to this day, we both drove that thing all over the country. You had to reach around the dash and manually switch the vent from hot to cold, and it wouldn't go over 75mph, but it always went.
ImplicitEmpiricism@reddit
if it runs get the brake fluid changed asap. old brake fluid sucks up moisture from the atmosphere and both loses performance and gets corrosive.
PollutionOld9327@reddit
I'd grab it, sounds like the battery just went down due to sitting. Well worth the cost of a battery and some general maintance (be sure to check all the fluids and the brakes
Designer-Progress311@reddit
Measure if your car's battery can in anyway fit, if so use it 1st.
Drive the old car an hour, change the oil, drive it a few days, buy a battery.
After 2 weeks, buy tires.
Dont drive those old tires faster than 40 mph.
Smart-Difficulty-454@reddit
Great cars. I had a 2000. I often had to rescue my wife in her Acura legend. They're surprisingly peppy and handle like a roadster. I needed a truck so after constant breakdowns of her Acura she got the Elantra. She had her heart set on a Saturn so she traded it in. Not a week went by that she didn't complain about it and miss the Elantra
Forward_Nothing5979@reddit
Get it. Change the battery. Drain gas and oil put in fresh and new filters. Double check rubber hoses and belts.
Remember the tires also.
BotherPuzzleheaded50@reddit
Nah dude, he passed away several years ago. You can't resuscitate him now.
kenster77@reddit
OP could be a Frankenstein.
Right_Secret5888@reddit
That should be relatively easy to get going again. Fresh fluids for everything and a new battery. Maybe change a few seals.
750turbo11@reddit
I had a 2001 and a 2002
Excellent reliable cars that hardly ever break down. And the AC is ice cold
If you have one with cruise control, you will be living like an emperor 😂
They sometimes have an issue when you’re pumping gas if the charcoal canister gets clogged up, it can cause a problem but other than that, they are just cheap dependable transportation. I actually had a good system, put into mine and had it for years.
azzanrev@reddit
I can't see a situation where a free vehicle isn't worth it. At the worst you call a scrap company and they'll pay you for it.
salvage814@reddit
Not really cause it's just a cheap throw away car even if the engine is decent. Cut the cat off and scrap the rest of the car.
dave65gto@reddit
buy a walmart battery so you can return it
UmbraTitan@reddit
That's a pretty good idea. I've also found Batteries Plus to sell good stuff at a reasonable price. I've never had an early failure on their batteries over the years.
series_hybrid@reddit
Check the oil level, turn over the crank with a wrench to make sure it spins, swap a battery, and see if it cranks for about three seconds.
Give the intake a short squirt of ether-start, and crank it over. If it fires up and runs for one second then dies, you have spark, which is good.
One step at a time. At this stage I would change-out the fuel filter, because there can be rust flakes, or bacterial slime in the tank. Save the old one. At this point I'd try to see if it starts and runs.
If it still doesn't start, your problem is either low compression (a stuck piston ring) or low fuel pressure. You can buy a $30 gauge to put on the fuel rail (youtube it) and if its 50-PSI or somewhere around that then the fuel pump is working.
Buy the manual on ebay and start a log of everything you did and when. If it starts and runs, change the oil and filter. Air filters typically only need to be shaken or blown out. If you drive it a couple fuel-ups with no trouble, you can spend more money on air-filters and other things at that time.
ComprehensiveLife597@reddit
Buy it at scrap value and put a battery in it and see what happens. If it starts, drive it, if it doesn’t scrap it.
ProStockJohnX@reddit
Yes, fresh battery and some new gas.
BallerFromTheHoller@reddit
Those are solid cars. I would throw in a battery and try to crank it.
Definitely will want to change all fluids, ASAP. Fuel as well. Hopefully it’s low on fuel and you can just dilute it with fresh fuel. Will run rough until it gets new fuel in it.
Putrid_Knee_995@reddit
it would certainly make a good beater, Kia/Hyundai used mazda derived engines during that time so they're actually reliable if not neglected.
Just be prepared to replace every rubber component and seal. low miles normally means neglected
SailingSpark@reddit
it's probably worth the price of a battery and maintenance. That year elantra used the basically bulletproof 2.0 Beta engine. It will not be a fun ride, it won't be a quiet ride, and it certainly won't be a comfortable ride, but it will get you from point a to point b at 30mpg.
Dear_Efficiency_3616@reddit
yeah do it