Starting Up Long Dormant Engine

[mnewell337@gmai]

I have a completely rebuilt, and broken in 440 engine which has been sitting in a garage, or in the car, for at least 7 years. Getting ready to finally add all the fluids, and bring the car back to life.

Prior to trying to do that I thought it might be prudent to get some oil in each of the cylinders, and hand rotate the engine via the crank/harmonic balancer bolt to move the oil around. I could also pull the distributor, and use a oil pump primer shaft and drill to pressurize the internal oil pump (but leery of pulling the distributor, and gear, and then getting everything back in the way it was).

If I pull each spark plug to add some oil to each cylinder, how much oil should I add to each cylinder?

Mike

 

[Don Frelier]

Fogging oil might be a better choice I think since the cylinders are at an angle and the oil will want to stay at the lowest point.
You really don't want a pool of oil in there.

You can mark the distributor to block face with a sharpie or take a knife and make a mark.
Note the rotor position and you should be able to drop it right back the exact same timing position.

If you've got a boroscope you can hook to your phone it's possible to then look in each cylinder.

just my ideas.

 

[steve340]

None - it will coat all over the spark plug tips.
Prime the oil system properly to ensure the pump/oil pressure is good and fire it up.

 

[RemCharger]

Make sure it rolls over by hand easily.( a few turns)
A little blast of fogging oil shot at the top of cyl won't hurt.
Prime
Ignition.

 

[moparedtn]

How was the engine stored to begin with? Were any protective measures taken when it was stored?
Fogging oil is actually a good idea - and it's not going to coat anything, since you'll have the plug
out in order to spray some in each cylinder anyways.
Don't get carried away with it, just follow instructions on the can (one of the intended uses of fogging
oil is exactly what you're doing here - reviving a stored engine).
Yes, by all means pull the distributor and build up some oil pressure.

Other than that, follow the usual steps involved with firing a newly built engine and you should be fine.

 

[steve340]

Make sure you change the oil and filter after say 20-30 miles or if the car cannot be driven after a few starts.
The engine will benefit from fresh clean oil.

 

[493 Mike]

I let my 440 sit in my cold storage garage for almost 18 years. Cleaned the dual points, prelubed and filled up with fresh fuel and fired it up! I had rebuilt the six pack years earlier so the carbs were dry. Later that year, I managed to run a 12.68 quarter mile in my wagon. Now days the engine sits in the cold garage just in case.
Mike

 

[davek]

I used Marvel oil let it sit and then turned over by hand 3 days later. ,pulled distriuator and primed mine that sat for 16 years. Blew the oil out added plugs and it fired up .

 

[R413]

The important step is to prime the oil pump with a drill. Anything else is making YOU feel good inside not the engine.

The absolute worst thing would be to crank it until it gets oil pressure. My as well just fire it up if you are too lazy to prime it.

 

[PlymCrazy]

And if you think you put a little too much oil of any type in the cylinders (whether it be MM or fogging oil), you may want to put a large rag or towel over the spark plug holes while turning the engine over. Otherwise you may have a crime scene all over the engine bay.

 

[radical rob]

Remember to run drill in reverse to prime

 

[Outsider]

Maybe I missed it, but are we talking a hyd cam, solids or solid roller? If hyd cam, I think I would pull the intake and pull each lifter one at time and clean. I had some NOS hyd lifters sitting on the shelf for some time and I was glad I pulled them apart and cleaned as they were pretty gummed up.

Piston rings can stick, but I would for sure be more concerned about the bearings and cam, definitely pull dist and pre-oil with drill CCW until you see pressure on gauge and oil on the rockers.

 

[Black_Sheep]

Prelube and send it…

 

[dvw]

My street car sat for 10 years. Solid lifter cam. Pulled the plugs and oiled up the cylinders. Pulled the intake to inspect. Checked valve lash. Number 7 lifter was sticking in the bore, Zero lash. Pulled the pushrod and lifter and got it freed up. Went to suck the oil out of the cylinders with a hand vacuum pump. Found some white beads in #3 when I emptied it in a pan. Got the cell phone camera out and stuck it in the plug hole. Found peanuts, sun flower seeds and, and bird seed on top of the piston. Cleaned it out. Fired right up. Yes the oil left make it smoke a few seconds. No it didn't oil the plugs. Ran 11.07@122 a week later on the same plugs
Doug