What to with a fresh rebuilt motor that has been sitting 3 years?

[DusterDaddy]

I have a fresh rebuild 318 in my project car. It's not been fired yet and still has all assembly lube on cam etc, etc. I bought the motor complete carb to pan almost 3 years ago.
For the first 2 years the motor was in a cradle in my garage, and the last year it has been in the car dry.

I won't get the car home until the end of summer. I then hope to get it wired and plumbed and fired up!

The car is now in storage while I complete renovations on a new house and garage.

What if anything should I do to the motor? I was thinking a shot of Marvel Mystery Oil through each spark plug hole then rotate it a few times....

I'd appreciate any suggestions.

 

[Princess Valiant]

I usually shoot a shot of PB blaster into each cylinder and let it soak in and prime the oil pump with a drill and priming shaft and then fire it up.

When it fires off there will be smoke from burning up the PB blaster in the cylinder but it goes away right away.

 

[70aarcuda]

like said above...prime the engine...maybe squire some oil in the cylinders....fire it up...

 

[d1970]

I usually shoot a shot of PB blaster into each cylinder and let it soak in and prime the oil pump with a drill and priming shaft and then fire it up.

When it fires off there will be smoke from burning up the PB blaster in the cylinder but it goes away right away.

YEP!!!

 

[SGBARRACUDA]

I agree with above. Don't forget to have a helper there when you prime it to turn the engine over at the crank to line up the oil passages going to the valve train up top.

 

[nm9stheham]

I'd turn it over slowly by hand after the PB soaking for a few days; start easy. If it won't start turning with a pretty low level of torque , then let it set for a while more with more penetrant added. The idea is to make sure that a ring is not rusted stuck and to get it loosened easily so it does not break or break a land.

 

[mderoy340]

What kind of breakin lube is on the cam? Hopefully you used the moly paste type that does not drip off the lobes.
If you used the oil type I would pull the intake and lube with Crane Cams Moly paste.
Definitely prime the motor and oil the cylinders as mentioned.

 

[RustyRatRod]

If it's a hydraulic cam, the valve springs are probably ok. If it's a solid cam, throw the valve springs in the ditch unless you've been turning the engine every month or so.

 

[MrJLR]

I don't agree with turning it over by hand.....it will wipe the assembly lube off the cam lobes.....
Prime the oil system and light the fire.

Jeff

 

[nm9stheham]

I don't agree with turning it over by hand.....it will wipe the assembly lube off the cam lobes.....

Actually, it won't. It all piles up under the leading side of the lifter and then slowly feeds under the lifter and onto the lobe. It takes just 1-2 rotations to do this, and it happens exactly the same way whether you turn it by hand or use the starter. Here is a pix to show what happens regardless of the method used to initially turn the cam:

 

[MrJLR]

Well.....great picture. ....that says a lot!

 

[magnummopar]

I vote for Marvel Mystery over PJ Blaster, Marvel is ATF, lubricant, with spearmint oil which is a super penetrate, great at loosening things up without getting runny and going past rings. PB is more formulated to break rust loose not lube good metal. If its rusty, you are screwed anyway. Marvel will break loose and lube, PB only breaks loose. For a great demo, use it at the drill press instead of cutting oil. PB sucks and Marvel works great. Not bashing PB, use it all the time, just on outside of engine and on bolts its amazing. You can actually dump Marvel in carb off running engine and break loose carbon on used engines, break loose stuck rings. Used to use it on Rotary engine that were carbon locked all the time. just my $.02