Fresh Start After 15 Years

[Feldsine]

Going to start a freshly rebuilt 350. I bought this truck (71 C20) from the original owner, and he had put about 10 miles on the engine before parking it for 15 years. I pulled the dipstick, the oil was so clean I could barely see it. I'm going to change it anyway before starting, as well as the radiator water.

Questions are:

1. I would like to prime the engine oil. I read elsewhere that I would get an oil priming rod and spin it with a drill, however, this might or might not get oil through all the passageways, lifters rockers and cam. Is there some detail that I need to pay attention to when getting the rod?

2. I'm planning to change the oil and radiator water before starting. I'm not really wanting to get into the tranny. Is it ok to run the tranny enough to get it to an oil change shop to change it, or is that critical enough to change before starting? I don't have a good place to work and it would make a mess.

3. I bought a can of "SeaFoam Spray". It was suggested that I spray this into the spark plug holes to lube it up, and crank the engine by hand a dozen times or so before starting. That sound good?

4. Got most of the gas drained. Figured I would add about 5 gallons, and just before starting, and after oil priming, with the plugs still out, I would crank the engine till good gas started coming out the end of the line. Then hook it up and go for it. There is a filter inline by the tank, I figure I'll be changing that a few times pretty quickly.

[RustyBucket]

Jeg's sells a priming tool for $20, I've made several out of old distributors. It should pump up oil pressure spinning the pump with your drill. You'll probably have to rebuild/replace the carburetor. If you're REAL lucky the transmission will just take off and work for you. Put some truck pictures on please.

[Got Smoke?]

Most auto zone parts house's have loan a tool program, mine has a oil priming tool they rent. Pay a deposit, use the tool, take it back get you're deposit back. Works great for things you don't need to use very often.

[leftybass209]

You can pull a valve cover when you prime the engine. That will allow you to see oil start to flow through your cylinder heads.

[In The Ten Ring]

I have this same thing coming up in about a month. So I can rent an oil priming tool? NICE. How does this tool work?

[leftybass209]

It mimics the shaft of the distributor, with a drive end that fits into the slot on the pump, and an end that works with the chuck of a drill. Connect the drill (semi-powerful or it'll burn up) and run it! It's that easy. You can Google search a picture of it.

[Chevy Fan Always]

I have an old distributor that works great. I ground the top of the shaft to accommodate a drill motor.

[67 chevelle]

When you are priming the oil pump turn the engine approximately a 1/4 turn 3 times with a breaker bar on the ballencer , this will get oil to all the valve train , lifters , rockers , exc ..I would not put seafoam in the cylinders, if anything maybe a little wd40, but I would not do that , seafoam is not a lube , its alcohol based and would have the opposite effect of lube , I hope he ran the fuel out before parking ,, if he did not this will be an issue , clean and replace rubber fuel hoses , and go thru the fuel system ,,tank ,, pump ,,exc

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by 67 chevelle

When you are priming the oil pump turn the engine approximately a 1/4 turn 3 times with a breaker bar on the ballencer , this will get oil to all the valve train , lifters , rockers , exc ..I would not put seafoam in the cylinders, if anything maybe a little wd40, but I would not do that , seafoam is not a lube , its alcohol based and would have the opposite effect of lube , I hope he ran the fuel out before parking ,, if he did not this will be an issue , clean and replace rubber fuel hoses , and go thru the fuel system ,,tank ,, pump ,,exc

Now I parked mine with fuel in her but this is what I have done so far.

1). Emptied gas tank.
2). Had tank cleaned inside and "renewed" at a radiator shop.
3). Replaced all fuel lines (that was a learning experience) with Poly Armor and new hoses.
4). Replaced fuel sender.
5). Replace fuel pump.
6). Had carburetor cleaned and rebuilt with a NAPA kit.

Should that take care of the old fuel problem?

Check this video....I guess this is what I and the OP will do?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ekej01Oew8

[Davidf]

I made a priming tool out of a screwdriver. Just cut the handle off an old screwdriver and chuck in a drill motor. Done.

[Feldsine]

Thanks guys. I'll look into renting the rod from Auto Zone, thanks for that suggestion. I'll get some Marvel Mystery Oil. Fortunately, the engine moved relatively easily with the breaker bar. I didn't move it much, just an inch or so, but at least it wasn't frozen up. The plugs were all rust free too.

This thing has those auxiliary tanks on it, so it has hoses running all over the place. Going to be a challenge, but they will all be replaced.

I pulled the hose off the bottom of the tank, and nothing came out, I'm hoping that means there is nothing in it and not that it is plugged up. I stuck a rod down in the tank and it seemed like the last inch or so came up wet.

I'm tempted to start stripping down my C10 to get parts for this one. The C10 has a new gas tank and new Edlebrock Carb with linkage set up for the 700R4. But I'd like to keep both of them running, and probably sell the C10 after I swap the tranny.

That's going to be a pain, cause I had the shaft cut down for the 700R4, so I'll need a another stock shaft for TB350 going back in it, and the one in the C20 cut down for the 700R4. Oh well.

I'll get some pics up sometime. This thing is covered with surface rust, but there are no dents. The only cancer is between the drip edge and windshield. A friends says he can help me patch that up and prime and paint the truck.

I'm torn, this thing is "school bus yellow". Will it grow on me? I'm considering changing the color. But maybe after the rust is gone the color will look better.