...been sitting 5-7 years.

[Jonnyuma]

I've made a tentative offer to a guy selling a 66 PowerWagon, but I need to get it running where it sits before I drop any real money on it. He says it was running when it was parked after the owner died several years ago, and hasn't been started or even turned over since. I tend to believe him, but it doesn't matter, getting it to run again will take what it takes either way.

I've had pretty good luck waking up forgotten vehicles in the past, but some of that may have been just that: luck. So before I get at it I have a couple of questions...
I've used SeaFoam, 3 in 1 oil, and WD40 in the cylinders to get em ready, what do you suggest?
Anybody know offhand the size socket I'll need on the crank pulley to turn it over by hand (383)?
The carb looks clean from above, and there's no signs of amateur electrical butchery, I think this truck was his baby and he took good care of it.
I'll have to drain the gas tank(s), what's a decent tank cleaner to use out in the field? Clean gas? SeaFoam again? Combination of the two?
Anybody got a procedure they use regularly with good results?
I'm pretty sure I can get this beast running, I just want to make every effort not to do damage to it.
Thanks for the help.

 

[snakeyes]

good luck !

 

[Jonnyuma]

And do any of the Pac NW guys know how to kill and clean off moss? This thing is covered with it. I was thinking some bleach/water, or maybe vinegar/water applied w a sprayer and the hosed down w a pressure washer. Sound feasible?

 

[Roadbird]

And do any of the Pac NW guys know how to kill and clean off moss? This thing is covered with it. I was thinking some bleach/water, or maybe vinegar/water applied w a sprayer and the hosed down w a pressure washer. Sound feasible?

Just get a bottle of Moss out at your local hardware store and pressure washer it down.

 

[greenmachine]

Or. TSP

 

[Jonnyuma]

Or. TSP

What's TSP?

MossOut I've heard of and seen. What exactly does it do? Just kill the stuff? Will it do anything bad to plastic (tail lights) or glass or aluminium?

I'm from AZ and spent my first 5 yrs in Oregon out in the eastern high desert part of the state. This is the first time I've dealt with a moss-covered vehicle. Dry-rot and sun damage? O yeah, man. That I've dealt with plenty. Thanks for the help.

 

[moparker]

I would run a gas line to a seperate take. I wouldn't mess with original til I got it home.

 

[66Satellite_in_NC]

Just to see if it will run, I would slap in a charged battery and pull the fuel line to the carb at both sides of the fuel pump. See if the car will even rotate over using the starter and if after a good 20 seconds of cranking, spray starting fluid in the carb.

If it fires up then I would think that further tinkering would get you a good motor. Make sure to catch any gas that may drain out of the tank into a separate container. But I definitely wouldn't want any of the crap that may be in the fuel line or tank making it's way into the carb.

If you have a way of checking the oil pressure when dry starting it then I would check that as well or see if it even registers when you are using the starting fluid and can get it to fire up.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Bill

 

[tallhair]

I would imagine a pressure washer with dawn or car wash soap would do a pretty go job on the moss and grime build up w/o any special chemicals. The water pressure alone will blast it off esp if you spray it down first with soapy water and let is soak in for a little while .. maybe 10 - 15 min. They make house cleaning soaps for pressure washer to get mold off of houses and to help keep it from coming back.

 

[Lazarus]

I've had a lot of luck with abandoned cars too. I never tied anything as extensive as you are talking about though. I'm with 66 satellite on the gas tank in the field. That's just asking for more hard work with a lot of variables. Run a gas line from a plastic jug and bring a good battery/starter fluid with you. If it did run good before parked, you will probably get it started with just those three things, assuming it turns freely. I'm sure that's not the professional and not as good as tearing it down and lubing etc, but it is usually fine. Jmo

 

[Funship32]

Just get a bottle of Moss out at your local hardware store and pressure washer it down.

X2

 

[Roadbird]

I use Moss out in the spring on my yard and minimum time is 15 min. But I leave it in my yard and then mow my yard with a thatching blade and removes the moss pretty good without killing my good grass. Since the moss is on the car it won't harm the metal. Moss out is actually high concentrate of zinc which kills the moss. But the 5200 psi. water blaster will remove that moss by itself.

 

[snakeyes]

:icon_thumleft::rolling:

 

[Jonnyuma]

I reckon I'll try the coin-op joint down the street first, its got super high water pressure. Maybe I won't even need any chemicals. I've just seen so many vehicles running around w the creeping green crud on em I just kind of assumed that it was hard to get off. Turns out, its just lazy people! Who woulda thought...

I like the idea of bypassing the gas tank/lines with a can. I sorta tumbled to that too last night. So that's exactly what Ima gonna do. Maybe even spring for some non-ethanol 92 to help get things going.

Any help on the crank bolt question? This thing is about 40 min away so I can't just run out and check. Plus its in an unmanned, fenced and gated lot so I have to make an "appointment" to get to it.

Thanks.

 

[AMX364]

crank 1 1/4 inch

 

[Jonnyuma]

crank 1 1/4 inch

¡Muy Bueno! Thanks, AMX

 

[The Beep]

My 67 Dart's 225 sat for 26 years without being touched. Sprayed wd40 in cylinders, cranked by hand twice, connected small tank to carb and filled with a gas / 2 stroke fuel mix. Fired right up. Put on 8000 miles since last year.

 

[Jonnyuma]

That's interesting. What's the theory behind the 2 stroke gas? Get a little extra lubricity in the cylinders? Did it smoke much? How many gallons did you run through it that way? And, FINALLY, did you mix it 1:1, or just like, a small bottle into 5 gals or so of gas? To be honest, I'm not really that worried about the fuel side of things. If the coil is good and the distributor isn't rusted into a lump, I think it'll be okay. If I can't get a spark, well, that's my biggest worry cuz my electrical skills ain't so great. And hopefully no critters have chewed the wiring. It will be getting electronic ign eventually, just hopefully not on the first day out in the field (literally). Congratulations on lighting that 225 after so long, Beep. I would probably buy this truck anyway even if it "only" had a /6....those things are great.

 

[moparmarks]

If you are seriously wanting this trunk you might want to change the oil and filter real quick before you turn it over. No use circulating that 7 year old nasty *** oil back through the motor after it has had all this time to drain down to the pan. Just a thought.
More like 50:1 on the 2-stroke oil.

 

[J5 GTX]

yes, change oil/filter before starting the engine.
bring a set of points (they corrode), setting static timing with points ignition is very easy.