Restarting my engine...after a long sleep

[Guest]

Since my engine has been asleep for about 3 months, with all fluids drained (oil and coolant), should I be concerned about the initial cranking? I will refill everything this week and plan on cranking her over the weekend. This counterclockwise spinning of the oil pump through the distributor shaft hole seems unnecessary to me. Any thoughts. Besides, how is one to get a drill-driven flat blade into this opening and engage an offset drive dog slot and expect it to rotate? Am I missing something here?


Not far behind you, Tinster!!!


Oh, and all my terse comments about Dale and his Cryptmobile were done with tongue in cheek. Tongue in cheek because my tooth still hurts.

 

[tomshobby]

Hi Bill,

Unless you took it apart, meaning the cam out or the bearing caps off it should be fine just like you left it sit for the winter.

However, for peace of mind you could remove the spark plugs and turn it over a couple times to fill the pump and get some oil moving through the lines. Then start it up.

This is much different than the critical break-in of a fresh engine.

Would like to be where you are, it will be 2 or 3 weeks before I will have mine on my engine stand. But if the machine shop can get things done I should be running by May 1st.

 

[AweMan]

Bill:
I would definately remove the plugs and as an extra precaution even give each cylinder a squirt of oil {Not too much} just enough to lube and seal the rings. Then give the engine a good spin to {As Tom said} fill the Pump and oil gallies. When you fire it up let it idle {hopefuly it will} until it comes up to operating temp.
Good Luck!

 

[Brosky]

I would use a shot of Marvel Mystery oil in each cylinder.

 

[bailee2]

I woke my first restoration (55 Ford Truck) up from the dead with Marvel Mystery Oil. I will vouch for its lubricity.
1972 TR6 in restoration
1959 TR3A
M38 Army Jeep

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif

 

[DNK]

Lubricity???
I like that!!

 

[TheAssociate]

Whenever I have resurrected an old engine that hasn't been run for a while I crank the starter a few times for about 30 seconds each with the coil wire disconnected after I change the oil.


Adam.
____________________________________________________________
1973 Triumph Spitfire.

 

[myspitfire]

Is THAT a word?...MUST be British

 

[Tinster]

Hey Dr. Bill!!

When I first got Crypty's engine to fire, I had to
use a spray bottle of gasoline and spray fuel
directly into the intake manifold.

This is kinda dangerous so have a fire extinguisher
handy and an escape route planned for a quick run
away in case of fire.

Be advided, this technique will result in extreme
high RPMs so cut the ignition switch off almost
immediately. Use with caution as this is a really
bad idea and should be attempted only as a last
resort- like with the Crypt car.

PS- Crypty started up last night and I took a ten
minute spin with no break down.

d

 

[Brosky]

" This is kinda dangerous so have a fire extinguisher
handy and an escape route planned for a quick run
away in case of fire. "

Dale,

Your method of starting would never have been approved on this forum, had you posted it here prior to using it. With that being said and the fact that you are now a seasoned, trained technician, we all know that you were really trying to blow Crypty up a long time ago.

No wonder that car hated you so much. See how nice it is since David treated it so gently.

 

[Tinster]

Hey Paul!!

Not my original idea at all.
I never would have thought of it.
Someone here posted the suggestion
to me. I thought it was kinda standard
practise.

I stand corrected. Thank you.

d

 

[swift6]

I Think it was one of those methods of last resort to see if you could at least get that engine to fire.

BTW Dale, did you and David get the timing and distributor clocking straightened out as well.

Another quick question out of curiosity. What is considered a 'Long Drive' for you there on PR?

 

[Brosky]

" I Think it was one of those methods of last resort to see if you could at least get that engine to fire. "

Correction - I Think it was one of those methods of last resort to see if you could at least get that engine "AND CAR TO CATCH ON" fire.

Shawn,

Are you sure that there wasn't a subliminal message in there somewhere?

Dale, I'm just busting your stones a bit. I'm bored with no Crypty issues to solve and you happily driving along every day. However, my boredom today is NOT an endorsement to start any suspension work. Just keep driving....

