how to bring it back to life?

[bigun911]

Ok experts I need advice. I was given a 72 c10 that has been sitting in a garage for almost 20 years. To my knowledge it ran when when parked but hasn't been started since it was parked. My thought are to change oil and coolant, pull plugs and squirt some oil sown in the cylinders. After that turn it over by hand, prime oil system with a drill, add fresh gas, and see if it will start. Outside these steps is there anything I should do to make sure I don't injure this thing. Once I have it started I will put fresh fluid I. The trans, differential, check the brakes and see if it will drive around the block

The truck is a 350ci / th350

[jjzepplin]

Congrats! Pics! Don't drive around the block right away. Hundreds of things could be wrong with it. Take it slow. Vehicles that have been sitting may seem tempting to drive but you must be safe. Small trips across the yard - up and down the driveway- an occasional hard stop to make sure the brakes work etc. No traffic driving til your sure it's worthy!

[geezer#99]

I'd expand the oil in the cylinder trick a bit. Do it over several days. A little oil (marvel mystery oil works good), turn it a quarter turn, more oil, let sit, repeat over the next 4 days.
Also put new points in it.

[davepl]

Here's what I would do. Others may not.

1) Remove plugs, all fluids, carb, etc. You'll likely need to go through the carb anyway
2) Shoot liquid wrench or your favorite product into each cylinder
3) Wait. Up to a week, but overnight is usually ok.
4) Gently see if you can break it free just a tiny amount. If not, go to (2)
5) Once it moves a little (like the piston less than 1/4"), go to (2)
6) Repeat until you've had each piston up and down the bore like this

You might well find that once it's broken free it goes pretty easy, but I'd still take a few intermediate steps because the most rust will be where the rings are, and you need to come back at it from the other direction too, and there are 8 pistons in 4 different spots, so you almost have to go all the way around once like this to cover everything.

Drain the fuel tank, clean the lines, all of the other stuff that's pretty common for bringing old cars back.

[davepl]

Sorry, posted at the same time as Geezer. At least it was the same advice. Now if we can get buyin from mechanicalman on the stepped break-free we'll have the trifecta of advice!

[bigun911]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

Congrats! Pics! Don't drive around the block right away. Hundreds of things could be wrong with it. Take it slow. Vehicles that have been sitting may seem tempting to drive but you must be safe. Small trips across the yard - up and down the driveway- an occasional hard stop to make sure the brakes work etc. No traffic driving til your sure it's worthy!

Wasnt gonna go right around the block immediately although it sounded like it. So far I know the brakes will stop the truck as we tested them before we even started pulling it up on the trailer. Once its running, and will move, stop, and turn I will start going through things like hoses, gaskets, new tires, and everything else I can find that is beyond its service life. It probably wont see any real driving for at least the next 6 months or possibly even year depending on time and finances.

Here are pics of my new baby

[Vintage Windmills]

wow, you were given a survivor truck !!

I would also siphon out all old gas, install new non oxy with lead substitute, pull line to carb and flush out line. Insp
ect and replace rubber fuel lines.

[brawley]

wow in great shape, nice find ! one thing I would add a few fuel filters one before the pump and one in between the pump and carb. there is sediment in the tank from sitting so long and its hard to clean out unless you get a new gas tank..

[In The Ten Ring]

I'd drain and remove the gas tank (easy job really) and look for flash rust. My tank was full of it after sitting 20 years.

[leftybass209]

I agree with everything said. Something like points doesn't NEED to be changed to get the engine to turn over necessarily, but it is a good idea. It's easy to know if you're getting spark if you pull a plug wire. Draining the tank is a really good idea as well. It's cheap insurance. If you don't want to drain it, put an extra fuel filter or two in it at least or you'll be rebuilding the carb possibly twice if you do it before you start the truck.

If none of that works call Dr. Frankenstein and set up an appointment around the time of the next lightning storm in your area. He'll get it going for you

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by leftybass209

If none of that works call Dr. Frankenstein and set up an appointment around the time of the next lightning storm in your area. He'll get it going for you

If you don't speak Transylvanian, get a new battery.

