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Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? #971010
04/11/11 01:01 AM
04/11/11 01:01 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 923
Missouri
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convertriple Offline OP
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Missouri
I haven't started my car in a year, had a heater core leak that turned into an interior restore job. Should I pull the distributor and reprime with a drill or just start it up? Alternatively, I could crank it for a while with the coil wire off, but not sure if that would better or not.

Anyone got experience with this?

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: convertriple] #971011
04/11/11 01:08 AM
04/11/11 01:08 AM
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salem, oregon. usa
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elmor Offline
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salem, oregon. usa
You might get by just spinning it over, but why take the chance? Personally I would prime it to be safe.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: convertriple] #971012
04/11/11 03:19 AM
04/11/11 03:19 AM
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Posts: 18,493
Granite Bay CA
Kern Dog Offline
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Granite Bay CA
I've read in some auto repair manuals to pull the coil wire and spin the motor. I'd like to visit the authors and give them all a swift kick in the ass. What a crappy idea.
It isnt too difficult to pull the distributor and oil pump drive so you can prime the motor. After only a few days, the lifters can bleed down, as well as all the oil galleys. Once the pump starts spinning, the crankshaft gets oil first, then the cam bearings. Dry cranking an old motor will accelerate wear everywhere.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Kern Dog] #971013
04/11/11 03:27 AM
04/11/11 03:27 AM
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Manitoba, Canada
DaytonaTurbo Offline
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Hit the key and start it, it'll be fine. I've left mine sitting that long or more without issue.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: DaytonaTurbo] #971014
04/11/11 06:19 AM
04/11/11 06:19 AM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,253
Florida STAYcation
dIc dOc Deity ! Offline
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Florida STAYcation
AT the least ...I would pull-the-plugs and spin it over with the starter uNtil you get oil-pressure.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: dIc dOc Deity !] #971015
04/11/11 06:33 AM
04/11/11 06:33 AM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,074
detroit, mi
POS Dakota Offline
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detroit, mi
If it's been sitting a year you NEED to reprime it.
There's no way I would start it without repriming it after sitting that long knowing what I know now.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: POS Dakota] #971016
04/11/11 10:39 AM
04/11/11 10:39 AM
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Posts: 13,247
Mt. Vernon, Ohio
dartman366 Offline
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Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Quote:

If it's been sitting a year you NEED to reprime it.
There's no way I would start it without repriming it after sitting that long knowing what I know now.


better safe than sorry.


Light travels faster than the speed of sound,,,this is why some people seem bright untill you hear them speak.
Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: DaytonaTurbo] #971017
04/11/11 11:11 AM
04/11/11 11:11 AM
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Upper Midwest
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MoparforLife Offline
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Quote:

Hit the key and start it, it'll be fine. I've left mine sitting that long or more without issue.


Put the key in, make sure to have a fully charged battery and gas in the carb., spin it over and start it. Not an issue. I do at least 2 of them year. One I fired last had sat 3 years and had instant pressure when fired. If you had good clean oil when parked it will not be an issue at all.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: MoparforLife] #971018
04/12/11 02:15 AM
04/12/11 02:15 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,100
Tucson, AZ
Ramrod39 Offline
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Quote:

Quote:

Hit the key and start it, it'll be fine. I've left mine sitting that long or more without issue.


Put the key in, make sure to have a fully charged battery and gas in the carb., spin it over and start it. Not an issue. I do at least 2 of them year. One I fired last had sat 3 years and had instant pressure when fired. If you had good clean oil when parked it will not be an issue at all.




The only thing I might prime is the carb....

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Ramrod39] #971019
04/12/11 06:32 AM
04/12/11 06:32 AM
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Holly/MI
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Dean_Kuzluzski Offline
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My biggest concern would be the rings/bores, I pull the plugs, spray WD-40 in each cylinder, and crank away. Since the fuel has evaporated out of the carb it's going to crank a long time until the fuel system is primed and working. Been doing this for many years on an old hobby car and it still runs hard.


R.I.P.- Gary "Coop" Davis 02/09/68-05/13/04
Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Dean_Kuzluzski] #971020
04/12/11 01:51 PM
04/12/11 01:51 PM
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Posts: 1,074
detroit, mi
POS Dakota Offline
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detroit, mi
Quote:

My biggest concern would be the rings/bores, I pull the plugs, spray WD-40 in each cylinder, and crank away. Since the fuel has evaporated out of the carb it's going to crank a long time until the fuel system is primed and working. Been doing this for many years on an old hobby car and it still runs hard.




None of the bearings are a concern after a year? Just asking...

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Dean_Kuzluzski] #971021
04/12/11 03:29 PM
04/12/11 03:29 PM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 159
Woodward, PA
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75DART440 Offline
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Woodward, PA
Quote:

My biggest concern would be the rings/bores, I pull the plugs, spray WD-40 in each cylinder, and crank away. Since the fuel has evaporated out of the carb it's going to crank a long time until the fuel system is primed and working. Been doing this for many years on an old hobby car and it still runs hard.




