Starting an old engine ....

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rebeldart

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Just picked up an old Newport ... car has not run in about 15 years (ran when parked) but looks like it would fire up and run today ! What's best procedures to go through before giving it a shot. I know I won't be feeding fuel from the tank, obviously, we'll pull good gas from a can. Outside of this - what steps to take before ?
 
rebeldart said:
Just picked up an old Newport ... car has not run in about 15 years (ran when parked) but looks like it would fire up and run today ! What's best procedures to go through before giving it a shot. I know I won't be feeding fuel from the tank, obviously, we'll pull good gas from a can. Outside of this - what steps to take before ?
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I would pull the plugs and put some mystery oil down in each cylinder and let that sit for a day or so then turn the crankshaft by hand first. I would also put some in the fuel to lubricate the valves real good. New plugs Cap and rotor and check the wires. Change the oil and filter and I would put at least 1 quart of transmission fluid in with the oil. I use to always do that before an oil change with my older HIGH mileage cars. Never had an issue with any of them either and it is a VERY good cleaner. After you get it running then change the oil again.

That is how we use to do it back in the good ole days anyway. JMO

http://www.marvelmysteryoil.com/
 
Prime the engine thru the oil pump while slowly turning the engine over by hand. This is a MUST.
 
Yep 2x. Prime the oil pump till you get fresh oil up top on the rockers while turning over by hand.
 
I'll give it a shot this week ...... one more question: after 15 years - is there any hope for the interior of the fuel tank, or should I just count on having to pull it and have cleaned and/or sealed or replaced ?
 
A new tank will save you some grief once you start driving around. After 15 years any gas left in the tank is probably just a layer of goo sitting on the bottom just waiting for some fresh gas to loosen it enough to clog the fuel lines.
 
if the tank isnt all rusted and it doesnt leak drain it change the fuel filter and keep a few extra filters on hand
 
If you can turn it over two complete revolutions by hand I'd stick the fuel line into a gas can and turn the key. Might surprise you how easy it will be to start if things are in good shape.
 
Yea, I'm with the bypass the gastank crowd. Disconnect the line running from the tank to the pump and put a hose into a gas can. TYou can always drop the tank later and clean it out with a gallon of muriatic acid and see if it cleans up!! Get it preoiled and you should be fine for an initial fire up. Then you can go down the line of things to get it running again, but don't be surprised if it starts to puff a little cloud due to the valve seals and such. Might hear a lot of clacking from sticky lifters too.

We just fired up a motor I transplanted in the Duster project i got going, and it blew quite a cloud of stuff, cleaning out both the motor and the system. Had a sticky lifter but after a couple minutes she settled into a nice roll. The motor has only been sitting for a year or so though, not 15!!! Good luck with the fireup!! Geof
 
Regarding the gas tank:

Even if it doesn't leak and you can get fuel to flow out of it, you will probably have trouble with it in the near future. All the deposits and varnish that built up inside it are going to be diluted by the gasoline used today.

Today's gas has up to 10% ethanol, and it acts as a very good cleaner. Too good in fact. All that crud will begin to dissolve and will constantly clog your fuel filter.

Many boat owners with older inboard tanks had this problem around here about 10 years ago. Boat ran fine until the switch to the 10% ethanol. Then there was constant clogging of the fuel filters. A big headache on a boat!

If you don't have any trouble with the filter clogging, you are lucky. If you do, then this is a very likely cause of the problem.

Best of luck
 
moper said:
If you can turn it over two complete revolutions by hand I'd stick the fuel line into a gas can and turn the key. Might surprise you how easy it will be to start if things are in good shape.
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And I need help with this after years of being away from these old cars. How do I turn the engine over by hand? I used to pull everything off the front and put my large socket and long handled breakover bar and turn, or will I get tit to budge by turning the fan with belts and all on it? And how is the fuel line scene exactly handled? I can do this stuff, I just need a kick again.

Thanks.
 
Also, don't be dissapointed if it uses a LOT of oil for AWHILE.
 
It'd luck more than anything. I had an engine that had a taped intake, taped headers, and spark plugs in it. I sprayed a lot of PB Blaster in each spark plug hole before I sealed it up. When i went to put new plugs in it I noticed some white power in the plug hole. Off came the heads and it's a good thing I did. Every piston had at least one stuck ring and #8 piston had 10 pits .030 deep and the cylinder had scaly rust.
 
moper said:
If you can turn it over two complete revolutions by hand I'd stick the fuel line into a gas can and turn the key. Might surprise you how easy it will be to start if things are in good shape.
Click to expand...
x2 done it many times....
 
Absolutely drop the tank and give it a good clean. My car had sat for ten years, and when I dropped my tank to clean, man you won't believe the garbage. The fuel filter is only gonna catch so much and the rest ends up in the bowls in the carb.

If the tank looks to be in good shape, drop it and pour some kind of non flammable cleaner in it, not a lot enough to cover the bottom and let it set for a while. I put some tumbling stones in mine and my wife and I gave it a good shaking to loosen the gunk and then poured it all out. I then flushed it real well with water and let it dry. I reconditioned the outside of the tank as best I could and popped it back in. Also blow the lines from front to rear that's the opposite direction of normal flow and will catch most build up if any and force it out.

They do make a product to coat the inside, I didn't do it because I intend to replace the tank eventually.
 
69swinger340391 said:
Regarding the gas tank:

Even if it doesn't leak and you can get fuel to flow out of it, you will probably have trouble with it in the near future. All the deposits and varnish that built up inside it are going to be diluted by the gasoline used today.

Today's gas has up to 10% ethanol, and it acts as a very good cleaner. Too good in fact. All that crud will begin to dissolve and will constantly clog your fuel filter.

Many boat owners with older inboard tanks had this problem around here about 10 years ago. Boat ran fine until the switch to the 10% ethanol. Then there was constant clogging of the fuel filters. A big headache on a boat!

If you don't have any trouble with the filter clogging, you are lucky. If you do, then this is a very likely cause of the problem.

Best of luck
Click to expand...
umm here in WI the regular unleaded, midgrade unleaded has 10% ethanol, but lucky for us the Premium unleaded has NO ethanol so I only use that in my duster, boat and small engines, the ethanol in todays gas will wreck havok on all older rubber fuel lines to eats right through them kept having that problem on my lawn mower, switched to premium no more problems, I know this is now off topic, but If the op can get premium with no ethanol that would be better than using regular fuel, and I am wondering about his valve seats?? if that thing still has original heads you need lead additive or risk burning the seats up. I am gonna guess it dosent have hardened valve seats.
 
I'm with Moper, except I would mix gas and 2 stroke oil at like an 8:1 ratio, and run it off that.
Fill the float bowl with a small funnel or a soda battle with a small hole in the cap vie the bowl vents. Just like a new engine, the best way to start it is QUICK! Then, dont let it idle, keep it somewhat revved up to get the lifters spinning and the oil flowing.
And don't put freakin' tranny fluid in an old engine..........
 
Don't trust the old fuel pump! I just restarted a long neglected engine by gravity feeding the carb, the fuel pump diaphragm was so bad if I had used it it probably either would not have pumped or filled my crankcase with gas!
 
Be very carefull when turning the motor by hand,as the rings may be frozen to the cyl wall and if forced they will break. I use a turkey baster and squirt a liberal amount of diesel in each cyl,then let it sit for a week. Then I use a pre oiling tool and prime the system.Then I carefully get it turning by hand no more than 1/4 inch,and then reverse direction for 1/4 inch. Then you can start to turn it over a bit more,just be carefull not to force anything.
 
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