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Getting an engine ready that has been sitting

wazzabie

wazzabie

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Hi,

What do I need to do to get a engine ready that has been sitting for about 5 yrs now. It never was turned over. Currently the carb is off the engine. I'm going to remove the plugs and spray some oil in. The battery is dead. I'm going to remove the cover and turn the starter wheel by hand. I also am going to replace the oil. However I think the oil is fresh aas of 5 yrs ago. Also I'm going to drain the coolant. Anything else? btw - I'm replacing all of the fuel system so that is covered.
 
Has the carb been off for 5 years? If it has, I'd pull the intake to make sure nothing found it's way in there.

I'm assuming this has been in a vehicle for the 5 years. I'd look at all the wiring....mice can/will chew at it. Rolling it over by hand is a good idea. It should turn over fairly easy. You might have to break it free from it's current position. If it is stuck, rock it back and forth untill it frees up. Brake fluid or PB Blaster in the cylinders can help free the pistons/rings. If you go this route, change the oil again.

Clean the connections on the battery terminals, put in some new plugs and fresh gas. A new cap/rotor/plug wire would be a good idea too. While you're under there, look to see if the advance mechinism isn't frozen. Vacuum lines should be replaced too. It "should" start. Expect it to run rough and smoke some though.

Be sure to have a fire extingusiher ready.


The motor I put into my 77 K20 came from a truck that sat in a field with the hood open for 8 years. I swapped in an HEI distributor, put a fresh carb on it and some new plugs. It fired right up once the fuel got to the carb. That motor ran decent (never really made great power...I'm guessing that's why it was parked) and lasted for a few thousand miles. The I decided to race it at the sand drags. Missed a shift and motor reved to 5500rpm. After that it had a knock, still ran though. Drove it that way for over 6 months.
 
What is the advance mechanism?

The carb has been off for several years but I placed plastic wrap and then sheet metal on the intack so nothing would get in. It has been sitting in a garage for the past 5 yrs. I don't think any mice got to it... lots of spider webs.
 
wazzabie said:
What is the advance mechanism?
Click to expand...

The adavance mechanism is the springs/weights under the rotor on the distributor. It controls the ammount of timming advance the motor gets. The faster it spins, the more the advance swings out....advancing the timming with it. I think there is a thread about the weights somewhere on the first page.
 
I hate to be an ass but we've done this topic like 4 times in the last 3 months...

Mystery oil in the cylinders
replace tuneup items
change fluids
turn it by hand with a breaker bar til its free
 
Stomis said:
I hate to be an ass but we've done this topic like 4 times in the last 3 months...

Mystery oil in the cylinders
replace tuneup items
change fluids
turn it by hand with a breaker bar til its free
Click to expand...

Where do I use the breaker bar? What do I need to turn? Also what rotation do I turn it?
 
I was going to remove the case that covers the teeth that the starter uses and try to turn that. Would that be ok? Still not sure what direction.
 
socket and breaker bar on the crank pulley would be best, if it is froze up you will need to rock it back and firth with oil in the cylinders until you can get a full rotation
 
With the plugs out just try cranking it over with the starter. Just cause it was sitting doesen't mean it is stuck.
Tarey
 
NEW VALVE SPRINGS are a must. The ones that have been open for years have lost their ability to work correctly and have a high probability of breaking on you.
 
Hey Scott, I got a question. Wouldn't the lifters just loose the oil pressure and let the valves close after a while? I don't know that much about motors, so that is why I am asking.
Tarey
 
GNERGY said:
Hey Scott, I got a question. Wouldn't the lifters just loose the oil pressure and let the valves close after a while? I don't know that much about motors, so that is why I am asking.
Tarey
Click to expand...

Oil may have bled off after sitting for so long but the lifter plunger only has about .100" travel so the valve will still be open thus the spring has been sitting compressed for however long the engine has been sitting.
 
wazzabie said:
How difficult is it to replace the springs? What is involved?
Click to expand...

Lisle tools makes a tool that attaches to the rocker stud and then you just pry down on the top of the retainers to remove the keepers. You will also need to buy an air fitting to put into the spark plug hole to hold the valve up while you replace the springs (this is also an excellent time to replace the valve seals as well, required if it only uses the O-rings). The cylinder being worked on must be at TDC then apply air to cylinder, then attach tool and remove spring.
 
4X4HIGH said:
Lisle tools makes a tool that attaches to the rocker stud and then you just pry down on the top of the retainers to remove the keepers. You will also need to buy an air fitting to put into the spark plug hole to hold the valve up while you replace the springs (this is also an excellent time to replace the valve seals as well, required if it only uses the O-rings). The cylinder being worked on must be at TDC then apply air to cylinder, then attach tool and remove spring.
Click to expand...

this seams to be rather difficult. Is there any other way to replace them? Is the compressed air really needed? Any good write ups on this?
 
i agree w/stomis, we have discussed this alot recently & this is the 1st time the compressed valve springs has come up....i'm glad to see this before i get my 250 i6 that beens sitting for 18 yrs....i can't find hardly anyplace that has parts for the 6's...anyone know who specializes in the 6's? sorry for hijack
 
wazzabie said:
this seams to be rather difficult. Is there any other way to replace them? Is the compressed air really needed? Any good write ups on this?
Click to expand...

You can use the old timer trick of feeding a 1/4" nylon rope through the spark plug hole to hold the valve in place while you remove the spring (much harder than using air).

Of course the easiest thing to do would be to not change them and wait for a spring to break and blow up the engine THEN rebuild the whole engine (harder yet and cost ALOT more than valve springs).
 
I realize that you have tons of engine experience, but I disagree that valve springs would wear out or get brittle from 5 years of simply sitting compressed.

Spring steel "wears out" from the number of compression/extension cycles it is exposed to, being overloaded, or due to corrosion and heat issues. Corrosion may be a significant factor in an engine that's been sitting - in some cases even enough of a factor to warrant replacement, but this would be apparent from a visual inspection.

I do agree that new valve seals would probably be a good idea.
 
longbedder said:
I realize that you have tons of engine experience, but I disagree that valve springs would wear out or get brittle from 5 years of simply sitting compressed.

Spring steel "wears out" from the number of compression/extension cycles it is exposed to, being overloaded, or due to corrosion and heat issues. Corrosion may be a significant factor in an engine that's been sitting - in some cases even enough of a factor to warrant replacement, but this would be apparent from a visual inspection.

I do agree that new valve seals would probably be a good idea.
Click to expand...

You have alot to learn is all i'm going to say. I'm going to leave this thread alone now and wait for future results. :rolleyes:
 
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