cranking an old 2.3
 

i have a 2.3 that has been sitting for about 5 years and i tried to crank it today and it will turn over but it will not start. i put new gas in it but still nothing. so i put new spark plugs and wires on but i still have nothing. it's getting fire so i thought it may be a fuel problem. i know that fuel is getting to the fuel rail. is there a way to prime the engine a little. if it had a carb. i could do it but i don't know much about electronic fuel injection.

Take a squirt bottle and put a shot down the throttle body,not a lot but enough to get to the pistons.It should sputter and chugg a bit.if it does, this will mean you deffinatly have a fuel delivery problem.If it doesn't hit a lick,pull a couple plugs and make sure gas has got to them.....P.S...did you check pressure at the fuel rail?It should be 35-45 pounds constant from the fuel pump.

You could try a VERY SMALL spray of starting fluid (ether) preferrably at the air filter end of the air intake tube. Ether is also an extreme solvent, and if you spray too much in at any time, it can strip the oil off the cylinder walls and lock the engine up.
So, just a tiny breath (psst) of starting fluid should ignite.
Be VERY carefull when using this stuff.....NO SMOKING!!!!!!!!

this morning i went out and started working on it again. first i sprayed some gas in and it sputtered. so then i filled the fuel filter up with new gas and after a few pumps it fired up then cut right back off, then i looked at the gas hand and it was at half a tank, but i only put about a gallon in it. so could it be that the old gas is bad, would that stop it from cranking? do you think it would help to fill the whole tank up with new gas?

well thanks for the info everyone but i guess getting it to run is not going to happen. i drained all the gas and put new in and after about 15 sec. of it trying to crank it finally did. i let it run for about 3-4 mins. then it cuts off smoke coming out from everywhere and a now theres a big hole in the side of the block. maybe my 390 i'm about to start building won't turn out like that.

If it weren't for bad luck, you'd have no luck at all!!!
Ya man! a 390 with a 428 crank topped off with twin 4s!!!