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Starting up cars that have sat for a long time.

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Sunset7

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Hey guys! What do you think is the best way to start up my two cars that have sat in a covered building for 2+ years without being started?

Let me know what you think!

I usually just fill the cylinders with something like Marvel Mystery Oil, let it sit for about a week, then with the plugs out, slowly try to rotate the crank by hand.

If it moves freely, I then turn it over with the starter, with the plugs still out, to purge the oil. I usually spin them on the starter until the gauge shows oil pressure.

I then reinsert the plugs, and start (hopefully) the motor.

I let it run until warm, then immediately change the oil and filter...

Anyone else do anything differently? Any advice or discussion on what to use like the Marvel Mystery Oil?

Let me know!

Thanks!
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

Frankly, I've done much less "prep" before starting long-dormant cars...and have seen no ill effects suffered. Some like to change the oil BEFORE starting as well as immediately after. I'm not sure that's worth the effort unless you've determined that the oil is badly contaminated somehow.
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

2 Years in a dry building is nothing to worry about....put in a fresh battery and give her a crank...have someone watch for leaks....a few cranks and it should go.
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

My experience is with cars that sat for one year. Just started them up and drove. Only problems I encountered were a clutch disk that didn't want to release (easy to bust loose) and a set of points that somehow lost their gap (I probably didn't have the screw tightened down enough).

Your conservative procedure is no doubt smarter than mine and should be quite adequate.
 
You're doing the right things. Especially getting the oil pressure up before starting the engine. I ALWAYS do that even after an oil change. It's the damage you can't see that gets you over time. I fill the oil filter with oil, pull the coil wire and crank until there is pressure. As suggested earlier you should change the oil before starting because there may be moisture condensation in the pan. especially if your going to drive the car.
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

[ QUOTE ]
My experience is with cars that sat for one year. Just started them up and drove. Only problems I encountered were a clutch disk that didn't want to release (easy to bust loose) and a set of points that somehow lost their gap (I probably didn't have the screw tightened down enough).

Your conservative procedure is no doubt smarter than mine and should be quite adequate.

[/ QUOTE ]
 
Any suggestions on starting up an engine that's been reinstalled in a '73 TR6. I've got spark and backfiring but that's all. Carbs have set on the shelf for about 4 years as has the motor. I'm working through all the possibilities and I'm at tuning I think.
kog
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

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I was curious, Geo, how do you release the clutch disc? Thanks

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start it in gear and give it some spirited on and off again throttle, braking in gear with the clutch pedal in. All as safely as possible of course.
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

[ QUOTE ]
Any suggestions on starting up an engine that's been reinstalled in a '73 TR6. I've got spark and backfiring but that's all. Carbs have set on the shelf for about 4 years as has the motor. I'm working through all the possibilities and I'm at tuning I think.
kog

[/ QUOTE ]

rule out the truly silly stuff first. Make absolutely sure (I mean ABSOLUTELY SURE) that the spark plug wires are installed in the correct order (I don't know a 6 order off the top of my head - 1342 on fours is permanently etched in my brain)....

Backfiring is a very good indication that the spark is happening at the wrong time.
 
Hi Sunset,

I don't think it's necessary to fill the cylinders with oil, just put a generous squirt or two in there to coat and help protect the cyl. walls, which have probably drained during storage. A small amount of light oil will burn off almost immediately, once the car starts.

Might also be a good idea with an engine that's been sitting a long time to take off the valve cover and dribble some engine oil or STP onto the cam and lifters, and maybe squirt a little motor oil onto the rocker shaft to lube the rockers. Just be careful not to overfill the crankcase, might need to drain a little oil off before running the engine.

I do think it's a good idea to spin the motor without actually starting to get some initial oil pressure. That's especially true with the 6-cyl. motor when it has the original oil filter mounting that allows oil to drain out of the filter and delays oil delivery to the main bearings at start up.

After it's started, it would probably be a good idea to change, maybe even flush, the coolant. Check that hoses haven't hardened or cracked and watch for leaks when it initially starts. Check the belt is in good condition and not loose.

Also be sure to check the hydraulic fluids and possibly change it out for fresh. Watch for any leaks at the master or slave cylinders, especially any that might have contaminated brake shows or pads.

I'd do a thorough lube job in the near future, too. Grease has likely dried up a bit.

