Hey guys, a family friend has a car that he hasn't started for at least the last 5 years. He is giving the car away, and all we know about it is that it needs a new clutch. What are the steps that are required to help start this puppy up again? (Its either a 73 or a 79 vette [don't flame, its a free or nearly free car])
Starting it up after sitting for 5 years
- Thread starter suki243
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66Coupe289POWER
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I would change the oil and filter and fill the filter up, pull the plugs and squirt a little oil in the cylinders, attach a gas can with a rubber hose to the fuel pump(no telling what's in the gas tank), and install a good battery.
1: remove the plugs and run some good penetrating oil down the cylinders and let it sit for 24 hours. then turn the engine over by hand at least one revolution. if it turns over, then go to step 2. if not repeat this step. if it still doesnt turn over, then you may have an internal problem.
2: change the plugs, plug wires, etc. add a new battery.
3: change the oil and filter. fill the filter with oil before you install it.
4: rebuild the carb.
5: using a drill turn the oil pump shaft until you get oil pressure. you may have to have the ignition on.
6: replace the belts and hoses
7: replace the old coolant with fresh. this would be a good time to flush the cooling system. replace the thermostat.
8: reinstall the distributor.
9: prime the carb with fresh fuel. i would also drain the tank and add fresh fuel there as well. you may also have to replace the fuel pump. they are cheap, so i would go ahead and do it.
10: with the transmission in neutral, and the coil disconnected, crank the engine over until you get oil pressure. then reconnect the coil, and start the engine. run it at 1500rpm for about 15min before letting it idle. this will run plenty of oil around the engine, and prevent things like wiping a lobe on the cam. while then engine is running, check for leaks.
11: change the oil and filter, then change it again at 1000 miles and again at your normal change interval.
at this point you can now adjust the idle, valves, etc. checl for vacuum leaks.
2: change the plugs, plug wires, etc. add a new battery.
3: change the oil and filter. fill the filter with oil before you install it.
4: rebuild the carb.
5: using a drill turn the oil pump shaft until you get oil pressure. you may have to have the ignition on.
6: replace the belts and hoses
7: replace the old coolant with fresh. this would be a good time to flush the cooling system. replace the thermostat.
8: reinstall the distributor.
9: prime the carb with fresh fuel. i would also drain the tank and add fresh fuel there as well. you may also have to replace the fuel pump. they are cheap, so i would go ahead and do it.
10: with the transmission in neutral, and the coil disconnected, crank the engine over until you get oil pressure. then reconnect the coil, and start the engine. run it at 1500rpm for about 15min before letting it idle. this will run plenty of oil around the engine, and prevent things like wiping a lobe on the cam. while then engine is running, check for leaks.
11: change the oil and filter, then change it again at 1000 miles and again at your normal change interval.
at this point you can now adjust the idle, valves, etc. checl for vacuum leaks.
It's probably a good idea to go through the car and inspect the electrical harnesses too as well before you throw a new battery on it and try to run it.
69gmachine
Member
Do step 5 of rbohm's list before you crank it over the first time. After 5 years there is likely little or no oil on any of the bearings.
Well, I turned the vette down, after looking at it, it wasn't worth it the time, and effort that would be required to get it running and looking good again. These are the pics.
All four tires are shot and crumbled, there are no keys to the car, the fiberglass is cracked all over, it hasn't moved for 5 years, it hasn't been registered for 21,. BUT!!! It has an L82 engine in it. (L82 350 V8 225 bhp.) That is at least what the emblems say, because the car doesn't have a set of keys I couldn't open up the hood to make sure. Even if it did have that engine I doubt it is worth taking out who knows how many year old oil, and other fluids.
Maybe if I wasn't about to go to college, and had some room in the garage, I might have considered this project
All four tires are shot and crumbled, there are no keys to the car, the fiberglass is cracked all over, it hasn't moved for 5 years, it hasn't been registered for 21,. BUT!!! It has an L82 engine in it. (L82 350 V8 225 bhp.) That is at least what the emblems say, because the car doesn't have a set of keys I couldn't open up the hood to make sure. Even if it did have that engine I doubt it is worth taking out who knows how many year old oil, and other fluids.
Maybe if I wasn't about to go to college, and had some room in the garage, I might have considered this project
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A couple things to add to rbohm's list: Chevy's don't have an oil pump drive shaft. 
That item's part of the distributor. 
And instead of rotating it one revolution, you need to go at least two full rotations to cycle the valvetrain. Four revolutions is better. As for oil in the cylinders, I just pour a whole quart of auto trans fluid down all of the cylinders. Then let it sit and after rotating the crank several times, I let the starter clear the oil out before replacing the plugs.
That item's part of the distributor. And instead of rotating it one revolution, you need to go at least two full rotations to cycle the valvetrain. Four revolutions is better. As for oil in the cylinders, I just pour a whole quart of auto trans fluid down all of the cylinders. Then let it sit and after rotating the crank several times, I let the starter clear the oil out before replacing the plugs.Yah, I just don't have time to do all the work myself, so I just emailed USC (my college next year) and asked if their racing team would like to setup a new restoration program. (kinda hard for a freshman to go about and do it but let's see what their reaction is) I think it'd be awesome to get this car running (especially if it has a L82 engine in it) and paint it usc colors and then be able to auction it off or something. The guy who was giving it to me was willing to tow it to our house but we stopped him at the last minute. Hopefully this usc thing will pull through