[jjzepplin]

Looks like a nice rig. You're a lucky man! 5 lug too! We need some pics of the engine.

[mechanicalman]

Originally Posted by davepl

Sorry, posted at the same time as Geezer. At least it was the same advice. Now if we can get buyin from mechanicalman on the stepped break-free we'll have the trifecta of advice!

I'd do a high-pressure super duper recirculating WD-40 high fog pumper-upper followed by a sonic resonance thingy over a period of 3-6 days with a high moisture extractor dumaflachi as a backup.

AHA you didn't see that coming, did you? LOL I think you guys got it covered.

[Joesjunk]

Very nice gift!

[imjeff]

Try the marine lay-up oil fogging and let that perculate a couple days, API. The oil pump, see if it spins, etc.

[bigun911]

Got a chance to look it over a little bit better last night. The paint doesnt look original as there is some pretty bad overspray in some places. I also pulled the dip sticks to get an idea what I was dealing with. Oil looked a little dark but not sludgy, it will still get drained before I attempt to do anything with the motor. The trans fluid was bright red and smelled very clean with no evidence of burning or overheating.

Now another question, will I hurt the transmission by starting the engine with the old fluid still in the trans?

here are a few more pics, Engine as requested, and a few more for anyone curious

[imjeff]

The dark oil is good. It's supposed to be as it cleans the engine. If you roll it over by hand your transmission front seal will have an opportunity to exercise a little before being spun up. I would plan on changing all the fluids soon, but your tranny should be ok for a while as long as it's full.

Jeff

[67swb72klb]

x 2 on the trans it will be fine very nice rig

[mechanicalman]

Originally Posted by bigun911

The trans fluid was bright red and smelled very clean with no evidence of burning or overheating.

Now another question, will I hurt the transmission by starting the engine with the old fluid still in the trans?

X3, I don't think it will hurt it. You are going to remove the plugs and lube the cylinder walls/piston rings, right? Then you will be turning the engine a bit? That should be good for the seal.

If turning over the engine IS a problem, and it's apparent you will have to work hard to get it to turn free, then change the oil, remove the distributor, and pump up the oil pressure with a sleeve-bodied oil primer device (some parts stores rent or loan them out). I made mine out of my old points distributor leaving only the main shaft in without a gear and welded an old 3/8 socket to the top of the shaft. Seriously, you can pump it up with an air ratchet or speed wrench. If you use just a large screwdriver blade, you have to turn it fast due to pressure leakage and it takes forever to get oil to the top end that way.

If turning the engine is NOT a problem you don't need to remove the distributor (as I think it won't be but do lube the rings before you change the oil), after you drain the engine oil, install the oil filter (primed full of oil), with the spark plugs out and the coil wire removed, the pistons moving freely without compression, you should be able to crank it over until the oil light goes out or you can see the oil pressure gauge start to register, and that is good enough.

Set the new points with a feeler gauge then after the engine is running engage the trans in forward and reverse, the in park check the fluid but don't add any unless it's over a quart low and then leave it a little low, then set the points with a dwell meter if you have one. After the engine is all the way up to temperature and you have driven it around, top off the transmission.

Oh, BTW, expect that cylinder lube to come shooting out leaving an oily mess, some old towels or be linen strategically placed will help immensely. This is a step you DON'T want to forget, if you leave too much liquid in the cylinders you can bend a rod/s.

[beetle1960]

Originally Posted by bigun911

Ok experts I need advice. I was given a 72 c10 that has been sitting in a garage for almost 20 years. To my knowledge it ran when when parked but hasn't been started since it was parked. My thought are to change oil and coolant, pull plugs and squirt some oil sown in the cylinders. After that turn it over by hand, prime oil system with a drill, add fresh gas, and see if it will start. Outside these steps is there anything I should do to make sure I don't injure this thing. Once I have it started I will put fresh fluid I. The trans, differential, check the brakes and see if it will drive around the block

The truck is a 350ci / th350

My advice...sell it to me

[jjzepplin]

Jealous. That thing is pretty nice. Not even a torn seat. Any rust?

