Hello Tess, As the ummmm... "proud owner" or an Alfa Spider hanger queen, I can sympathize. Want to start a race to see who gets back on the road first? Hmmm... On second thought, you'll probably win hands down. :(
> 1. I do not understand how one siphons gas out of the car. I > know how to siphon (having made wine during my college days), > but I can't figure how to siphon something I don't want > anywhere near my mouth. Gasoline in the mouth/lungs is NOT good. And juggling hoses (or other tricks) is a hassle and can lead to spilled gasoline. Save yourself lots of aggravation (and health/safety problems) by buying one of these handy siphon pumps (Item #93290) from Harbor Freight Tools: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93290 The Web site price for this is $7.99, however I've bought them in the store on sale for $5.99. Either way, they work great and are worth the price. As luck would have it, there is a Harbor Freight in your neighborhood: Harbor Freight Tools 14506 NE 20TH ST BELLEVUE, WA 98007 > What do you put it in? A gasoline can of course ...or two or three, depending on how much fuel remains in your tank and what size gas can(s) you buy. I recommend owning at least one 5 gal can and one 2.5 gal can. Besides using them to drain the tanks of sleeping beauty Spiders, they are can be used to keep spare fresh gas in your garage, should you ever need it (natural or unnatural disaster preparedness). The 5 gal is for volume, the 2.5 is for portability and ease of handling. The siphon pump listed above can be used to transfer between cans as needed and to/from vehicles. I don't know what the laws are where you live, but down here in the People's Republic of California, CARB has declared that normal gas cans are an enemy of the state and they have been banned. The CARB-approved gas cans have automatic shut-off valves that are GUARANTEED to spill at least half the can's contents on the ground. Which only goes to prove two things: 1. Good intentions do NOT necessarily equal good results 2. Commie weenies like to write laws regulating and dictating things with which they themselves have NO real-world experience. Ummm... anyway, my point is do NOT buy one of these auto-shutoff gas cans (unless you want to waste gas and destroy the environment... or unless the petty tyrants who want to control everyone's lives force you to do so). NEVER use anything but a real gas can for storing or transporting gasoline. Think "Molotov Cocktail"... > Is it highly flammable? Lol... Tess, you crack me up! Let's just say, don't smoke while siphoning, ok? > Is it corrosive? Nope. Although any water that may be in the gasoline can cause corrosion to fuel system parts. And ethanol-blended fuels can damage polymer parts on older engines (technically this is not corrosion, but it is damage). > How do you dispose of it? I hate disposing of gasoline; much better to use it. If the gasoline appears to be good (fluid, clear, no water, sludge, or sediment), then you can use it in small engines (lawnmower, weed-eater, chainsaw, etc). Or you can add a gallon or so to every tank of your daily driver until it is consumed. If the gas really is "bad" (or you don't want to risk it), then take it to your local hazardous waste disposal facility. > How do you know how much is in the tank? Does your fuel sender and gauge work? If so, estimate based on the gauge reading and the listed capacity of your tank (from your owner's manual). If not, just keep filling gas cans until your tank is dry. Remember, you can stop the siphoning before the gas can overflows and you don't have to empty your tank all at once. > 2. I unhooked the battery ground, but this was back in > 2005, so I'm assuming there's not much juice there. Worse than that, the battery plates have probably sulfated by now. But all may not be lost. Forget the typical cheap-o trickle charger; I wouldn't put one of those even on a fresh battery. They have no regulation and can boil the battery's electrolyte. Also, they do nothing to recondition old batteries with sulfated plates. I have a Chargetek CT500 and have used it with great success over many years. In fact, the battery from my hanger queen sat idle out of the car for a few years. Then I put the CT500 on the battery and kept it stored that way for a few more years. When the battery in my truck died, I put that stored battery in my truck and it worked fine. Unlike trickle chargers, the CT500 will recondition your battery's plates. It will prevent sulfation while the battery is in storage, and can actually reverse existing sulfation. Here's where you can find more info: http://www.chargetek.com/ct500.html Yes, at $99 it's a bit pricey. But it will pay for itself in batteries over the years. There is a similar competing product called the BatteryMINDer #12248. I've never used one, but it looks interesting. It's a little more expensive, but has some additional features. http://www.batteryminders.com/batterycharger/catalog/BatteryMINDer-12-Volt-2 -4-or-8-Amp-Charger-Maintainer-Desulf-p-16133.html Btw, don't be fooled by the price on the company's web site. You can get the BatteryMINDer for under $110 elsewhere. > I want to trickle charge the battery now, but to do so, > do I re-hook the battery ground and then hook the charger > to the battery and to a place on the chassis, or can I > hook up the charger without completing the battery circuit > to the car? I'd remove the battery from the car. In such a highly-discharged state, you will want more ventilation during charging/reconditioning than what's available in the trunk of your Spider. > 3. One of the reasons I stopped trying to figure out why I > couldn't get the car running completely in 2005 (it sounded > like it was then running on one cylinder) was because Someone > Who Shall Go Nameless told me it was hard on the engine to > keep starting it/trying to start it when it was running in > that condition. Is that true and if so, how do I test the > engine's being able to run? Yes, repeated starting/stopping the engine like that will be hard on it. But that shouldn't keep you from diagnosing and repairing the engine. First, I'd replace the oil/filter and add a fresh load of 5W-30 synthetic, and I'd fill the tank with fresh gasoline, treated with a quality fuel injector cleaner. Then I'd disconnect the ignition, pull the spark plugs (note which cylinders they came from for diagnostics), and then turn the engine by hand through as many revolutions as your muscles will allow (use a large socket wrench on the crank nut, and be sure to turn the engine in the direction of normal rotation). This will slowly pump oil back through your dry engine. Then connect the battery and, with the ignition disconnected and the plugs still out, crank the engine until you see the oil pressure light go out. Now you are ready to reconnect everything and try running the engine. Good luck and keep us posted! 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