So it's not a GM but the concepts would be the same for most anything of the era I would think. In the mid 70's my dad bought a 67 Fairlane GT with the 390 engine and parked it in one of our buildings, well now it's 2012 and I want to get it going again. The car is in great shape aesthetically and in theory should be mechanically as well as it had no problems whatsoever when parked and has only had time to wear on it. I have searched for the procedures for restarting vehicles that have been sitting but all I find is info on what to do if they have been sitting for 3 or 4 years, not 30-40. While much of the process may be the same, with this vehicle appearing to still be in great shape and being an all original with 60,000ish miles I do not want to do something that might mess it up. So what would be the proper procedures for cleaning the old stuff out and getting her going again?
CK5
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Restarting engine after 30 years
- Thread starter kicker30
- Start date
So I'm not saying this is the "right" way to do it, but I know a guy who picked up a 67 chevelle ss 396 w/ a 4 speed that sat for 15 years. He went over the day before, drained all the fluids, pulled the heads and dumped oil in all the cylinders. Put the heads/intake back on and filled up everything. Brought fresh gas the next day, put 5 gallons in it. Aired up the tires, put in a battery and hooked it up to his brothers wrecker. put it in 1st gear, turned the key on and said GO. Popped the clutch and it fired up. Unhooked it and he was off like a shot. He said he was never back in that motor for 5 years when he sold it. Did some brakes and whatnot but that was it.
Again, if you're going for a restoration just pull the motor and go through everything, but there's a good chance it'll run with little work. If the motor isn't locked up just change all the fluids, check the fuel lines, get some fresh gas in it and get to it. Expect it to need new gaskets pretty much everywhere though.
Again, if you're going for a restoration just pull the motor and go through everything, but there's a good chance it'll run with little work. If the motor isn't locked up just change all the fluids, check the fuel lines, get some fresh gas in it and get to it. Expect it to need new gaskets pretty much everywhere though.
First is the engine free? If it is I would do this. Change the oil and add a teaspoon of oil to each cylinder. Then I would pull the dist and prime the engine. Then depending on the ignition etc change those parts if they look rough. What transmission. A manual I wouldn't worry about but an auto would scare me a bit. Also be sure to look at the brakes.
Its a Ford, It'll run.
If they drained the coolant, it will be in better shape probably. If not, there may be some problems.
Pull the dipstick before you do anything and see if the oil level is normal to low. If its high, then probably some coolant got in, in which case there might be trouble.
Plan on replacing the carb with a rebuilt, along with the fuel pump and water pump. Probably not over $120 for all three.
First, Drain the oil and put in a decent to cheap oil. Its not going to be in there long.
Get a oil pump driver rod, you can make one out of a screwdriver, pull the distributor, making note of where the rotor is facing. Put the rod down through the hole and spin the oil pump with an electric drill.
I would run it for a few minutes at least.
In 67, it probably had electric gauges, but if they are mechanical, watch for oil pressure.
It should come up to about 40lbs or so. Then go ahead and put the dizzy back in. It probably will not go first time.
You will have to turn the oil pump by hand until the slot lines up with the bottom of the dizzy shaft with it pointing the original direction.
Pull all the spark plugs, making sure to mark where the wires go. Pour the tablespoon or so down each hole. Too much is better than too little.
Put a big breaker bar and socket on the crankshaft nut and see if the engine will move.
If it will, then turn it over a couple of times. If it turns ok, then put some rags over the plug holes to catch the oil if some comes out, put a good battery in it, and jumper the solenoid to spin the engine over a few times.
At this point, if all that works, then you are ready to start thinking about cranking it.
Drain the old coolant out and check the hoses. Most likely they are rotted. If so, replace them along with the belts. Then refill it with good water. Never mind bout coolant yet.
Buy a new fuel pump and some fuel hose that will fit the fittings. Put on a rebuilt carb.
Warning, watch the air cleaner!
If its a large round flat top unit, unscrew the wing nut on top and the cover should lift off and you will see a paper type filter in there.
BUT, if its a really thick unit with a sort of a hat on top, be careful when taking it off.
