I have a 1989 300te which i hadn't driven in a couple of weeks. car had trouble turning over when i went to start it today. finally got it started by using method of starting a hot engine set forth in owners manual-- mainly keeping accelerator depressed while cranking engine. drove car about 5 miles to store and car started fine when i returned. car started fine again when i went to pull it into garage a short time later. anybody have any thoughts? could it have been that the fuel in the pipeline got stale from the car sitting?

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1989 300TE

It's not clear if you're saying the engine cranked slow or if it took more than the usual amount of cranking time to start the engine.

Two weeks of sitting, especially if the battery is weak, could cause slow cranking. Sitting for that period should not have much effect on cranking time, but very old fuel can loose the light components at the top of the distillation curve and cause excess cranking time or flooding due to the lowered vapor pressure.

I store my car about six months a year (fill with fresh fuel just prior to storage), and when I go to retrieve it and install a freshly charge battery it starts about the same as if it has only been sitting a few days.

Duke

Car normally starts on first crank without having to give it any gas. battery is fine. car wouldn't start without stepping on accelerator.

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1989 300TE