2001 Daewoo Leganza CDX, need help

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I have a 2001 Daewoo Leganza that I haven’t driven for about ten months. The car was parked in my driveway during the heavy winter snowstorm. One day, when I was inspecting my car, I found out that the front driver side floorboard was wet, and my coolant reservoir was completely empty. I also think my power steering fluid level was a bit lower than the MIN line. When I peeled the floorboard, the liquid from the floorboard had some hint of a green color, and smelled funny, so I think it was coolant plus the rainwater.
The front right tire keeps losing air, and there is vinyl wrinkle damage near the power window controls on all four doors. I suspect this came from water leaking into my car from the windows. My battery was also completely drained.

So far, I’ve only gotten the battery replaced and I refilled the coolant reservoir with 50,50 mix. I’m not sure if it was the same type or brand of coolant that was used before. When I installed the battery, I checked my power windows, and my rear right window fell and couldn’t get back up. The motor made noises for a bit, but now it has completely stopped. I took off the door panel and could only get a glimpse of the motor. It looked like the wires were frayed but I didn’t really know how to take out the entire unit.

I’m planning on siphoning the gas from my tank into gas cans and refilling her up with fuel injector cleaner and fresh gas, and then change the oil and filter to see if the car will start. If it starts, I was going to try to locate the AC drain and try to unclog that, but I’m not really sure how to use the floor jack to jack up the car properly. My car is currently resting on a incline with the front of the car lower then the rear of the car. Can I do this on a slight incline surface?

Note: A year ago, I had coolant leaking at the sides of my car and a heater bypass was done on my vehicle. I think I hit something on the road, and it ruptured something. My vehicle overheated, and the radiator, thermostat, new hoses were all installed.

These are the tools I have with me, a multi-meter, two 5 gallon gas cans, wrenches, sockets, a bluetooth OBD II reader with the free version Torque, door panel removers, jack stands, lift, 2 wheel chocks, and a creeper.

What are the precautionary steps that I have to take to get the car running like normal again? I’m worried if I start it, it might break in the process.

2

My parking brake was also left in the up position while it was sitting

3

Drain it fill it. Try to start it. Then start fixing the things that don’t work.

4

try to get it to a flat surface to work on if possible. did the reservoir freeze and crack? did everything freeze? it got very cold in the mid-atlantic region last winter…

5

It might be cheaper just to buy a car that does work…

6

If the heater was bypassed I don’t understand how coolant could pool onto the floorboard unless it was just some residual coolant mixed with water leakage from door seals, etc.

Based on the number of current and past problems and the fact that you don’t know how to jack the car up properly, much less on an incline, I tend to agree with Caddyman due to the sheer volume of complaints and unknowns.

7

If I take out my fuel pump fuse, would that prohibit my engine from using the bad gas in my tank, and allow me to see if my engine still works?

Some parts did freeze, I’m able to move the reservoir for some reason, one of the hinges broke off, but im not sure if that was from the cold

I have diagrams for the lifting points, but i’m not sure where exactly under the car would I put the floor jack under. I know where to put the scissor jack though.

The car was working before. I’m just scared that if I turn on the engine, the gas might be bad or have water in it and screw up the engine. I also don’t know what the winter did to my engine and where the leak is coming from.

Can anyone tell me if I am able to siphon the car from the opening where I put in the gas. I read online that many cars have a anti-siphon security feature… Does this mean I have to go somewhere else to get it out. My fuel filter is located under the hood. Is that the alternative place for me to take the gas out?

8

With the amount of work and your limited knowledge about working in a safe manner, it would be wise to have it towed to your mechanic.

Have him drop the tank to remove the old gas and flush the lines and a new filter.
Do an oil change with new filter and check the coolant leak.

With those items finished it should be safe for him to try to start the engine and be sure everything is working properly. I presume the brakes are frozen to the rotors also.

The links that you provided show the lifting positions.
For your floor jack just refer to the “carlift1.gif” and follow the instructions.

Yosemite