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My 77 has 60k miles on it. It's been sitting for the last 25 years before I got it. Is there any point in even attempting to get it restarted as is or should I just assume that it needs to be rebuilt? I planned on squirting something in the cylinders to lube the rings first, but the locations of the spark plug holes don't really seem to allow that. I'm aware of the fuel delivery issues I may have, but I can work around that. Just wondered if it's a good idea to attempt starting it or not.
Very much depends upon all environmental conditions during storage. A car sitting out in the open (or under a tarp) on the coast will be very different from a car in closed storage in the desert. Regardless, you need to put a bar on the crank nut and try to manually and slowly turn the engine over without the starter. If the engine is locked, you'll know it right away and that will ultimately set your course.
You can easily get oil into the cylinders. I used a funnel with a flexible tube on it or you can use a pump oil can with a flexible tube and squirt the oil in. I would start by adding a little oil into the spark plug holes and letting it sit a few days. Repeat the process and then turn it carefully with the wrench on the crank. After you get it to move don't crank it all the way around. Move it a little, add some more oil, and let it sit a day or so. Do the same thing every time and move it a little more until you get it to rotate freely all the way around.
When it comes time to start the engine, I recommend buying an aerosol can of engine starting fluid. Actually all it is is ether. If you spray ether into the carb, if you have a correctly timed spark, the engine will start. Continually spraying ether into the engine will keep it running ...even without gasoline. Amazing stuff......but BE CAREFUL...you don't want a backfire. Hold the can at arm's length.
It's good stuff to have around to start the lawn mower or weed wacker up in the spring time.
If it was mine - prior to start attempt I'd change the oil & filter (filling filter prior to installing), pull distributor and spin oil pump with drill for a few minutes and reinstall distributer, hand rotate engine as mentioned, have a fresh gas source & charged battery. Then after a 'squirt' of gas in the carb. hit key!!!! But that's just me. Good luck.
What do you have to lose. Pull all the plugs and get some fluid into cylinder bores. If it rotates easily go for it. Run gas from a gas can. I really like the idea of priming engine oil pump first. Your carb might leak when putting newer gas into it. The new additives will eat away the seals. But if your just checking to see if she runs... go for it. I 've done this on so many cars in the past. It's just nice when it fires up and runs from 25 years ago. Good Luck.
My 68 set for 30 years in a barn. I did the following to fire it up and seemed to work very well.
1) I pulled all the plugs, using an oil can I put oil in each of the cylinders (just a shot) each day for a week.
2) After a week I rotated the engine 1/4 a rotation at a time and using an oil can and a shot of oil after each 1/4 rotation.
3) drained oil and new filter.
4) pulled valve covers and added the oil and Zinc additive through push rod openings and made sure the valve train was well oiled.
5) pulled Distributor and primed engine and made sure had oil pressure.
6)Pulled tank and cleaned (you would not believe what 30 year old gas looks and smells like)
7) Cleaned fuel lines and changed all filters.
8) Pulled carb and cleaned and put in a kit
9) put in new plugs points and condenser
10) added fuel primed carb
11) started it and then the fun began!
It is important to do it right and make sure everything is oiling before starting it up. Resist the temptation to try and start it just to see if it will run.
My 68 set for 30 years in a barn. I did the following to fire it up and seemed to work very well.
1) I pulled all the plugs, using an oil can I put oil in each of the cylinders (just a shot) each day for a week.
2) After a week I rotated the engine 1/4 a rotation at a time and using an oil can and a shot of oil after each 1/4 rotation.
3) drained oil and new filter.
4) pulled valve covers and added the oil and Zinc additive through push rod openings and made sure the valve train was well oiled.
5) pulled Distributor and primed engine and made sure had oil pressure.
6)Pulled tank and cleaned (you would not believe what 30 year old gas looks and smells like)
7) Cleaned fuel lines and changed all filters.
8) Pulled carb and cleaned and put in a kit
9) put in new plugs points and condenser
10) added fuel primed carb
11) started it and then the fun began!
It is important to do it right and make sure everything is oiling before starting it up. Resist the temptation to try and start it just to see if it will run.
John
John's list is about the same as mine, except i usually just plug the gas tank line and run the engine out of a gas can or gallon jug. If it runs ok like that, then i attack the gas tank & lines. I've done this a bunch. lol
Don
This car was sitting for 25 years.....The fuel and brake system was completely shot. At a minimum you will need to completely drain the fuel tank and lines and same goes for the brake master cylinder and calipers.
