Turn Over my 340, Sleeping For 17 years

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sgaugian

sgaugian

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I am bringing my 340 out from storage (17 year sleeping) and want to check compression to see state of cylinders. Have been told to use Liquid Wrench in cylinders to lubricate before turning over by hand.Engine had new oil put in before storage and has just sat since then. Had 70k original miles before storage and was running when put to sleep. If not LW, what is the best advice to keep from scoring the cylinders with dry rings?
 
sgaugian said:
I am bringing my 340 out from storage (17 year sleeping) and want to check compression to see state of cylinders. Have been told to use Liquid Wrench in cylinders to lubricate before turning over by hand.Engine had new oil put in before storage and has just sat since then. Had 70k original miles before storage and was running when put to sleep. If not LW, what is the best advice to keep from scoring the cylinders with dry rings?
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I have used Marvel Mystery Oil personally , has worked well for me. I usually squirt a few shots in, with a oil fashioned trigger oil can. Then let it sit a couple of days. Am curious , what others use as well.
 
I think 2-3 squirts of your choice of standard motor oil in each cylinder before firing up should help lube the cylinders. Turn the engine over a couple of times to spread it out without the spark plugs in it. Then one more squirt per cylinder before trying to fire it.

Too much oil may foul the plug, so I wouldn't do more than that.

Also put the zinc additive in if you change the oil.
 
I would try to find a spray can of kroil, and try to squirt it towards the top of the cyl so it runs around the rings completely. I would do this several times hand turning the engine over in between. I would also shoot a little down the carb. When your ready to crank leave the plugs out drain the old oil out and go with a 10/30 racing like vr, shoot a little oil down the carb and crank it for a few seconds. Also mix the fresh fuel with a triple dose of MM oil.
 
What are your plans for it, I think Ide pull coil wire crank it a little with mystery oil, fresh gas and let it rip. Drive it and have fun.
 
You might consider some attention where the valve springs are considered. 17 years is a long time for them to be static. Even with hydraulic lifters. I am sure they are weak as water.
 
RustyRatRod said:
You might consider some attention where the valve springs are considered. 17 years is a long time for them to be static. Even with hydraulic lifters. I am sure they are weak as water.
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Correct...... ( Sorry)...
 
EL5DEMON340 said:
I would try to find a spray can of kroil, and try to squirt it towards the top of the cyl so it runs around the rings completely. I would do this several times hand turning the engine over in between. I would also shoot a little down the carb. When your ready to crank leave the plugs out drain the old oil out and go with a 10/30 racing like vr, shoot a little oil down the carb and crank it for a few seconds. Also mix the fresh fuel with a triple dose of MM oil.
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X2 but let it sit a week or so before turning anything, if you feel any resistance stop.

Take the valve covers and rocker arms off, and hit every valve spring with a brass hammer to make sure they are free.

It may be a decent engine after sitting that long. But I guarantee it will use some oil or leak.
 
After 17 years I would be dumping some dextron 2 down the spark plug holes or some kind of automatic transmission fluid, it is high in detergent and will also seep in and around the rings and bearings etc. It would not hurt to dump a quart in the engine as well for your
initial start up. Again it is hi in detergent ,cleans inside your engine nicely without hurting anything and will penetrate all the hard to get areas oil ports bearings etc. Cheers and good luck.
 
RustyRatRod said:
You might consider some attention where the valve springs are considered. 17 years is a long time for them to be static. Even with hydraulic lifters. I am sure they are weak as water.
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Hey Rusty, do you think the lifters would bleed down after that long? Otherwise some of the springs would be compressed and some wouldn't. That can't be good on them. I would imagine they would. tmm
 
toolmanmike said:
Hey Rusty, do you think the lifters would bleed down after that long? Otherwise some of the springs would be compressed and some wouldn't. That can't be good on them. I would imagine they would. tmm
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Certainly something I would be concerned with. New lifters and springs would be cheap insurance. And it is totally acceptable to put new lifters on an old cam. Just break it back in like a new cam and lifters and you'll be fine.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Certainly something I would be concerned with. New lifters and springs would be cheap insurance. And it is totally acceptable to put new lifters on an old cam. Just break it back in like a new cam and lifters and you'll be fine.
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Good advice here from everyone, also, don't forget to pull the distributor and pre lube the engine before firing it up.......
 