 

[tomshobby]

In the 1970's the Army had a tracked personnel carrier. It did not want to start in cold weather and guys would spray either in the intake. The problem was that there was a pre-igniter for cold weather starting that came on automatically when the start switch was turned on. It worked great with diesel fuel. With either, well there were a lot of aluminum intake manifolds replaced because all the pieces of the old ones were so hard to find.

 

[Tinster]

Shawn:

1. David re-timed Crypty, looked at the dizzy and
said to leave well enough alone. I concur.

2. A LONG drive in PR?

A. In the Crypt Car a 15 to 20 mile drive
that begins and ends in my garage is an
exceptionally long drive by Crypty standards.

B. In the Grey Ghost a 2 1/2 hour (80 miles) trip
to Rincon on the other side of the island is a
long trip by local standards. Three hours is about
tops to get from any point on the island to the
furthest away.

C. In Tres Gatos a 5 to 7 hour voyage is a long day.

dale

 

[Tinster]

What do you think Paul?

Now that Crypty is operational, there are
fluids leaking onto the garage floor under
the rear end.

Since every gasket and oil seal in new, should
I just add brake fluid and differential oil and
drive Crypty for a while?

Or bite the bullet and take apart the rear end
and replace all the gaskets and oil seals?

They probably dried out during the 11 months
of being dead.

What is your opinion?

d

 

[70herald]

Now that Crypty is operational, there are
fluids leaking onto the garage floor under
the rear end.

This is an English sports car. They all leak fluids: that is how they mark their territory.

Since every gasket and oil seal in new, should
I just add brake fluid and differential oil and
drive Crypty for a while?

Or bite the bullet and take apart the rear end
and replace all the gaskets and oil seals?

They probably dried out during the 11 months
of being dead.

No, those seals didn't dry out in 11 months: 5 years maybe. Either there are small scratches worn into the drive shafts or the oil is coming out some other way. As long as it drips you know that there is still at least a bit of oil left in the car. Just check it every week until you get a good idea as to how long it takes for the oil level to drop. Then you will know when it will need refilling. Have fun driving.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Now that Crypty is operational, there are
fluids leaking onto the garage floor under
the rear end.

Since every gasket and oil seal in new, should
I just add brake fluid and differential oil and
drive Crypty for a while?....

Needless to say, I'd want to determine exactly what fluids are leaking! If it's brake fluid, find the source of the leak and FIX IT NOW!

If it's gear oil from the differential, don't panic just yet. It could be as simple as a clogged breather causing pressure inside that, in turn, forces the gear oil out at any point it can!

Check out this diagram from the Moss Motors web site; number 4 shows the split pin and breather location. Odds are there's a good bit of road grime piled up there. Clear that away, and odds are the leak(s) from the diff. will diminish or go away completely. Lots cheaper than pulling the diff and replacing a lot of seals and such if you don't HAVE TO! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[Brosky]

Follow the advice here of washing everything down and then determine where the leak actually is. Then you can address what to do. Don't start by ripping everything apart until you know for certain exactly where and what are leaking.

You're up and running now. Let's keep it that way by doing ONE project at a time.

 

[swift6]

Shawn:

1. David re-timed Crypty, looked at the dizzy and
said to leave well enough alone. I concur.

2. A LONG drive in PR?

A. In the Crypt Car a 15 to 20 mile drive
that begins and ends in my garage is an
exceptionally long drive by Crypty standards.

B. In the Grey Ghost a 2 1/2 hour (80 miles) trip
to Rincon on the other side of the island is a
long trip by local standards. Three hours is about
tops to get from any point on the island to the
furthest away.

C. In Tres Gatos a 5 to 7 hour voyage is a long day.

dale

1) Sounds like a plan! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

2) The reason that I ask is that a good way to build confidence in a car that has been questionable before is to slowly make longer and longer trips. Doing it that way does two things.

A) It keeps you driving it. Remember how we said these cars like to be driven? If they sit too long things go wrong. Regular driving mean regular maintenance but the maintenance is usually easier than repair.

B) As you continue to venture further from home, your confidence in the reliability of the car builds.

Before you know it, you'll be cruising to the far corners of PR in your TR. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif