Starting a car after 19 years in slumber

[foothilltom 33]

Hi guys, am trying to wrap my brain around the various things to get a 19-year-dormant engine started again. I want to avoid doing any real damage to this thing by blundering past a key step.

 

Here's some background:

 

The car has sat literally for 19 years. Not one attempt to start it in that time. As far as I know (and the condition bears this out), it was inside that whole time in CA.

 

The seller told me it ran "awesome" before he rolled it into storage.

 

Here's some stuff I was going to do (in this order more or less):

 

* New battery, check basic electrical systems (not starting systems)

* Flush cooling system as best I can w/out motor running

* Drain engine oil, replace filter, re-fill

* Drain transmission fluid, replace filter, re-fill

* Remove fuel tank, have it boiled out, replace

* Inspect carb for lacquer, rebuild if necessary (is this a must-do?)

* Hand-crank engine and pray it is not seized up (if it turns, is that good enough?)

* Knock on wood and crank her up

 

Anything I should add to this list? Replace belts, replace water pump, that kind of thing?

 

I have no idea if 19 years is a ludicrously long time and I'm over-thinking things, or I'm under-estimating the stuff I should to pre-emptively.

 

As always, I appreciate your thoughts. I learn something every time I post.

 

Tom

[69RavenConv 286]

You might want to remove the distributor and spin the oil pump drive shaft for a while to pre-lube everything (like you would on a fresh rebuild). After 19 years, gravity's removed all the oil from the rotating assembly.

[Print Dad 58]

Hello foothilltom,

Boy do I feel like I can help here. I just put my Mach 1 on the road after it was in the garage 23 years. Please learn from my mistakes. I won't name them all but I will tell you what I did.

Don't try to start the car. I suggest the following.

1. - Pull of valve cover/s

2. - Squirt "Marvel mystery oil" all over the valves, stems etc.

3. - Pull the spark plugs - squirt "Mystery oil in each cylinder don't worry about smoke or over oiling - we'll get to that.

Try this for several days - - Don't do anything else.

 

4. - Put a pullbar with socket on the crank bolt (In the center of lower pulley about 15/16 bolt)

5. - Keep valve covers off. - Don't change oil or anything yet.

6. - Try to rotate the motor by hand using the pull bar.

7. - Watch each and every rocker and see if the move up and down.

8. - If any rocker is not moving....squirt the valves, and stems with Mstery Oil. If they are stuck....try remove the rocker and put a block of wood on the valve stem. GENTLY tap the wood and see if you free the valve.

Don't worry about the MYstery Oil. Use plenty of it...it is great.

9. - Once the motor turns over pretty freely...and all valves are free.....

10. - Drain the oil...Change filter, and oil. I would use a thin oil like 10/30 at first.

11. - Pull the gas tank. Buy new one from a source like Mustangs unlimited.

They cost about $200.00 but that is almost what they want to clean the old one.

12. - Change the fuel line or at least blow it out with compressed air.

13. - Drain and flush radiator.

14. - Replace all rubber hose. Radiator, heater, gas lines etc.

15. - Change fan belt

16. - You may have to do brake work kinda depends on the system.

For me I have drums all around so I replaced all wheel cylinders and all brake hardware. Then I replaced the master cylinder.

17. - The carb will probably need a rebuild or a new carb.

18. - Back to the motor....The brakes could wait untill you get her running.

 

19. - Probably a good idea to put a tune-up on her. Plugs, points, rotor, cap condensor. You may want to try to start the car before doing too much.

 

20. - If the motor is free she may start. Of course, put on valve cover/s.

21. - If auto trans. - check the fluid level. Don't want to strain the system.

 

Well I have written a lot and don't want to discourage you but to get the old girl going you will need to be patient and take things slow.

Use mystery Oil. The mystery oil in the cylinders will find it's way down to the pan but she may smoke a bit but will clear quickly. The oil in the cylinders should help you from breaking a ring or scoring the cylinder walls.

 

Trust me...I bent several pushrods and other problems by trying to go too fast. When you eventually try to start the car. I would pull the coil wire and just crank the motor to build up oil in the motor.

 

Lastly....if you are excited and want to see if she fires up before rebuilding/changing the carb....try a little starter fluid. Be carefull when using the starter fluid....it dries the cylinder and can hurt the piston. It is only a one or two time trial.

 

I hope I have helped. I rushed and messed up a few things so I know now that you gotta go slow. Print Dad

[foothilltom 33]

Hey Print Dad, thanks so much for taking the time to write such a detailed and helpful response. Fortunately, I found myself doing "other stuff" this weekend, so I didn't do much except drain the motor oil, stare at the manual transmission, and generally inventory the electrical systems (everything worked except 3 bad bulbs...unreal).

 

Anyway, I will take your advice to heart as it is clearly the voice of experience.

 

I'll go look for this "Mystery Oil" straight away.

 

Tom

[foothilltom 33]

Ah, just re-read everything. Looks like I'll just have to redo the oil change down the road. No big whoop. Thanks again.

Tom

[Print Dad 58]

Hello Tom,

Can never hurt to change oil so no big deal.

The "Marvel Mystery Oil" I write about comes in a bright

red can or plastic bottle. The fluid is red and looks like tanni fluid.

I get mine at stores like "Wall-mart" or local parts store.

The stuff is really good. I also suggest you get a spray can of

"P.B. Blaster" to help loosen frozen nuts and bolts. This stuff also works

great.

Lastly, remember to be patient. Never force anything. Use the products and they will help.

Good news about the electrical. I may also suggest a little "dialectric grease in the sockets.

 

Good luck on the "father/son" and enjoy it as you go.

 

Does the car have a 4 speed and what about brakes?

 

Take Care....... Print Dad. Jim

[foothilltom 33]

Hey Print Dad, it's a 4-speed, 351 W. I'm heading down to my local Napa parts store today and look for the Marvel Mystery Oil. I am excited to get this thing fired up, but I am committed to the "go slow" approach you've outlined.

 

I'll start a "progress" thread here soon for anybody that might be interested.

 

Tom

[1BAD351 21]

You might want to remove the distributor and spin the oil pump drive shaft for a while to pre-lube everything (like you would on a fresh rebuild). After 19 years, gravity's removed all the oil from the rotating assembly.

 

Agreed, don't crank the engine to build pressure, just spin the oil pump, that's the best and only way it should be done.

 

Also if the mystery oil doesn't work, you know, the stuff that looks like atf, you can always put actual atf in through each spark plug hole and let it sit a few days. ATF is some really great stuff and an awesome cleaning agent, but then again, so is that mystery oil.

[Fordrevhead 29]

ALL good advice. As far as your electrical... a lot of stuff that works could very well die soon after. Starters, coils, light bulbs, fuel pumps, etc. I would also just buy points and a condensor while you're in there... check spark after that to see if coil is working. Also once you have the engine spinning free and mechanically ready to fire (I usually leave the key on and jumper the starter solenoid so I can be on the hood side with a friend waiting by the key to shut off)... turn it over w/o fuel first and with dim lighting and look for the fireworks display of arcing plug wires.

 

I have successfully started engines that sat 20+ years in an hour... and some ran great even without a carb rebuild! have fun.

[02Lightning 10]

I pretty just did the same thing with a 59 Alfa Romeo that sat for 18 years. Expect seals to leak, I have about 500 miles on it now.