how often should I start the car to keep the eng in good shape

 

IMO - Once a week but no longer than once a month. If it's outside shorter, inside longer. It's really hard on just about any car to sit idle. I would move it once in a while too, to keep from getting flat spots on the tires.

Cheers

 

I can't get mine started, and its been down for 4 months is just cranking it good enough or should I be doing something more

 

You could get away with just pouring some 2 stroke oil in each leading spark plug hole and just turning the motor by hand on the main pully. If it won't run, turning it over probably isn't doing much good.

 

If you're storing the car for the winter, take out two plugs, spray some fogging oil in, put the plugs back in, turn the engine over (without starting it), and leave it alone for the winter. In the spring, take out the plugs, turn the engine over a few times, put the plugs back in, and it'll start right up.

As said before, starting and idling can be hard on an engine. If it is lubricated properly, the engine will be very happy to sit for months and months with no problems.