starting up a long unused motor ideas n tips please

[christover1]

For anyone who has had to travel behind me, you would know my motor is long overdue for replacement.

I was kindly given another used 1.3 Sierra donk.
It was working fine when I last seen it being used.
This was 2 years ago ... ish.
I don't believe it has been running since?

I am thinking remove spark plugs, fill pots with motor oil, and slowly turn over by hand. This hopefully will cause as little damage as possible.

What tips or ideas do people have, to make sure I get a good run out of a long unused engine?

thanks all, christover

[Zute]

I was thinking maybe some diesel, as it might penetrate in and around the rings better to start off with. Or spray in some WD first, leave for 10 or so minutes. Than some oil and turn by hand. What do you think?

[chimpboy]

I would pour some good penetrating oil eg diesel or air compressor oil into the cylinders and let it soak through for a good long time, eg overnight.

Then I would replace all the oil in the engine (since it will now be dodgy) and go with your original plan ie cranking it with oil in the cylinders but no spark plugs.

Depending on how long it's been sitting it's really amazing just how badly pistons can start to stick, and how much of a difference it can make to let some oil soak through.

I had a motor that had been sitting for 2 years and in my ignorance did not do the process above. The starter motor couldn't even move it. Then I did the soaking oil through thing and after just a little bit of stickiness it was fine, completely smooth.

I dunno if that's the absolute best approach but it worked for me.

Jason

[bru21]

2 stroke oil is good as it burns better than motor oil etc, i woild mix it 50/50 with petty and put that down the plug holes. I always pour this down the carb of my boat if i am not going to use it for a while and let it run till it smokes and kill it.

[V8Patrol]

Storage is the big issue ..... how well was it sealed up during this period ?

Ive stored motors for 10 years and never had any real dramas restarting em ...... to date the oldest motor in storage has been 21 years !!! and it was fired up 4 months ago !

Having only sat around for a couple of years it shouldnt need a heap of TLC to fire up.........

Before you fit the motor ..... rip the plugs out and see if the motor will turn over by HAND ( dont use a breaker bar or big shifter )..... if it moves then ya laughing. Fit the motor and when your ready to fire it up for the first time squirt some remove the spark plugs and squirt some CRC / WD40 down the sparkplug holes ..... crank the motor over several times with the plugs still out untill oil pressure comes up..... then refit the plugs and go for the real fire up !


If the motor wont turn over by hand the a squirt of CRC / WD40 down each plug hole and let it soak in overnight..... next morning try again and this time if it still wont move then use the breaker bar of big shifter but only apply a SMALL amount of added pressure...... it shouldnt take that much to free it after all its only been sitting for 2 years !

The fergy motor we fired up a few months back (21 years in storage ) took about the same pressure as a wheel nut to free it...... we'd squirted CRC down the plugholes for 4 nights in a row before it came good. Its now running like it never stopped






CHANGING THE OIL .......

Now the "arguments" as to which is right or wrong should start.....
There are two distinct views here ....

one ... change it before you attempt to fire it up
two ... change it after the inital fire up

Personally ...... I have always changed the oil before putting a motor into long term storage then after fire up I change it, but thats me.
Most ppl will just pull the motor out and park it with the 'old' oil still in it!

Biggest issue is that any moisture and or engine grime will over time make its way to the sump.... obviously once its fired up then the crud is closer to the oil pickup than its ever been before so its sucked up instantly..... some ppl belive this shyte makes its way into the motor, but the truth is its hits the oil filter firstly !

in your case I'd fire it up..... as soon as you have oil pressure & its running on all cylinders, shut the motor down and dump the oil & filter. Replace the oil with a high detergent oil and restart it again....... this time run it till its running at normal temp then shut it down and change the oil & filter to what you intend to run all the time.

Now go n flog the daylights out of it !

Kingy

[scout392]

Other then the pistons i would also look at any rubber belts and hoses as they may have perished. Its a lot easier to change with the motor out.

Also look at the welsh plugs and replace as needed

Eric

[christover1]

this forum rocks
thanks all, will be getting into it shortly, before the law tell me to

christover

[mugginsmoo]

what

and then we'll have to let you go first on those long down hills, you won't be the "tail end charley".

this could take some time to adjust to.



Mitch

[christover1]

what

and then we'll have to let you go first on those long down hills, you won't be the "tail end charley".

this could take some time to adjust to.



Mitch

It's ok, I like being up the rear anyway..............



not what your all thinkin
I get a better look at good and bad lines others do b4 I have a crack


started ripping out the old donk this arvo, blood spilt already
christover

[Gwagensteve]

I wouldn't worry too much about anything in particular Chris - no one changes all t heir belts and hoses every two years, and I guess the motor has been sitting in your fairly dry and dark garage, so all should be well. As V8 patrol says, if it turns by hand with the pugs out, I say bung it in it will be fine.

I guess the real worry is why the last motor let go so quick?

Steve.

[christover1]

I wouldn't worry too much about anything in particular Chris - no one changes all t heir belts and hoses every two years, and I guess the motor has been sitting in your fairly dry and dark garage, so all should be well. As V8 patrol says, if it turns by hand with the pugs out, I say bung it in it will be fine.

I guess the real worry is why the last motor let go so quick?

Steve.

I recently discovered it had a very cold thermostat, and heater hasn't been great, must be a japanese thing, it has been running way too cold for too long, 70 I think it was, which can damage rings...just a theory..but now its running 82, bit late tho. Its still smokin real bad on deceleration, but has started smoke wisps at other times, too.... so head/valves/guides etc could be a prob.....last trip cost me more in oil than fuel, and power is starting to fade...would be a good base for a rebuild.

christover

[christover1]

I drove it round the block a few times, just now, and it seems like it will be a good donk. More power and no smoke, thank goodness.
So tomorrow I get some clean oil for it, etc, and gearbox oil, cos a lot fell out when I fired it up for the first time. (jack shaft was out, due to changing it over to a 1.3 one. )
A service and tune up in about a week, or pension day anyway.
Thanks all for advice.
Thanx mock for the donk.
zoox rool the bush
christover