Firing motor after a long sit!

[tex_waco_usmc]

So I built the 350 4-bolt main in the 67 about 5-6 years ago. It has never been driven but before my last deployment it was run weekly to keep it going.

Now, 2.5 years later I have pulled the fuel tank to replace with an underbed tank. Im about to get ready to try and fire it again for the first time since before I deployed.

What should I do before attempting to fire this engine that has sat for so long? It does turn over easily nothing is frozen... Im looking more along the lines of the carb, oil, etc...

[1972BackInBlackC10]

id replace the oil and oil/fuel filters then just to be safe after you put fresh oil in id prime the oil pump before you started it

[MARKDTN]

Since you already turned it over, I would just pull the plugs, squirt some oil in each cylinder, pull the power to the coil, and spin it with the starter for 30 seconds, put the plugs in and the wire back and fire it up. Might replace the fuel filter first. I would not replace the oil/filter until after it started. All this assumes it has been in a relatively dry place. If it is stored outside under a cover I might worry more about rust and moisture.

[1972BackInBlackC10]

Originally Posted by MARKDTN

Since you already turned it over, I would just pull the plugs, squirt some oil in each cylinder, pull the power to the coil, and spin it with the starter for 30 seconds, put the plugs in and the wire back and fire it up. Might replace the fuel filter first. I would not replace the oil/filter until after it started. All this assumes it has been in a relatively dry place. If it is stored outside under a cover I might worry more about rust and moisture.

why would you run an engine with fresh oil with an old filter with old oil that would defeat the purpose of putting new oil in it, the motor has been sitting for almost 3 years if i was you id prime the oil pump before starting it, you can do it the way MARKDTN said but i personally wouldnt, better safe than sorry in my opinion

[faribran]

fresh gas, hot battery... check the gas lines to carb.... hit the key...

[davepl]

I let mine crank (fuel pump off, or coil wire off) for as long as it takes for oil pressure to come up to operating range. If you didn't add fuel stabilizer, you -might- consider draining the bowl first, it's probably full of that powdered fuel residue.

I'd change the oil -after- you got it up to operating temperature. Any junk in the motor will wind up in the oil in the first few minutes, and the "protective" value of new vs old oil in those few minutes is probably negligible.

Drive slow at first, the tires are probably square on the bottom (and if its been long enough, they could separate and fail).

[MARKDTN]

Originally Posted by 1972BackInBlackC10

why would you run an engine with fresh oil with an old filter with old oil that would defeat the purpose of putting new oil in it, the motor has been sitting for almost 3 years if i was you id prime the oil pump before starting it, you can do it the way MARKDTN said but i personally wouldnt, better safe than sorry in my opinion

If you drain the oil and put a filter in first, then yes I would prime it so it runs dry for less time to fill the filter and adapter area. I would run it with the oil and filter that is in it and get it warm and drain it then-again so it runs dry for less time now. Unless you have a "good" priming tool all you will get is the bottom end anyway with it. I think you stand a better chance of getting junk into the motor when you pull the distributor out. Also it is timed now. If it gets put back with too much timing at restart you will put more strees on the bearings than if you left them alone. I did say I was assuming that it has been stored in a dry area. If it has been outside, especially under a cover, I would be more concerned. He has already turned it over, so the bearings are already moved without oil. Guess I need more details. Are you worried about the bottom end, cam, top end or what? I wouldn't drive anywhere or load it with the old oil, just crank it up, get it warm, and change it. My opinion for what it is worth.

[1972BackInBlackC10]

MARKDTN i didnt mean to come off as rude or to sound like you didnt know what you are talking about i apologie if i did, you mke a ood point on the priming tool, he could possibly put oil in the new filter before putting it on we always did this on diesels at the lube shop i worked at

[MARKDTN]

Originally Posted by 1972BackInBlackC10

MARKDTN i didnt mean to come off as rude or to sound like you didnt know what you are talking about i apologie if i did, you mke a ood point on the priming tool, he could possibly put oil in the new filter before putting it on we always did this on diesels at the lube shop i worked at

None taken. I should have explained my logic more completely the first time. I always prefill filters, but even then there is some oil in the cavity around the top that can only get there by the pump.

[tex_waco_usmc]

I should have put a little more into the post. There was no stabilizer in the fuel, but the old tank is gone as I am in the process of installing an aluminum tank under the bed, already blew the line out from the carb back to make sure I got all the "bad" stuff out of the line. Not real smart on taking apart or putting back together the carb at all, so if any of you have a "How to" on that I would appreciate it. A buddy of mine said to spray WD-40 down into the carb and work the throttle levers real good before firing (not sure what that would do other than free it if it has stuck closed)...

I have rolled the motor over by hand not with the starter to make sure it was free. I was planning on pulling the coil wire and rolling until I built pressure up before attempting to fire.

I plan on replacing the plugs, cap, rotor, oil and filter after she fires and gets to normal operating temperature. Thought about squirting oil down in the plug holes before rolling with the starter, most likely will do that so she doesnt turn dry...

Anything I am forgetting????

[Papaloo]

It would be better for the bearings in the engine if you started the truck and immediately ran it at around 2000rpm to get the oil pumping through the engine rather than disconnecting the distributor and using the starter to turn it over at a lower RPM. This will quickly get the oil moving through and pressurize all of the bearings and coat all of the internal surfaces.

[tex_waco_usmc]

Originally Posted by Papaloo

It would be better for the bearings in the engine if you started the truck and immediately ran it at around 2000rpm to get the oil pumping through the engine rather than disconnecting the distributor and using the starter to turn it over at a lower RPM. This will quickly get the oil moving through and pressurize all of the bearings and coat all of the internal surfaces.

Wouldnt it be bad on the bearings to initially spin it that fast with them being dry?

[Papaloo]

Originally Posted by tex_waco_usmc

Wouldnt it be bad on the bearings to initially spin it that fast with them being dry?

If you were running it just off the starter, the speed of the pump would not be fast enough to adequately lube the engine. Running it at the higher RPM bumps up the pressure and gets the oil everywhere much faster. That's why they tell you with a new engine if it doesn't start within 30sec of cranking, to stop and figure out why it's not firing. There's just not enough oil pressure to properly supply the bearings and support the crank unless the engine is actually running at speed.

Bearings will always suffer some wear on startup.

[tex_waco_usmc]

Originally Posted by Papaloo

If you were running it just off the starter, the speed of the pump would not be fast enough to adequately lube the engine. Running it at the higher RPM bumps up the pressure and gets the oil everywhere much faster. That's why they tell you with a new engine if it doesn't start within 30sec of cranking, to stop and figure out why it's not firing. There's just not enough oil pressure to properly supply the bearings and support the crank unless the engine is actually running at speed.

Bearings will always suffer some wear on startup.

Never thought of it that way, makes a lot more sense to me now!