engine been sitting for 9 years!

[hpcgmc]

I just got my 67 GMC out of storage. It's been parked in an outdoor storage lot in California for 9 years. When I parked it, it ran, but the quadrajet carb was spitting fuel all over the place. I didn't think it would be parked for long, so didn't do anything other then put some stabil in the gas tank. I plan on pulling the tank and having it boiled out, flushing fuel lines, going through the brakes, etc. Engine is a 1966 283 sbc with quadrajet carb.

My question - whats the best way to get the motor running? I've read a bunch of posts about using marvel mystery oil in the cylinders, spinning the oil pump by removing the distributor, and turning the engine over by hand. Also, removing valve covers and bathing valve assembly with marvel, then watching to make sure the rockers move up and down.

Am I missing anything?

[fine69]

Nope. You have it all covered.

I personally just take all the spark plugs out. Squirt oil in the holes. Unhook the coil of course. Crank it over like you were going to start it.

Let the starter rest a bit. Do it again. After a few times of this use some brake cleaner to wash the oil out of the top end of the cyls. Then put plugs in it. Hook up the coil. See if it fires.

[hpcgmc]

Thanks fine69, I could probably get by doing it the easy way, but I really don't want to replace a motor right away, so am doing all I can to improve my chances that this motor runs.

I realized I'm not sure how to remove and replace the distributor to spin the oil pump. What do I mark to make sure I get it back in correctly? When I spin the oil pump from the distributor hole, will this mess up the alignment of the distributor, meaning I'll have to find tdc, etc to get it aligned? I seem to remember a past mechanic saying my harmonic balancer was not aligned, causing my timing marks to be off - does this make any sense?

Lastly, where do I put a breaker bar on the engine to turn it over by hand? I haven't worked on a chevy in alot of years!

Thanks!

[hpcgmc]

An update - I pulled the plugs and used a big syringe to fill each of the cylinders with marvel mystery oil. Let that sit a few days, then turned it over with the plugs out (big mess of Marvel spitting all over the place), then put in the plugs and the engine turned over fine. Siphoned out the 9 year old gas and put in 5 gallons of fresh gas, then put in a clear inline fuel filter. Next I used an oil primer pump, attached to my drill, and spun the oil pump for a few minutes.

It turned over fine, but there was no spark. Tracked down a small electrical issue and fixed the wire, then the truck fired right up! It runs and idles pretty good. Gotta do the brakes and fix some lighting issues before I can take it for a test ride, but things are going well.

Thanks for ideas.

[da-burb]

I just fired up a Pontiac 350 in a 69 Lemans convert that had been sleeping for the last 28 years. I had to fix a little issue with mice eaten spark plug and coil wires but it fired up perfectly and ran on the 28 year old gas(smelled good and wasn't dark colored) as well. It feels good when something that neglected can still come back to life.

[ETsC10]

Congrats on the awakening!
...gunna have to name the truck Rip Van Winkle!!

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by da-burb

It fired up perfectly and ran on the 28 year old gas(smelled good and wasn't dark colored) as well.

Back in the day, they knew how to brew gas right. I wonder if tetra-ethyl lead was a preservative?
I use Sta-Bil in my jerry cans but don't trust it past the one year limit.

[GRX]

Originally Posted by da-burb

I just fired up a Pontiac 350 in a 69 Lemans convert that had been sleeping for the last 28 years. I had to fix a little issue with mice eaten spark plug and coil wires but it fired up perfectly and ran on the 28 year old gas(smelled good and wasn't dark colored) as well. It feels good when something that neglected can still come back to life.

Good job bringing it back to life! Pontiac are my favorite.
Have to say you got lucky with the turpentine (aka -old gas) though. I have seen fuel that old gum up intake valve guides to the point the valves had to beat out with a brass punch.