Reviving a free '04 Forester X, where to even start

[closed_off]

Haven't gotten a car of mine of yet cos I recently got out of college, so I decided to take up my dad's old 2004 forester X 2.5 the catch? It quit running one day and never started again. Anyway prior to when life became what it is now, I tore into it, pulled the radiator, alternator, coil, wires, airbox, and even took out the glove box for who knows what reason, If my future self could have gone back to warn me then, so now I'm staring at a puzzle of parts and trying to figure out the best order to put things back together—and whether the fuel system really is the culprit or something else I did killed it.
Before I start wrenching, I'm hoping someone's been down this road before like what would you check first, and in what order would you go about getting this thing alive again? I'd love to bring it back, but I'd also love to avoid wasting hours chasing ghosts if it's something dumb and obvious.

 

[seafoam]

Haven't gotten a car of mine of yet cos I recently got out of college, so I decided to take up my dad's old 2004 forester X 2.5 the catch? It quit running one day and never started again. Anyway prior to when life became what it is now, I tore into it, pulled the radiator, alternator, coil, wires, airbox, and even took out the glove box for who knows what reason, If my future self could have gone back to warn me then, so now I'm staring at a puzzle of parts and trying to figure out the best order to put things back together—and whether the fuel system really is the culprit or something else I did killed it.
Before I start wrenching, I'm hoping someone's been down this road before like what would you check first, and in what order would you go about getting this thing alive again? I'd love to bring it back, but I'd also love to avoid wasting hours chasing ghosts if it's something dumb and obvious.

I've been there... I had a very old, literally dying car when I was still paying off my student loans. It's so hard to do the scavenger hunt every time for such an old ride. Yeah they look sweet and vintage but it's just so damn hard. Anyway, do check the fuel pump and then the battery, fuses, and ignition coils. Sometimes the problem is right there in plain sight.

 

[forrytheexplorer]

I totally get what you're going through, I've been in the same boat. I'd recommend beginning with checking the fuel pump, battery, fuses, and ignition coils, just like you mentioned. It's also a good idea to take a closer look at your grounds and connections, especially since you've had everything taken apart. Often, it can be somethin as simple as a loose plug or a corroded terminal causing all these issues. You'll figure it out! By the way, did you happen to check if there were any codes stored before it stopped working?

 

[liftedwagonlife484]

I remember dealing with a similar issue in my old '97 Legacy a while back. I took the whole thing apart, trying to figure out why it wouldn't start, and it turned out to be just a loose ground near the radiator support that was causing all that trouble. I'd recommend starting by checking the fuel pump prime, the battery voltage, the main fuses, and make sure to double-check all the grounds you've worked on. By the way, did you get a chance to scan for codes before it died on you? That could really save you a lot of time.