Installed new battery and it cranks but won't start. Sprayed starting fluid in air filter and it will 'run' for a 5-10 seconds so I'm guessing a fuel problem.

Next step is probably to check the OBD to get a fuel pressure reading if possible. My guess it it's ok and I will need to drain the tank and try some fresh fuel.

Am I missing anything easy? I could drain the tank and dilute it through the lawn mower over the course of the next year but I would rather just dispose of it if possible.

Anyone know how to dispose of old gas?

Probably have a good bit of water in the system as moisture has built up over time, and not been expelled.

Fluids need to be drained and replaced.

You're not getting fuel. Yes drain the fuel tank & start with fresh fuel. What model vehicle & engine is this?

Figure out if your fuel pump is pumping fuel. If it is and you pumped 5 year old gas thru injectors well now you may have created a problem. All fixable.

Yeah man, if you have ethanol gas sitting in there for 5-years you likely got a problem that need to be dealt with.

I wouldn't try and start it anymore.

Figure out a way to drain down the fuel rail and the fuel system. You might try and drain the tank as best you can and get fresh gas to the fuel rail.

If its carbureted, then you likely will have to clean the carb. If ethanol has been sitting in there for 5 years its probably varnished up and you'll have problems with it.

You also might have a problem with the intake to the fuel pump being clogged.

On engines that have been sitting for a long time, the fuel in the fuel rail might be bad but its not due to ethanol so it's not worst case scenario. As long as air can't get to that ethanol fuel you are ok.

So i'd recommend to do what you got to do to get fresh gas to the fuel rail. This is a situation where it wont fix itself by running it.

You ask for advice AFTER already you tried starting it? Hmmm.

After five years... you did remove the spark plugs and shot a little oil into each cylinder... to lubricate sticky rings... yes? No?

You did remove the fuse to the fuel pump/spark plugs/coils... so the car wouldn't start, yet allow the rings to be lubricated before firing right up, correct? No?

I would consider asking those types of questions and waiting for a response BEFORE you proceed with future endeavors.

Good luck. Best wishes. Report back.

The car is a 2016 Subaru Legacy with about 6k miles. I don't own the car, it's stuck in probate and any monetary value it has will go to paying the attorneys since their fees exceed the value of the estate.

Basically, I don't care if rings are stuck or not or if I ruin the engine.

We're selling our house and I need to get it out of the driveway to take photos of the house. I was hoping it could be driven for the price of a new battery rather than having to get a car dolly from U-Haul.

If you don't care about the engine and just want to move it, pour some more fuel in it and use the spray. It'll get where it needs to go to be someone else's problem. That's if you don't mind passing off an engine that will have problems shortly.

That's a shame. Those boxers last forever if maintained. Now, the rubber band CVT transmission on the other hand…

I've done this on a few vehicles.

I would drain the fuel tank, replace the fuel with fresh, change your fuel and air filter, and then crank it until it fires.

Otherwise push it out of the driveway and tow it back when you have your photos.

That fuel could be varnished in the fuel rails and injector screens could be clogged. 5 years is not that long and ethanol fuel will go bad but not that bad.

Push it out to the road on heavy trash day.

NoahAg said:

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Push it out to the road on heavy trash day.

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I like your style.