Lifters are bleed down for sure! I just got a buddys el Camino goen last weekend that had sat since 06 &it fired rite up (with a quick carb re-seal & fresh fuel) but lifters were noisy for about a minute or so then calmed down. (Soon as it fired up got the rpm up to about 2k for a few min to make sure cam & lifters get that much needed oil) all is well with it now. except the chevy part! HA HA!
 
If it was me I'd do the oil or Marvel Mystery (love that stuff) down the spark plug holes and leave the plugs out of it. Remove the valve covers and loosen the rocker shafts but leave them in place. Then turn it over by jumping the starter relay until it has oil pressure (you'll see/hear it, and it will start pouring out the rocker stands (1 per head where it would normally enter the rocker shaft). Once you have oil pressure, turn it another few revolutions, stick the plugs back in, bolt the rockers back down, replace the valve covers, and prime the carb with fresh fuel (down the vent tubes). Then fire it. I'd run it out of a gas can until you can verify the fuel tank is not full of crap.
 
I had similar questions when pulling my 340 dart off the jack stands where it had sat for almost 25 years.

First thing I did was replace all fluids and hoses. Then the gas tank and fuel lines. Rebuilt the brake system with all new lines. Then pulled the plugs, squirted some MM in each cylinder and put the plugs back in and let it sit for a couple weeks, mainly because I got busy with work.

I pulled the distributor and gear and spun the oil pump to get fresh oil in the galleries. I rebuilt the carb threw some gas in it and fired it up.

I asked an engineer friend of mine who designs springs of all types for the oil industry whether or not the valve springs should be replaced and he said probably not unless the engine had considerable mileage on it. Since it only had 47k miles on it there shouldn't be a problem.

He said springs experience negligible affect on their structural integrity unless you hyper extend the spring past it's rebound point. In other words it's the compression followed by extension followed by compression etc, etc. that causes them to fatigue not sitting static.

It fired right up and after a tune up it runs fine and doesn't use or burn oil.
 
Some things are just taken for granted. Priming it would be so second nature to me, I didn't mention it. Sorta like breathin. And fartin.
 
moper said:
If it was me I'd do the oil or Marvel Mystery (love that stuff) down the spark plug holes and leave the plugs out of it. Remove the valve covers and loosen the rocker shafts but leave them in place. Then turn it over by jumping the starter relay until it has oil pressure (you'll see/hear it, and it will start pouring out the rocker stands (1 per head where it would normally enter the rocker shaft). Once you have oil pressure, turn it another few revolutions, stick the plugs back in, bolt the rockers back down, replace the valve covers, and prime the carb with fresh fuel (down the vent tubes)..
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x2
 
RustyRatRod said:
Some things are just taken for granted. Priming it would be so second nature to me, I didn't mention it. Sorta like breathin. And fartin.
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I would be careful priming a fart.... You may get more than you bargained for.... LOL! :pale:


(If you have to prime a fart, you will most likely get more than just air....)
 
krazykuda said:
I would be careful priming a fart.... You may get more than you bargained for.... LOL! :pale:


(If you have to prime a fart, you will most likely get more than just air....)
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A quote from an older golfing buddy... "Everything changes when you get past 50. For instance - never trust a fart. you just can't trust them anymore."
 
I would like to double check cylinder compression just to see if I can fire it up and run. Really would like to enjoy it without spending 2k to redo.
 
Thanks for the info. I guess my only thing to consider is a gasket set and some seals for the valves since the seals are most likely hard as rocks.
 
sgaugian said:
I am bringing my 340 out from storage (17 year sleeping) and want to check compression to see state of cylinders. Have been told to use Liquid Wrench in cylinders to lubricate before turning over by hand.Engine had new oil put in before storage and has just sat since then. Had 70k original miles before storage and was running when put to sleep. If not LW, what is the best advice to keep from scoring the cylinders with dry rings?
Click to expand...
Can't thank you all enough for the advise. It sounds like pulling the heads, putting in new valve seals, soaking the lifts , putting on new gaskets then spraying the cylinders and letting it sit for a week or so they working the engine around by hand along with spinning the oil pump shaft will be my best chance for success. And of course new fuel tank and new fuel lines and fuel.

Have my marching orders. Will update in the coming months or so if this weather breaks anytime soon.
Thanks
 
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