How far to go 383

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sabre67

sabre67

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Hi this 383 was rebuilt in 2003 and never started up,it has been in warm storage in garage for 14 years. my question is how far should I go before flashing it up ? Im thinking I should pull the camshaft and reapply assembly lube for the cam break in.Also prime oil system,the valves are all in the closed position Any other thoughts? Thanks

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14 years is a long time.. have you been "taking care of it"? ..have you tried to turn the engine via the crank shaft? I would take the heads off and have a look at the cylinders. If you are adverse to doing that, at least get a crank shaft bolt on there and see if she'll turn for you. If it doesn't, I had a friends who did this years ago: put some Marvel Mystery oil in each cylinder and let it soak for 24 hrs. - try to turn the engine again - - repeat as often as necessary until you can get it to turn easily...
 
the engine still turns over and it has been turned over a couple times each year,I dont know what lube was used as it was rebuilt by a engine shop not by me, i would like to pull cam and see what it is I have no info on cam used?
 
Mine set for 25 years! It was running when put away and I had the foresight to loosen the rockers and slip the push rods off, plugs still in. Was outdoors for 10 years! Another 15 in covered storage in the car. I pulled the pan and replaced, mainly due to speed bump damage and heads just to have a peak. Much to my surprise it looked like it had run a day before.
In your case I might lift the intake and valley pan and put some more lube on the cam. They now have some thin gaskets I had never seen prior to 1988 for both sides of the valley pan that really helped seal the intake to head which helped as My motor always seemed to pull some oil from the valley. Pre prime and let her come to life! Mine has never run better 25 years latter!
 
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if you put a Purple shaft in it then pour this on.

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Pull the drain plugs on the sides of the block. And blast em with compressed air. No telling what might have crawled in there.
 
I'd blow out the water jackets, and pull the intake. The lower end is fine. Squirt some Marvel mystery oil or ATF into the bores and turn it over a few times. Pull the intake and valley pan and pull the rockers & shafts. Pull the lifters and lube with Crane Cam's moly paste. Add assembly lube to the tips of the pushrods and rockers. Preoil it and verify oil flow up to the rockers. Then preoil it again with a primer in the car, and start it.
 
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