Not mechanically inclined at all please help

[DzNutz03]

OK so I have a simple 03 plain legacy L.... I had let someone borrow it nd they happened to half ass ramp/ ricochet off a cattle fence due to running off the road (obviously)... but I had to replace the passenger lower control arm tie rod(whole thing) control arm stabilizer and trans cooler line, after sitting for a year, and went ahead and changed oil nd transmission fluid spark plugs but will not start for nothing, eve. Replace the fuel pump relay cuz it's not getting any fuel? Is there a safety cut off switch or sumn I can't find, please any help would be greatly appreciated and will offer a crispy high five and eternal friendship to anyone who can help me out, I'm simply not ready to let go of Karl just yet

Thanx in advance and thank u for takin the time to read

[Infosecdad]

Number of questions for you and Karl:

- Did the car start and run after crashing in the fence?

- Battery is charged? Did you try jumping/booster?

- "Not starting" meaning, doesn't even try or turns over with the starter, but doesn't catch?

- Do you have reason to believe it's not getting fuel, was there some diagnostic there or just a guess?

[RumblyXT]

^^All important question.. a mechanic friend always says to check the obvious first.

 

Also, did you mess around with any of the fuel lines? Back with my '01 Forester, I had inverted the fuel lines and setting them in their correct pipes was all it took to start the car..

 

-Must check battery and alternator first

-Also check the starter motor, does it go click click click and no crank?

 

Sometimes cars after seating for a a long time, the starter motor goes bad..

Edited December 22, 2021 by RumblyXT

[silverton]

Most any thing should start with a fresh battery, fresh fuel, and a fresh set of spark plugs. Sitting for a year, unless on a tender, that battery is likely bad and will need to be replaced. 12.2-12.5v is nominal voltage at rest, if it drops below 9 or 10 while cranking, get it outta here! Also makes me concerned for the fuel, depending how much was left in the tank when parked, and how sealed of a system it was... you may have goo in there.

 

How did you determine it wasn't getting fuel, I see the question mark at the end. Do you not hear the pump prime for 2-3 seconds when you cycle the key on and off?

 

You say it doesn't start, but that doesn't give us enough detail. Does it turn over with the starter but won't fire and run? Or does the engine do nothing at all when you turn the key?

[DzNutz03]

Hey thanks everyone who has commented, but it was towed from wreck to where it sat.... there was very little to no gas(8th of a tank maybe)... never tried turning it over again till i replaced suspension parts and tranny line because I was told if I tried to start it with no trans fluid it would likely f*#k it up.... but she cranks over just seems like it's not firein but it's definitely got spark(zapped the shit out myself with a screw driver in wire) but I pulled the line coming out of my fuel filer( has literally 26 miles on it since I replaced b4 accident) nd barley any fuel came out like started to for only half a second

[silverton]

The pump doesn't run continuously until the car is running. It primes when you initially cycle the key and runs for a moment or two.

 

If you had started it the transmission pump would have dumped all your fluid out the open lines, so that was smart not starting it. If you haven't put fresh gas in the car yet, that is where I would start. If you're positive you have air and spark, you need better gas.

 

Have you removed any of the spark plugs after replacing them? If not it's worth a look. what they look/smell like will tell you a story! Are they wet? are they white? what's going on in that combustion chamber??