starting up my 318 after nine+ years....

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Chryslerkid

Chryslerkid

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Hi everyone,

My newly purchased 1968 barracuda and the little 318 sitting in it has been sitting for over 9 years in a garage. I know there are many many variables as to whether or not the engine is even viable, however, if we are to assume that the engine is in good shape, what are the "proper steps" that one should take in order to start it up? I have never started an engine that has been sitting for this amount of time before and I don't want to add any unnecessary wear on the engine if i can help it.
 
engine pictures...
 

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This is what I would do. Pull all spark plugs and put a squirt of tranny fluid in each cylinder to help loosen things leave out the plugs, change the oil with a cheap 10w40(you will change it again)bring the engine to TDC, pull the distributor and drive gear making note of how they came out. ( mark the dizzy with a marker or something) get a drill and prime the engine, turn the engine over by hand 90 degrees and prime again, continue that cycle until you have reached top dead center again. Then put your plugs back in, spray some starter fluid down the throat of the carb and then turn the ignition, Assuming it ran before and everything is still functional like the carb and the ignition system still works I would say you would be fine. I've done this before on engines that have sat around for a while without issue. priming the engine with oil would ensure that the start up wasn't dry and you wouldn't damage engine bearings and the cam. Anyway, after you get it running change the oil again to get rid of the rest of that nasty stuff that's been in there for 9 years.
 
I would grab a friend and have him ether turn the engine or use the drill gu MRL turn the oil pump to prime the engine.
Replace all fluids & filters before putting into drive.
Replace all rubber hoses before driving.
Good luck with the carb sitting that long. Watch for leaks.
 
I've got a 68 with 318 laying here too. I start it once in a while. Could be a little different after 9 years though. Drop all the accessory belts. No need to have the extra load on it now. Pull the breather canister. Pull the coil wire. You might find oil there. If so, replace the coil, leave the wire off. Use a length of fuel hose over the right fender to supply fuel from a can. Attach a good strong battery and start spinning it over. If gas comes out of the bowl vent, the float is stuck. Try tapping on the bowl with a screw driver handle. That works for me. If you can get fuel to go in the engine instead of all over it, hook up the coil wire, and fire it up.
After 9 years, you may want to go the extra trouble of pulling the plugs, priming the oil pump, etc... I doubt anyone can offer absolute proof that all those extra steps are necessary. Its been my experience that they fire up and run just as good or bad as before, or they are seized up and wont turn at all.
 
If it turns freely. and I mean very free with the plugs out you might be ok. There are a couple of times I wished that I had pulled the heads and cleaned up the cylinder walls on a dormant engine. They create their own little eco system in the cylinder where it rains, evaporates, condenses. This cycle will take out a cylinder. I had a nice 440 that will now have to be bored before I can use it.
 
If it's been sitting that long I would certainly not try and start the engine with any gas that is in the carb, fuel line or tank. You might want to remove the carb and clean it because it should have lots of old dried up fuel/varnish in the bottom of the bowls. At a minimum I would connect a small gas tank to the carb and hold it high for the gas to run down hill. once the pump "picks up" the fuel you can lower the gas can.
If you get the engine started it would be best to clean the fuel line and the tank before you hook them up to the carb or you contaminate everything all over again!!
Treblig
 
- Drop tank, clean, and clean fuel lines 100% Any gas this old will trash the carb and stick valves. Even if it seems empty, there will be gum and trash in there that HAS to come out. (Modern gas turns to gummy crap when it sits even 6 months.)
- Hope that the carb is not gummed up. Look down carb throat for anything odd. Be prepared to rebuild it.
- Put light oil in each cylinder and with all plugs out, see if you can turn it by hand. If not, put some rust penetrant in, and let it soak for a few days. Then add some more light oil Don't try to crank until it is freed by hand. If you never get it free, then it's likely gonna break a piston ring or ring land if you crank it.
- Fresh plugs, etc. Check points opening gap
- Check timing by looking at the point opening timing versus the crank timing mark
- Priming is not a bad idea, but I never have done so.
- Put in light oil like 10W30. Examine the old oil for water.
- New oil and gas filters for sure; you don't know if the paper has deteriorated
- Check exhaust for obstructions
- Use a small bottle with a small hole in the top to squirt fresh gas into the carb's bowl vent; no starting fluid....it washes the oil off of the cylinders.
- Pump throttle a few times and fire.
- Several quick oil and filter changes if it runs.

Good luck!
 
nm9stheham said:
- Drop tank, clean, and clean fuel lines 100% Any gas this old will trash the carb and stick valves. Even if it seems empty, there will be gum and trash in there that HAS to come out. (Modern gas turns to gummy crap when it sits even 6 months.)
- Hope that the carb is not gummed up. Look down carb throat for anything odd. Be prepared to rebuild it.
- Put light oil in each cylinder and with all plugs out, see if you can turn it by hand. If not, put some rust penetrant in, and let it soak for a few days. Then add some more light oil Don't try to crank until it is freed by hand. If you never get it free, then it's likely gonna break a piston ring or ring land if you crank it.
- Fresh plugs, etc. Check points opening gap
- Check timing by looking at the point opening timing versus the crank timing mark
- Priming is not a bad idea, but I never have done so.
- Put in light oil like 10W30. Examine the old oil for water.
- New oil and gas filters for sure; you don't know if the paper has deteriorated
- Check exhaust for obstructions
- Use a small bottle with a small hole in the top to squirt fresh gas into the carb's bowl vent; no starting fluid....it washes the oil off of the cylinders.
- Pump throttle a few times and fire.
- Several quick oil and filter changes if it runs.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
This is the procedure I would follow. FYI, not that easy to prime a Mopar, you need a tool made to do this, or buy one. that is because the dist. drive gear is on the intermediate shaft and will not spin the oil pump while engaging the Cam.
 
A priming tool is a snap to make.

- Take a 3' long by 5/16" steel rod from the hardware store and hammer 6 evenly angled flats in one end. Takes a whole minute with a good vise or anvil to beat on with a machinist's hammer.
- Or use a 3' long by 3/8' steel rod and grind the 6 flats on one end.

Cut either to a suitable length, chuck into drill, pull shaft, insert down into the oil pump, and go to town! Spin CW.....
 
A cheaper oil primer is a cut off the gear on a extra factory distributor shaft and weld a LA push rod to it.

RD3KL9.jpg
 
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