I agree with KJR6306. Every system that contains fluids will HAVE to be inspected, flushed, cleaned and or replaced before you do much to this car. Don't forget rearend and transmission.
Don has a very good point to see if the engine will run you can pull gas out of a gas can instead of tank.. but items 1-5 have to be done and the Carb will need to be cleaned and setup or replaced with a known good unit.
Don't be surprised if your radiator starts leaking when the thermostat opens. My car had sat for ~10 years and after the first start-up the aluminum radiator turned started peeing coolant as soon as the engine warmed up.
I am with wyocat and once started I wouldn't run but couple minutes and shut down and decide how to proceed, good advice on water leaks, most likely will happen sooner rather than later.
This is why I have Silicon Brake fluid in my 68. No water in the brake fluid and no water in the radiator.
When I pulled the gas tank on the 70, it looked ok inside from what a quick look could see. Water corrosion had in fact rusted the tank walls in places to less than paper thin. In the stress of pushing and pulling to get it out, the tank walls cracked and started leaking what little gas was in the tank. I think a new factory duplicate Quanta tank was $238. A bargain. About mucking around with the gas tank. I went to a local grocery store that sold solid C02. Hours before trying to remove the tank, before starting to remove it, I dropped a lot of chunks of solid C02 into the tank. The idea was to remove completely all oxygen in the tank. After dropping the solid C02 into the tank, I lightly placed the fuel tank cap in place...not tight.
To remove the original factory steel gas lines on the 70 I used a Dremel with a cutoff wheel. I was sure the gas line was dry. Cutting off the gas line laying on my back under the car, the dremel started spewing sparks as it cut the steel gas line...Then all of a sudden, the cut off wheel wetted and the sparks stopped. I stopped and gasoline poured out of the line!!! Close call.
Last edited by 68/70Vette; 10-27-2014 at 11:51 PM.
Mine also had a nice sized hole in the gas tank and a fist sized hole in the radiator. The car sat in a dry garage for 20+ years. Could not believe the sludge in the fuel/brake lines. I suppose you could try to start the car with a line hooked up to a gas can just to see if it will start. My guess is the carb will need to be rebuilt as well if the gas wasn't drained from the bowl.
My 68 set for 30 years in a barn. I did the following to fire it up and seemed to work very well.
1) I pulled all the plugs, using an oil can I put oil in each of the cylinders (just a shot) each day for a week.
2) After a week I rotated the engine 1/4 a rotation at a time and using an oil can and a shot of oil after each 1/4 rotation.
3) drained oil and new filter.
4) pulled valve covers and added the oil and Zinc additive through push rod openings and made sure the valve train was well oiled.
5) pulled Distributor and primed engine and made sure had oil pressure.
6)Pulled tank and cleaned (you would not believe what 30 year old gas looks and smells like)
7) Cleaned fuel lines and changed all filters.
8) Pulled carb and cleaned and put in a kit
9) put in new plugs points and condenser
10) added fuel primed carb
11) started it and then the fun began!
It is important to do it right and make sure everything is oiling before starting it up. Resist the temptation to try and start it just to see if it will run.
John
I did pretty much the same thing to a jeep that was sitting in the woods uncovered for 7 years. Just oil everything up before you even try to rotate the motor. The only thing else I did was add a couple shots of slick 50 to the cylinders before I started to rotate by hand the crank pulley back and forth alittle at a time till I was able to freely rotate it all the way around. I did not remove the dist., but I did add oil to the valves before I rotated the engine. After all said and done the jeep ran great for a year before I sold it.
Just an update on this. I used an oil squirt gun to put mystery oil in the cylinders. I put the car in 4th gear and jacked up one side of it. With the plugs out, I rocked the wheel back and forth. Engine is free. All I have left to do is top off the radiator and connect a battery. Thanks for everyone's help to this point.
Success! The ignition switch gave me a little trouble. When I turned the key to start, nothing would happen. I removed the switch, opened it up and cleaned everything really well. Put it back together, and it worked. Oil pressure registered really quick. I ran a piece of fuel line to a 5 gallon gas can for fresh fuel. With just a few turns, it fired up. I didn't let it run too long. Turned it off a few times and restarted. Thanks everyone for all the pointers.
10-25-2014, 03:37 PM
Try to start one that's been sitting?