Its an oil bath air filter, and has about a pint of motor oil in it which will spill everywhere if you tilt it.
Replace the fuel pump, checking the line from the pump to the carb and replacing what is needed.
DO NOT hook the fuel pump to the line going to the tank.
Run a hose from the intake of the fuel pump to a separate can of gas off to one side.
Make sure its a good distance from the engine, and the area is well ventilated so no fumes can build up.
Hook the battery back up, run the coil wire over next to a ground, and see if you get a spark when you turn it over with the key.
If not, pull the cab back off, and clean the points with a piece of cardboard. If so, then put the plugs back in.
If the plug wires look halfway decent, reuse them for now.
If its the paper type cleaner, take the top off, pour about a half teaspoon in the carb and put the top back on.
If its the oil bath, just leave it on.
If it has a choke knob, pull it out. Don't bother pumping the pedal at first.
It will take a couple of seconds of cranking to fill the carb. Then pumping will help.
Have someone watch for trouble, then crank her up. Once it cranks, let it idle with the choke out for a couple minutes. Don't rev it too high at first, wait for all the smoke to get out from the oil in the cylinders.
If you don't hear any bad noises, after a couple minutes, ease the choke in some, and let it run until its fairly well warmed up.
At that point, I would shut it off, see if it will crank again, then turn it back off and change the oil and filter while its warm and any crud is still in the oil.
After that, when its cooled off, its time to drain the water, change the water pump and put in some antifreeze. Don't forget to change that little hose on the water pump.
Then you can drop the tank, and get it cleaned out to remove the old gas, crud, and rust.
Be sure to replace any rubber fuel lines, and blow some compressed air through the line going to the pump before hooking it to the pump.
390s were good engines. With 60K on it, it should be loose enough to not have frozen up while sitting.
If they drained the coolant, it will be in better shape probably. If not, there may be some problems.
Pull the dipstick before you do anything and see if the oil level is normal to low. If its high, then probably some coolant got in, in which case there might be trouble.
Plan on replacing the carb with a rebuilt, along with the fuel pump and water pump. Probably not over $120 for all three.
First, Drain the oil and put in a decent to cheap oil. Its not going to be in there long.
Get a oil pump driver rod, you can make one out of a screwdriver, pull the distributor, making note of where the rotor is facing. Put the rod down through the hole and spin the oil pump with an electric drill.
I would run it for a few minutes at least.
In 67, it probably had electric gauges, but if they are mechanical, watch for oil pressure.
It should come up to about 40lbs or so. Then go ahead and put the dizzy back in. It probably will not go first time.
You will have to turn the oil pump by hand until the slot lines up with the bottom of the dizzy shaft with it pointing the original direction.
Pull all the spark plugs, making sure to mark where the wires go. Pour the tablespoon or so down each hole. Too much is better than too little.
Put a big breaker bar and socket on the crankshaft nut and see if the engine will move.
If it will, then turn it over a couple of times. If it turns ok, then put some rags over the plug holes to catch the oil if some comes out, put a good battery in it, and jumper the solenoid to spin the engine over a few times.
At this point, if all that works, then you are ready to start thinking about cranking it.
Drain the old coolant out and check the hoses. Most likely they are rotted. If so, replace them along with the belts. Then refill it with good water. Never mind bout coolant yet.
Buy a new fuel pump and some fuel hose that will fit the fittings. Put on a rebuilt carb.
Warning, watch the air cleaner!
If its a large round flat top unit, unscrew the wing nut on top and the cover should lift off and you will see a paper type filter in there.
BUT, if its a really thick unit with a sort of a hat on top, be careful when taking it off.
Its an oil bath air filter, and has about a pint of motor oil in it which will spill everywhere if you tilt it.
Replace the fuel pump, checking the line from the pump to the carb and replacing what is needed.
DO NOT hook the fuel pump to the line going to the tank.
Run a hose from the intake of the fuel pump to a separate can of gas off to one side.
Make sure its a good distance from the engine, and the area is well ventilated so no fumes can build up.
