Hasn't been run in a while

I have a 1999 Jeep Wrangler that stopped running about 5 months ago. I turned the key, heard several fast clicks, the lights came on the dash, but then nothing happened. I think the battery didn't have enough power to start it, as this Jeep had pretty much sat since 2020 being ran only minimally off and on. Now the battery is completely dead.
The gas tank is about at 1/4. The last several times I asked my mechanic (pre 2020) to change the oil, he did not, and has proven to be a shyster.
I have never worked on cars before, but love working on things myself (experience with washers/dryers/plumbing), and after overcoming my initial freak out, am excited to learn how to get this Jeep running.
I have a Haynes manual, and found this video on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BiFpSkMbNQ&t=5s to get me started.

My questions are, do you all think the steps listed in the video are good places to start? Do you have anything to add?
No nests or debris, I've got changing the oil and oil filter pretty much figured out. Is fogging the engine a good idea, and does it matter what fogging oil I use? Again, the engine will not start.

Thanks!

 

Check the oil level, take note of the color smell and condition. If full or near full hold off on the oil change until the start issue is resolved. Preferably remove the battery, give it a full charge and either try it or take it to an auto parts store to load test it. At 5 months the fuel should be okay but adding some wont make matters worse.

 

I ran it 5 months ago, but since it has been used so little, I think the last time I put gas in it may have been over a year ago.

 

If that battery is 2020 vintage stock replacement and sat dead for a period, it is likely dead, period. You will not likely ever get it to hold a charge but that depends on the battery's quality to start with. If it was an Odyssey, it would probably still work.

 

@MTgeezer it was an Everstart from Walmart I put in maybe two years ago. It went dead sometime this past summer/early fall.

 

If it ran 5 months ago, it will run now. Up north many of us have summer Jeeps that sit in barns for 6 months, and they all manage to start, of course, sometimes coercion is necessary. The easy obvious stuff almost always works as others have commented, fresh gas, charged battery, clean oil and filters. Sometimes a blast of starter fluid if the carb is dirty. It will start, lol. Good luck, have fun playing with it. Man always triumphs over machine.

 

I've had good experience with Max Everstart batteries in my daily driver but these lead-acid batteries tend to fail or have reduced endurance/life if left in a discharged state for a long period of time. Probably time for a replacement battery.

 

Yep.

 

Thanks.

So are you all thinking gas, an oil change, and a new battery should be the first things? And I can safely try to start after this without worrying about harming the engine?
Even though the gas is over a year old and down to 1/4 of a tank, you think I can just add more without draining it?

Makes me think of Maximum Overdrive

 

Don’t be scared. Check the oil, put 5 gallons of fresh gas in it, put a fresh battery in and fire that thing up. Let it run, drive it a little at different rpm, then change the oil/ filter while it’s hot. As long as you didn’t have any paths to the internals of the engine open there shouldn’t be anything to worry about. 1 year old gas is nothing. Maybe put a can of snakeoil dry gas in it before you put more in. If you said 5 year old gas that would be a tank cleaning. Not completely sure what fogging is but it sounds like something you see on tv at 3 am. Get fresh quality oil and a new filter in it and replace It regularly. If your engine is the 4.0 it is near indestructible and a little blue smoke at the tailpipe with high mileage is completely acceptable.

 

Definitely the 4.0. Thanks!

 

Hi again.
You all led me to a new question. I've been researching batteries. I need group #34. I learned more amps are better. Are there minimum amps I shouldn't go below; or would all batteries work, but the higher amps the better?

 

Typical replacement flood batteries range from 650-800CCA depending upon your budget and/or how long you plan on keeping your ride. I prefer the battery with higher CCA, reserve capacity and longer replacement warranty.