Posted By: dirt
rebuilt motor sat for 8 years, safe to run it now? - 04/22/12 01:05 PM
this is a 318 that has sat on an engine stand for 8 years after a rebuild and hasnt been turned over since. what would you do before starting it?
rebuilt motor sat for 8 years, safe to run it now?
Posted By: mikemee1331
Re: rebuilt motor sat for 8 years, safe to run it now? - 04/22/12 02:04 PM
replace oil, prime oil, start engine. maybe re-flush cooling depending on where/how it was stored.
Posted By: ahy
Re: rebuilt motor sat for 8 years, safe to run it now? - 04/22/12 02:14 PM
A lot of times folks in your situation just fire it up and it works. A little prep increases the chance of sucess though. I would
- pull plugs and put a little oil in each hole. If its still on the stand, roll it to distribute the oil around the piston tops.
- Fill with oil (high zinc, diesel engine oil would be good).
- Pull distributor and prime the oil system with a drill and rod
- Roll it over by hand while running the drill pump
- If it turns over OK, assemble and fire it up.
- Normal break in for a flat tappet cam calls for running around 2000 RPM for 20 minutes.
Added insurance would be to pull the manifold and inspect the cam for rust. If it was coated with assembly lube and stored in a dry place, it should be fine. If you aren't sure, worth having a look. If you do pull the manifold, have some cam break in lube handy and give it a good coat before firing.
- pull plugs and put a little oil in each hole. If its still on the stand, roll it to distribute the oil around the piston tops.
- Fill with oil (high zinc, diesel engine oil would be good).
- Pull distributor and prime the oil system with a drill and rod
- Roll it over by hand while running the drill pump
- If it turns over OK, assemble and fire it up.
- Normal break in for a flat tappet cam calls for running around 2000 RPM for 20 minutes.
Added insurance would be to pull the manifold and inspect the cam for rust. If it was coated with assembly lube and stored in a dry place, it should be fine. If you aren't sure, worth having a look. If you do pull the manifold, have some cam break in lube handy and give it a good coat before firing.
Posted By: Rapid340
Re: rebuilt motor sat for 8 years, safe to run it now? - 04/22/12 02:14 PM
If it is in a normal garage that can have a few 40 degree day to day temperate changes, there is probably at least a small amount of rust in the cylinders. If this is just a beater 318 I would squirt some WD40 in the cylinders, prime the oil system and run it. Other wise it may be a good idea to pull the intake and heads and look things over and put some fresh cam lube on the lobes. Since it is on a stand without and coolant in it I doubt flushing it out would benefit much. 
Posted By: 70Cuda383
Re: rebuilt motor sat for 8 years, safe to run it now? - 04/22/12 02:29 PM
my ONLY concern would be valve springs, but being compressed is not what weakens springs, it's the cycling of the spring up and down that weakens the metal over time, so you SHOULD be ok. if they're low tension springs on a stock cam, I wouldn't worry about it too much.
surface rust in the cylinder bores may be present, but the rings will knock it off as they break in and seat, so again, I wouldn't worry too much about that.
surface rust in the cylinder bores may be present, but the rings will knock it off as they break in and seat, so again, I wouldn't worry too much about that.
Posted By: mikemee1331
Re: rebuilt motor sat for 8 years, safe to run it now? - 04/22/12 02:44 PM
Quote:dude, ya need to flush out the dead spiders!
Since it is on a stand without and coolant in it I doubt flushing it out would benefit much.
Posted By: Rapid340
Re: rebuilt motor sat for 8 years, safe to run it now? - 04/22/12 06:47 PM
Quote:
dude, ya need to flush out the dead spiders!
No, once ground up they provide a little extra water pump lubricant.
Posted By: Dartcuda
Re: rebuilt motor sat for 8 years, safe to run it now? - 04/22/12 07:39 PM
I just disassembled a 340 that I had rebuilt in 2005 and never ran . It was closed up in a garbage bag on a stand in the back of my shop which is nice and dry . It was abolutely perfect inside no rust or moisture at all . I had used assembly grease on the bearingas for long storage and that was still there. It would have been fine to run as is but i pulled it down for a cam swap and all i needed were new gaskets . Engine is in the car now and runs perfect. Also the rockers were not torqued down before storage.
Posted By: Dakota_Don
Re: rebuilt motor sat for 8 years, safe to run it now? - 04/22/12 07:57 PM
Quote:
A lot of times folks in your situation just fire it up and it works. A little prep increases the chance of sucess though. I would
- pull plugs and put a little oil in each hole. If its still on the stand, roll it to distribute the oil around the piston tops.
- Fill with oil (high zinc, diesel engine oil would be good).
- Pull distributor and prime the oil system with a drill and rod
- Roll it over by hand while running the drill pump
- If it turns over OK, assemble and fire it up.
- Normal break in for a flat tappet cam calls for running around 2000 RPM for 20 minutes.
Added insurance would be to pull the manifold and inspect the cam for rust. If it was coated with assembly lube and stored in a dry place, it should be fine. If you aren't sure, worth having a look. If you do pull the manifold, have some cam break in lube handy and give it a good coat before firing.
this is what i would do