Started a 318 that had been sitting 20+ years. Pulled the plugs, gave each hole several squirts of motor oil from a pump-oiler type oil can, and cranked it several revoloutions. Put plugs back in, primed carb, and fired it right up. Had one lifter that ticked for 10 to 20 seconds, then it sounded fine. This was in an A100 van that had not been licensed or inspected for 23 years!!! Of course, I was using a jug with the fuel hose running into it, not the tar that was in the tank. And I did swap distributors rather than mess with the corroded old points.


Buy a Hybrid!! I need your gas!!! Currently spending $1,000 a month to feed the Hemis!! Looking for that elusive CHEAP 71-72 Plymouth B-body 2 door OR 71-72 Coronet 4 door!!!
Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: POS Dakota] #971022
04/12/11 04:13 PM
04/12/11 04:13 PM
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Holly/MI
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Dean_Kuzluzski Offline
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Quote:

None of the bearings are a concern after a year? Just asking...




Common sense prevailing.......it wouild seem that the oil galley's would not drain down upstream of the oil pump and there would remain a film of oil in the rod & main journals (at least on the horizontal surfaces) for as long as it sits undisturbed from when it was shut off. Every running motor I've torn down had evidence of this. Soooooo, the primary concern of the "loss of prime" to the oiling system would be if the sump tube and drained down or not and the duration of time it would take to prime it and pressurize the oiling system. Since I've never had a problem with an oil system losing prime..............hence, the rings being a bigger concern.

And I've stored a fair weather muscle for winters here in MI every year for 24 years. One car didn't get fired up for eight years. Ran great, better than ever, last summer. Wish I could say the core/freeze plugs were up holding up so well.


R.I.P.- Gary "Coop" Davis 02/09/68-05/13/04
Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Dean_Kuzluzski] #971023
04/12/11 04:22 PM
04/12/11 04:22 PM
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Posts: 1,066
California
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70SportSatellite Offline
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California
just started a 318 that has been sitting for over 3 years. spun it for a while to pick up some oil and fuel. primed the carb and fired right up, no issues. i've done this more than once and NEVER had a problem. but as said, in your case better to be safe if you are uncomfortable doing it.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: 70SportSatellite] #971024
04/13/11 12:09 AM
04/13/11 12:09 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 923
Missouri
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convertriple Offline OP
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Missouri
Thanks for the answers.

Anyone know if there is a place on a Holley vac secondary where you can fill the bowls so that the car doesn't have to crank forever with the mechanical fuel pump?

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: convertriple] #971025
04/13/11 12:59 AM
04/13/11 12:59 AM
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 21,318
Manitoba, Canada
DaytonaTurbo Offline
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Pour a little gas down each of the bowl vent tubes. On my last build I just filled the carb bowls with an electric fuel pump, then hooked the mechanical pump feed back up once the carb was full. That way when I hit the key it was full of fresh gas and ready to go.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: convertriple] #971026
04/13/11 01:59 AM
04/13/11 01:59 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,100
Tucson, AZ
Ramrod39 Offline
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Quote:

Thanks for the answers.

Anyone know if there is a place on a Holley vac secondary where you can fill the bowls so that the car doesn't have to crank forever with the mechanical fuel pump?




Actually, in retrospect, I agree with Dean K. Just crank it to get fuel to the carb. Oil will circulate before the engine lights. I've got a brand X hot rod with a mechanical fuel pump that sits for months at a time. It gets oil pressure showing on the gauge before it fires when I crank it. I never crank the starter for more that about 10 - 15 seconds at a time so I don't overheat it.

Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Ramrod39] #971027
04/13/11 02:26 AM
04/13/11 02:26 AM
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 576
Hr up from KCK
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451 D*O*D*G*E Offline
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Hr up from KCK
One year isnt nothing for crank and pistons long as it was good dry storage.Had a engine wipe a lifter after sitting for three though but that was a chevy derby engine who cares If you're really concerned pull dist,prime,rotate 90 degress 4 times and pull a tappet cover to look for blood


1970 Challenger R/T clone 2010 Dodge Journey R/T black,awd,
Re: Engine sat for a year - re-prime oil or just start it? [Re: Ramrod39] #971028
04/13/11 02:17 PM
04/13/11 02:17 PM
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Posts: 370
NASHVILLE
MAVERICKSHEMI Offline
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NASHVILLE
Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Hit the key and start it, it'll be fine. I've left mine sitting that long or more without issue.


Put the key in, make sure to have a fully charged battery and gas in the carb., spin it over and start it. Not an issue. I do at least 2 of them year. One I fired last had sat 3 years and had instant pressure when fired. If you had good clean oil when parked it will not be an issue at all.




The only thing I might prime is the carb....









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