[Grumpy old man]

Just by looking at the condition of the rest of the truck I highly doubt you will have any trouble with the engine , Don't rebuild the carb or change the timing no new wires no new plugs don't clean it or anything else start it from where it sits now ! doing repairs first leaves you with no idea where to start looking for problems you may have caused .if it's not broke don't fix it before you know you have a running smoke free engine !

Pull the plugs and use MARVEL MYSTERY OIL in the cylinders overnite, think spray bottle not a funnel and DON"T fill the cylinders !Then turn it by hand , change the oil and filter , and place the largest Magnet you have close to the oil pan drain and 1 on the filter to catch free floating metal/rust from condensation use the old plugs on first start . after you start it and yes there will be some after sitting so long once started don't rev the engine hard to try to keep it running it will smoke like crazy from the cylinder lube but it should run and idle ok enough to let it get warmed and circulate the fresh oil and clear out the lube I would run it for 15-30 minutes watching the temp and pressure gauges then stop the engine and let it sit for an hour to drain back into the pan then pull the magnets and change the oil and filter again , I'm sure you will be fine after that and that first run up will be the indicator of what you have in store in repairs

[bigun911]

Originally Posted by jjzepplin

Jealous. That thing is pretty nice. Not even a torn seat. Any rust?

Very little rust, There are a few spots here and there of surface rust, but it looks like they could be sanded off pretty easy. There is also a little rot at the rocker panels inside, I am not sure if it is strictly surface and can be sanded and painted or if it will require replacement. It can be seen in the attached pic, but that is they worst rust I can find.

Next question, Oiled the cylinders and am working on getting the motor to spin by hand, thought it was gonna be an easy one but was only able to get about a quarter turn out of it before it stopped. I re oiled at the stopped position and hope that works to loosen whatever is stopping engine rotation, but if it doesnt I am trying to determine my next move. It seemed to spin both directions from where it was stopped but only about an eighth turn each direction. Is it possible that a valve or valves is rusted to the seat and preventing rotation? If so could I pull the valve covers and gently tap each valve / rocker to see if I can free them? Please forgive my hesitance to not consult the experts before pushing forward, I have been working on cars for years but never really done anything like this and I don't want to hurt anything worse trying to fix it.

[Grumpy old man]

Are you using regular oil to loosen it up ? Oil and Marvel mystery oil are 2 different animals .regular engine oil will do NOTHING to loosen the engine ,yes you can pull the valve covers and again use the Marvel oil to clean and lube them ,i don't suggest you start tapping valves ! Are you using a breaker bar and socket on the crank bolt to try to turn the engine ? Are all the plugs out ? loosen the distributor cap (just the cap not the distributor hold down ) and move it out of the way to see if the rotor is moving when you try to turn the crank .We'll go from there once you try it .


Oil is a lubricant
Marvel mystery oil is more of a solvent based fluid
74% mineral oil 24 % stoddard solvent and 1% lard ,Yes that's right LARD ! OLD GUY"S RULE !

[bigun911]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

Are you using regular oil to loosen it up ? Oil and Marvel mystery oil are 2 different animals .regular engine oil will do NOTHING to loosen the engine ,yes you can pull the valve covers and again use the Marvel oil to clean and lube them ,i don't suggest you start tapping valves ! Are you using a breaker bar and socket on the crank bolt to try to turn the engine ? Are all the plugs out ? loosen the distributor cap (just the cap not the distributor hold down ) and move it out of the way to see if the rotor is moving when you try to turn the crank .We'll go from there once you try it .


Oil is a lubricant
Marvel mystery oil is more of a solvent based fluid
74% mineral oil 24 % stoddard solvent and 1% lard ,Yes that's right LARD ! OLD GUY"S RULE !

Tried it with WD40 may have to go get MMO also read of people using PB Blaster, If MMO is best I will go get it and get it in the cylinders. not a breaker bar just a socket on a rachet was enough for me to get the crank pulley bolt to loosen / tighten when it hit the stopping points in both directions. Plugs are out, truck in neutral, Will pull the distributor and make sure the rotor is rotating. I can hear pistons moving inside the block when I rotate the crank.