Kog, your starting problems sound different. Are you sure you have the plug wires on in the correct order and the distributor close to correct? Is there fuel in the carb float bowls (possible fuel pump or fuel filter issues)? Have you tried spraying a shot of starting fluid into the throat of each carb? Another possibility is an air leak somewhere.
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

My current TR3 project hadn't run since 1996, and after changing the fluids, swapping plugs and points, dropping some penetrating oil in the cylinders, cranking it by hand it fired immediately.

TRs are just built like Shrick Bithouses.
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

OK, true confession time. I had a 948cc Herald that I'd not started in over 20 years. I cleaned the points, cranked the engine over to get oil pressure, rigged up a temporary fuel supply (since the tank was out of the car)...and started the engine on the second try. Ran fine.

The "small" Triumphs are built the same way as the TRs!
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

Maybe it's overkill, but we always used to pull the distributor on 3's and 4's, put in a dummy shaft (with the gear pulled), chuck it up to a half inch drill and turn the pump till oil was coming out of the weep holes on the rocker arms. Usually did that on the race car after sitting all winter.
Tom Lains
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

[ QUOTE ]
OK, true confession time. I had a 948cc Herald that I'd not started in over 20 years. I cleaned the points, cranked the engine over to get oil pressure, rigged up a temporary fuel supply (since the tank was out of the car)...and started the engine on the second try. Ran fine.


[/ QUOTE ]

Pretty much the same true confession.

Drove the car to a friends garage, parked it, zipped up the tonneau, threw a blanket over it, and got out of town in a mad rush in 1991. Last January I put in a new battery, cleaned all the crap out of the gas tank, put new seals on the carbs, new points and fired it up. Until then I had done nothing but turn the engine over by hand about 4 or 5 times a year and confirm that the radiator had something green in it.

These things are tanks... but in retrospect I would have done it more cautiously... luck was definately on my side.
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

Two threads going on here:
Sunset is in good shape, and as has been suggested, could do much less.
KOG with his backfiring could be plugs wired wrong (153624) or the distributor out 180 degrees. Sticking clutch as suggested above, can be released sometimes by rocking the car while in gear; if that doesn't do it, then you may have to drive and come to a stop to pop it loose. I've seen worse, up to the point where it never did let go and finally broke the tranny, but that was an Opel, so what can one expect?
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

All are good ideas. My Midget sat for 18 years without any TLC. I made sure the engine wasn't seized, put a couple squirts of oil in the cylinders, changed the oil prior to starting it, and once I replaced the dead ignition module with a Pertronix it started up with a new battery. Amazingly the gas was still good. The cooling system was pretty rusty and dry as a bone (found all the leaks once it started...), the carb needed a rebuild, the rubber parts were a bit hard, but mechanically the engine was fine. The release bearing was squealing, but the clutch still worked. After 2 years you'll probably have a lot fewer problems.
-Dave
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

if you didn't remove the fuel from the carbs, you may want to check the bowls for that bacteria that makes a mess, it grows in gas (clean carbs). drain fuel tank and put in fresh.
rob
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

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I was curious, Geo, how do you release the clutch disc? Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

start it in gear and give it some spirited on and off again throttle, braking in gear with the clutch pedal in...

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a good way if it works, but mine was reeeeaaallly stuck. In the end (on the advice of a tech guy at Moss) I jacked up the rear end with a block of wood between the jack saddle and crossmember, made double-sure it was in a forward gear, started - revved - and had my wife release the jack. Walla! Just have a nice stetch of clear road in front of you in case it doesn't bust loose... but mine did.
 
Re: Starting up cars that have sat for a long time

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Any suggestions on starting up an engine that's been reinstalled in a '73 TR6. I've got spark and backfiring but that's all. Carbs have set on the shelf for about 4 years as has the motor. I'm working through all the possibilities and I'm at tuning I think.
kog

[/ QUOTE ]

rule out the truly silly stuff first. Make absolutely sure (I mean ABSOLUTELY SURE) that the spark plug wires are installed in the correct order (I don't know a 6 order off the top of my head - 1342 on fours is permanently etched in my brain)....

Backfiring is a very good indication that the spark is happening at the wrong time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Most inline 6 cylinder engines fire 153624...I'm sure it's the same for the TR engine. Also, make sure that you aren't 180 degrees out with the firing order. Being 180 out will also make the car backfire. If you set the crank at TDC it can be either at #1 or #6 cylinder. To make sure it is at #1, remove the valve cover and make sure that the valves on #1 are closed. If not rotate another turn. Then see where the rotor in the distributor cap is pointing. That will be the #1 wire. You will also need to know distributor shaft rotation so you know how which direction to put the rest of the wires.
 
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