Board Logo

Starting an engine which has been sitting for several years
urban_myth - April 16th, 2006 at 05:10 PM

I recently bought a '75 1600 twin port with low k's that has been sitting for around for 6 years. Is there anything I should do before starting it up? I'm changing the oil and rear main seal. I'm not worried about water as it was stored undercover. I'll be adjusting the valves and changing the rocker cover gaskets as well. Will the carby need a kit through it?

Anthiron - April 16th, 2006 at 05:13 PM

squirt a little oil down the spark plug holes and turn it over by hand a few times to get things lubed up.

mackaymanx - April 16th, 2006 at 05:37 PM

Turn it over without plugs until the oil presure comes up.Carb is a bit hit and miss, put some fuel in it to soak into the gaskets awhile before start up.After 6 years you might expect a bit a scale built up to have flaked off the inside of the carby ( depends on how clean the fuel has been), could block the jets. A kit would probably be a good idea, acc and choke diaphrams are likely to be in not the best shape.

tassupervee - April 16th, 2006 at 07:33 PM

Yer like they said.
If fuel was left in the carb, as it evaporates, it can ove time leave a goo in the carb that can make you day rather miserable.
Might be wise to drain the fuel tank as well and fush out the lines.

For mine, id simply give it a try, worst case scenario, it wont run and you have to lift the top off the carb and clean it.

Have fun.
L8tr
E

urban_myth - April 16th, 2006 at 07:47 PM

The car its going in i've been driving daily, so the petrol tank and lines are fine, i'm just replacing the engine with this one. The guy I bought it off said it had 75,000 original k's. You could tell engine hadnt been cleaned down for the sale, but it didnt have any oil leaks, just a little build up of road grime. It should go well.

mackaymanx - April 19th, 2006 at 11:40 AM

If you are putting this straight in you should retorque as many case bolts that you can get to, and especially the head bolts

VWCOOL - April 19th, 2006 at 02:40 PM

NO DON'T TOUCH THE CASE BOLTS as it may nip up the bearings and sieze the engine

vw54 - April 20th, 2006 at 07:35 AM

yes pull the plugs and turn it over by hand a few times with some oil down each plug hole and to make sure it turns free.

Take out the oil pressure sender bulb and spin the engine over on the starter to get up oil pressure

put the plugs back in and hit the stater... with some " Start yar Bastard " down the carby to make it kick easier