Starting my 97 Wrangler TJ after 4 years sitting neglected

[MagicClaw]

I'm curious what input others might have here. I have a 1997 Jeep Wrangler that I used to wheel all the time. In the past few years, as priorities in my life shifted, it fell by the wayside, and each time it experienced any sort of failure or breakage, it got ignored longer before I would get around to addressing the issue. The most recent problem, a busted power steering pump that resulted in a shredded serpentine belt, occurred back around Jan 2017 and I am just now finally getting around to fixing it. Horrible, I know. But contrary to all indications, I love this Jeep, and have spent a ton of my BS&T building it in the past, and I really do want to get it running again.

So, I'm getting the power steering pump rebuilt now (it was one of the PSC upgraded P Pumps.) In the meantime, I'm working on coming up with a list of things I should do or check before firing it up again for the first time after 4 years. I'd love to get others' input on this. The last time I let this Jeep sit, it was only a year and a half or two, and I dropped the fuel tank, extracted the gasoline (which looked fine), put the tank back on, and then ran it, carefully re-adding the extracted gasoline in smaller quantities along with fresh gas. I wasn't sure how necessary that exercise actually was, but it was extremely labor intensive. I'm debating if I should even bother with that again this time around.

Primarily, I am curious of others' opinions on:

• Other than changing fluids (engine oil, power steering fluid, transmission, transfer case, and differentials...wasn't planning on flushing the brake fluid...), and obviously replacing the power steering pump and serpentine belt, what items should I focus on checking or addressing before I re-start for the first time?
• If I just start it after 4 years with no other fixes, are there any likely scenarios of damage/failure that could be avoided with a little extra up-front prep prior to that first re-start? i.e. What can I just "wait and fix if needed" vs what really should I make sure I address proactively?
• Yes, I know I probably need to get new tires on it. The Swamper TSL meats on it now are very old. They saw a lot of trail time before the Jeep went idle; I'm okay with that.

Ultimately, I'd love to avoid having to tear down things too excessively, but I don't want to risk blowing things up by overlooking something obvious. I just don't have a ton of experience with resurrecting neglected vehicles. I appreciate any wisdom you all have to share!

[Metalhed]

check hoses, make sure fluids are topped off and I would squirt some oil in the spark plug holes and crank it over and then put some fire to it and see it it will go!

[K2]

If it's a 4.0 look up how to start a new motor. I used an old distributor and a drill to spin the oil pump before starting it. Also when you have the plugs out you can turn the motor over manually and get things moving slowly.

[Aaron]

Along with what others have stated, I would at least drain the existing fuel too. And add a new filter with fresh gas.

[MagicClaw]

Thanks for the feedback.

I'll definitely go over the hoses and look for any cracks, and changing the fluids are definitely on the list.

K2, I hadn't even thought to treat it like a new motor first start. I'll do some searches based on that. Good idea.

Aaron, noooooooo!!! I so don't want to have to drop a near-full fuel tank and kilby skid plate again. But you're probably right that it's the right thing to do. Given it's not carbureted, though, would it do any significant harm to at least try starting it with the existing fuel? Is there any sort of additive that can be added to old gas if I didn't think to add fuel stabilizer from the start?

[Aaron]

Thanks for the feedback.

I'll definitely go over the hoses and look for any cracks, and changing the fluids are definitely on the list.

K2, I hadn't even thought to treat it like a new motor first start. I'll do some searches based on that. Good idea.

Aaron, noooooooo!!! I so don't want to have to drop a near-full fuel tank and kilby skid plate again. But you're probably right that it's the right thing to do. Given it's not carbureted, though, would it do any significant harm to at least try starting it with the existing fuel? Is there any sort of additive that can be added to old gas if I didn't think to add fuel stabilizer from the start?

You can always try. It may even work out fine for you. I have just had bad luck with old gas and its effects of machinery and vehicles. Maybe just pull a line and let some out and give it a smell and go from there. If it smells normal, think give it a go.

[MagicClaw]

Seems reasonable. I think I'll start by just letting the fuel pump put some into a container and see what it looks like. Last time I dropped the tank while full; after a bit of googling I realize I would probably be much better served to just use the fuel pump to send it out. The pickup comes from the bottom of the tank, so if nothing else, I should be able to extract any separated ethanol and water first, and get the tank down to at least a 1/4 or less full and just top it off with fresh gas.

[newracer]

I bought a buggy that has sit for about 2 years in a garage. Some of the the fuel was gummed up like honey in the bottom of the tank. All the injectors were clogged too. Not positive but it may have caused the fuel pump to fail.

[Aaron]

I bought a buggy that has sit for about 2 years in a garage. Some of the the fuel was gummed up like honey in the bottom of the tank. All the injectors were clogged too. Not positive but it may have caused the fuel pump to fail.

Yup, last TJ I started up after a long sit (5 years), the "new" pump that was existing was toast. The filter was clogged, as well as part of one of the lines. I was thankful that I took the time to drop the tank and clean it all out. I tested the pump once the tank was out and that is when I found it was bad. The sock has solidified matter throughout it. But the tank hadn't been that full to begin with.

Hint: I usually use a floor tranny jack to drop the tank. Makes easy work of it when they are heavy from fuel.

My Kawasaki Mule will tarnish the throttlebody and clog the jets within the TB if it sits idle for more than a couple months. But that just means I have to use it

[Aaron]

So how goes it?

[CSP]

Not positive but it may have caused the fuel pump to fail.

I found out my pump was locked up three days before a wheeling trip last summer after my CJ sat for several years in the garage.