Hook the battery back up, run the coil wire over next to a ground, and see if you get a spark when you turn it over with the key.
If not, pull the cab back off, and clean the points with a piece of cardboard. If so, then put the plugs back in.
If the plug wires look halfway decent, reuse them for now.
If its the paper type cleaner, take the top off, pour about a half teaspoon in the carb and put the top back on.
If its the oil bath, just leave it on.
If it has a choke knob, pull it out. Don't bother pumping the pedal at first.
It will take a couple of seconds of cranking to fill the carb. Then pumping will help.
Have someone watch for trouble, then crank her up. Once it cranks, let it idle with the choke out for a couple minutes. Don't rev it too high at first, wait for all the smoke to get out from the oil in the cylinders.
If you don't hear any bad noises, after a couple minutes, ease the choke in some, and let it run until its fairly well warmed up.
At that point, I would shut it off, see if it will crank again, then turn it back off and change the oil and filter while its warm and any crud is still in the oil.
After that, when its cooled off, its time to drain the water, change the water pump and put in some antifreeze. Don't forget to change that little hose on the water pump.
Then you can drop the tank, and get it cleaned out to remove the old gas, crud, and rust.
Be sure to replace any rubber fuel lines, and blow some compressed air through the line going to the pump before hooking it to the pump.
390s were good engines. With 60K on it, it should be loose enough to not have frozen up while sitting.
I`m not going to give any tips on starting that car...what everyone has said so far is great but that is a rare nice factory big block Ford. 
Don`t F..k it up!
But good luck with it and post pics in the other rides section.
Don`t F..k it up!
But good luck with it and post pics in the other rides section.
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Subscribed.
booster pack and a can of ether, fire that sumb*tch up! 
mr250twostroke
1/2 ton status
booster pack and a can of ether, fire that sumb*tch up!
Right to the point, I like it.
Jessie James
1/2 ton status
This is good advice.
Here's a trick if it's seized:
Pour about 1/2 cup of kerosine into each spark plug hole. Let it sit overnight. Breaker bar on the crankshaft and see if you can break it free. If not, repeat.
I did this on a car that had sat for 10 years. Took 3 tries over 3 days but it worked. I had to put a 3' pipe on the end of my breaker bar to get enough leverage.
Of course, change the oil immediately if it runs.
Good luck, be sure to take lots of pics! I love those 60's Fords, as I had quite a few Mustangs.
At the junkyard,we learned to always turn over the engine by hand before trying the starter--we often had to use a pry bar on the flywheel teeth to get an engine to break free,then we'd see if it would turn a complete revolution by hand with no binding or sudden stops......................................................often the crank and pistons stay free,but some valves may be firmly stuck,and just whipping it over with the starter (especially with the plugs out) often resulted on a bent push rod ,busted rocker arm,or worse damage..we liked to yank the plugs,put oil or marvel mystery oil in the cylinders,then see if it'd turn by hand --once we were sure no valves were stuck,we'd try spinning it with the starter until we had oil pressure--then hook up the coil wire and we used a gravity feed gas tank with fresh gas too..I bet your car,being stored inside,should prove pretty easy to get running...an engine left out to the weather with many parts "sold",isn't always a success when you try getting it to run again...but I was amazed many times when an engine we thought would NEVER run again,DID,and dam good too!...we had a 1969 IHC dump truck that sat for 25 years with the hood open,and one day we were bored,and decided to see if ut woulld start..all we did was spin it by hand,it felt OK,so we dumped drain oil down the carb and some gas...it fired up so fast it scared us!..
chulisohombre
1/2 ton status
subscribed.what others said pretty much is where i would go with it as well.
I would recommend Marvel Mystery oil to put into the cylinders, It offers a thinner mix for better penetration to unstick the rings. Then follow every step Fordum said and you should be good.
Also go ahead and order everything to redo the brakes. I've seen more barn finds crashed cause people got cheap when it came to the brakes.
Good luck and where's the pics?!?!
Also go ahead and order everything to redo the brakes. I've seen more barn finds crashed cause people got cheap when it came to the brakes.
Good luck and where's the pics?!?!
