Help me start my restored 76
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 76
Likes: 1
From: Orlando Florida
Help me start my restored 76
I have been restoring this car for 6 months now. I did not have the engine rebuilt as it has 48,000 original miles on it and ran great, but it was leaking and ugly so I took most of it apart to put in new gaskets and paint the components. My question is seeing how it hasnt run in some time should I pull the distributer and hook up a long flat head to a drill and turn the oil pump to circulate the oil first or am I ok to pull the coil wire off and just turn it over and circulate oil? Also I put in new fuel lines to the gas tank, should I syphon the gas up to the fuel pump or will the fuel pump pull the gas thru the empty lines just fine? Any other tips on starting a engine that hasnt run in 6 months would be appreciated. Here are some pics of the progress.
Last edited by Cruising91; Mar 24, 2008 at 02:57 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6,360
Likes: 429
From: Seattle Area WA
Just an FYI, a long bladed screw driver will not do anything to circulate oil throughout your engine, you'll need to use an old distributor to chuck up a drill to, or use a priming tool that blocks off the oil passages just as the distributor does.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 692
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From: Peabody Ma.
Why wouldnt a striaght type screw driver work? In a drill it would! Youd have to grind the gear off a old distributer shaft in oreder for that to work, other wise youd be trying to turn the valve train and motor!
I stand corrected! I was only thinking of turning the oil pump! You guys are correct. I use an old shaft with a modified gear
I stand corrected! I was only thinking of turning the oil pump! You guys are correct. I use an old shaft with a modified gear
Last edited by bruced267; Mar 24, 2008 at 04:37 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
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From: Columbia Missouri
The screw driver would fit the key way, but no pressure would build up. The bottom of the distributor, as well as the top part o the shaft, seal off the passages allowing the pressure to rise. You can spin a drill and a long screw driver all night long and oil might never get up to the lifters.
To use an old distributor you simply remove the gear from the shaft, and modify the top of the shaft to accept a drill and you're good to go.
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 76
Likes: 1
From: Orlando Florida
I dont have an old distributer to modify so I will just try to start it. The carb is dry, should I pour a small amount of gas in it to help start it or just wait untill the fuel line fills and hits the carb?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
You will want a little bit of time before the engine starts, so leaving the carb dry will give the oil a chance to circulate.
That being said, how long has the carb been dry? The full six months? You might be looking at a carb rebuild if it wasn't rebuilt during the down time.
