VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 Any tips on starting engine that's not run in years?

Well in a few weeks I may try and see if the 28 chevy I just bought will start up. From what I can tell it hasn't run (if at all) in years maybe ,I don't know the history? It will turn over and has oil in the sump is all I can tell you. The engine appears to be complete.Without tearing the engine to far apart what advice would you give me to prepare the engine for starting so I don't damage anything?
Thanks
Scott
sdakssaol.com

Drain oil, add 30 wgt. or your choice. pull distributor, spin oil pump with drill motor, using a cut off screw driver as a drive tool. while distributor is out check points clean and gap or replace. If you have and old original coil make sure it is OK, otherwise use a later 6 volt coil and new condenser. (very important the condenser must be grounded) Replace Dist. setting it up on the timing mark on the flywheel as well as on top dead center on the #1 piston stroke. Pull spark plugs check and clean if necessary. maybe shoot some WD-40 or similar in open cylinders. Check fuel Vacuum tank, remove top of tank and inner parts, check float for cracks and rust, dirt in tank. Check fuel bowl of carb for splitting (causes leaks) check float for movement. (or better, take carb off and go through it, very simple operation)
Reinstall carb, add fuel to open vacuum tank, open fuel valve bottom of vaccuum tank, watch for leaks at lines and carb. You should check for a good spark at points and plugs, if you have that start the engine up. You can run the engine for about a minute or less without water, won't hurt it, unless it is brand new engine. That should do it!

Further on the engine start, when spinning the oil pump with drill motor, open an oil line at the oil filter to make sure the oil pump is working, or have someone check oil pressure gauge while spinning, it should have some oil pressure showing. (not much)

While you are at it remove the valve cover and see if any valves are stuck, squirt some oil on the stems and springs and rockers, don't get carried away, just tap on the rocker at the valve tops and be sure the valves move a little in the guides, you can tell by the sound if it sounds like a thud maybe that valve is stuck, if you find any that are stuck now is the time to free them up! Don't bend a pushrod.

Walt - Just a quick question regarding your suggestion to pull the distributor and spin the oil pump. I have a 1931 Chevrolet that was restored a number of years ago. Since then there have been times when the car was not run for a couple of years. I would peroidically remove the spark plug squirt a small amount of oil in the chamber and down to the valve guides, then I would hand crank the engine several times. You mentioned that there needed to be oil in the sump. Should this same procedure be followed(pulling the distributor) on cars that are stored over the winter - 5 months or more and then started?

It shouldn't be necessary to pull the distributor and spin the oil pump each time the engine has set for a few months. The idea is with an engine that has set for many years, the oil pump has a small spring at the base that forces the pump vanes to the sides in order to pump oil. This spring will break due to moisture and rusting (moisture is often found in the base of an engine) I have found this several times. This generally does not occur with gear type engines. Other than it is nice to pump oil through the entire system of the later six cylinders for the valve system, etc.

Thanks for your advise - I can rest assured there is not one more item to add to the list when preparing for the spring start-up. By the way, I am replacing the oil pump this winter to a gear type.

We'll I took some of you guys advice and got the 28 chevy started this weekend! It only ran for about 30 seconds as the fuel vaccume mechanism doesn't work. Someone has installed a fuel pump next to the tank as a replacement for ther vaccume but it didn't work either. My vacccume unit was gutted so I guess I need to find a new one but in the mean time do you think the fuel punp could work? I'm not sure how it would know how much fuel to pump or if trying to use it is a good idea?

Scott

Hi entsminger,
Someone once told me that a Borg Warner #EP11 6V fuel pump works well and is still available at most parts houses. Pumps of this nature have a pressure switch to shut them off when they reach the correct pressure. What that pressure is, I don't know. You may still need a pressure regulator in the fuel line. The needle/seat in the carburetor was designed to regulate a gravity feed system and the pump may overwhelm it's ability to shut off the fuel. Result: flooding the carburetor and dents in your brass bowl where you "tapped" it trying to fix a stuck float. As for the vacuum tank parts, you might check with some of the 4-cyl suppliers out there and see if they have the "guts" you need. Try: http://www.cybersurfers.net/~herb/sources.htm for some sources. I use a vacuum tank and it works well as long as I keep it clean.

Regards,
-R

entsminger, give Gary Wallace a try at Early Chevy Parts his web address is listed on herbs website. He is the go to guy for most 4cyl chevy parts he carrys new, used and reproduction parts for the 4cyls.

Good luck
Kirk

Gary Wallace stocks a replacement float for 28 vacuum pump and gasket for 26-28. Most auto parts stores should have or can get some version of the AC Model EP11 electric pump for you non-purists. For those of you that are easily corrupted I have posted a photo where no one ever goes in a 28. Click on - www.cybersurfers.net/~herb/elecpump.htm . I also have a filter at the 'Gasp' W1 Carburetor.
www.cybersurfers.net/~herb/herbd.htm . I've been told that some versions of the EP11 have a pressure adjustment but I haven't seen one.

Herb

Just a word in defense of the vacuum tank. I have climbed Pikes Peak in my 25 on the stock vacuum tank. I have assisted many drivers by the side of the road with flooding problems, and you name it problems, who attempt to work with the electric pump. Consider that the carburetor inlet was designed to stop the gravity flow of gas from a height of approximately 2 feet. Even with a pressure regulator, drivers experience many problems. A properly maintained vacuum system is basically trouble free.

Ray, I think you are "right on" about the fuel pump, there is almost no pressure on the carb when it has a vacuum tank, you could explain it this way, "The vacuum tank only uses the vacuum to fill the small resorvoir and keep it at a resonable level so that the gasoline can gravity into the carb from a height of less than 2'." Ford Model "A" did it another way they put the fuel tank at dash level and just inches in front of the driver GASP! SAFETY ALERT! the needle and seat valve in those carbs were not designed to hold 2 or three psi, and THEY WON'T so if you add a pump to pump directly into the carb the result will be carb OVERFLOW, FLOODING,and damage to the delicate carb bowl