[harleyrider116]

Hve a 1967 Chevy, 327, 4 speed which has been in storage for 6 years. Previous to storage engine WAS NOT preped for storage and has 6 year old fuel in tank...I'm sure I need to remove the old fuel from tank but what would be the procedure for bring the engine back to life....

[DanielC]

I would disconnect the fuel line.
Check the oil level in the engine.
Remove the spark plugs, squirt some oil or ATF in the cylinders.
Get a fresh battery, try to crank it.
If it cranks, (turns over) crank it enough to expel most of the oil back out of the cylinders, and do a compression test.
If good compression, pull the valve covers, and look to see if it is oiling the top end.
If you have oil on the top end, put the plugs back in, pour a little gas down the carb, and see if it fires.
Check the water in the radiator.
Get a remote gas tank, and start it.
This is what I did with an old Datsun pickup I recently bought.


After putting some gas in the lawnmower tank, I held the tank up in the air, at the end of its hose, and gas just gravity fed through the fuel pump, and into the float bowl of the carburettor. After cleaning the points, the engine ran.

[spinn]

Good let me add, If it does not turn due to rust rings, tap a wooden dowel through the spark plug hole. Hit the piston heads coming in on a angle as many as you can. This will not damage the rings, but break a rust ridge that causes long term storage lock up. Free enough rings and it will turn, start, drive.

This was done to a field car who left the plugs out many years.

Depending on the carb. It should be dried by now. In order to clean the idle ways remove the idle air adjustment screw, and blast air into the hole. The dust will blow out the vent hole and move the needle and seats free material caught between the seat.

[327NUT]

If it sat for 6 years you don't want to use the oil that's been sitting in the pan, it could be full of water, look at the dip stick Drain the oil and change the filter..... AND drain the radiator, re-fill with 50/50 or equivalent. Pull the gas tank and have it flushed at your local radiator shop (see the post reg. this) buy new plugs and wires, points and condenser. The carb is most likely all gummed up so it wouldn't hurt to go through it....or borrow one for the initial "fingers crossed start up". The master and wheel cylinders could be rusted up so make sure you check them along with everything else you can think of. All of the other fluids will have to be changed out before you put too many miles on it.

[DanielC]

To be honest, I do not see the sense in putting fresh oil, or antifreeze in an unknown engine, especially one as common as a small block Chevy.
If when pulling the dipstick, you noticed something odd, investigate.
If the radiator was empty, why?
Did a core plug rust through? Did antifreeze leak into the block? Or just out on the ground? Why pour antifreeze in just to watch it pour on the ground. If a piston has a hole in it, why put antifreeze in, just to remove it again, or oil for that matter.

Of course, if the engine was something rare, like a 427 SOHC FE Ford, I would not just basically try to start it, but it is just a (sorry) 327 Chevy.

We also can all agree to do the restart "right" we would remove the engine, and dissassemble, inspect, and reassemble the engine.

No sense in throwing money away on new oil, antifreeze, plugs, wires, ETC. until you at least know the engine has compression.

If the engine has good compression, sounds good when running, then change the oil. and pressure test the radiator, and cooling system, and them add new antifreeze and water.

[DoubleVision]

I would soak each cylinder over night in Marvel Mystery oil. Next I would try to hand cycle the engine back and forth a few times to aid movement.
After taking all the steps and your ready to fire it up, when it starts you will need to cycle the engine as if it were new. Get the RPMs to around 1800 RPM then after 2 minutes slowly move it up to 2200 RPM. Do this for 20 minutes, this will relube the cam. Since the engine has been sitting everything in the engine is dry, if it gets much run time without being cycled the cam will go flat. The other thing to be concerned about is the valve springs, whichever ones that were left in the open position when the engine was stored will be weak and need to be replaced.

[327NUT]

I'm still not trying to start the engine on 6 yr. old oil....do as you wish. This is a 327 4 spd car so I'm keeping it, if the engine needs to be torn down then all of the parts I mentioned can be re-used when start up time comes around. Even the 50-50 can be filtered through a paint strainer and poured back into the radiator.....to each his own.

[stich626]

1) pull the plugs, squirt in some marvals mystery oil.. let it sit, go to lunch..
come back and spray it again..
2) now by hand, turn the engine back and forth.. back and forth, then turn it a few times by hand all the way around..
3) check the oil, depending on , make the call to use it for start up or replace it.. remembering that todays oils don't have enough zinc and you'll need the additive
4)next. I pull the distributor, and install the engine priming tool, spin it with a power drill and see if the oil comes up through the pushrods.. or if car it's in has an oil pressure gauge that you have psi. I like to pull the valve cover,,gauges can lie..
5)fill the rad. with straight water.. no point in use'n antifreeze now, just remember to drain it and add antifreeze , as right now it's winter..
6) drop the distributor in.. plugs, add battery and a short term fuel source. and a fire ext. and let it rip..

if you take your time, almost any locked up engine can run again..
if while rocking the engine back and forth, try'n to turn it over by hand.. it stops, don't force it.. it can be rust on the cyl. walls or a stuck valve.. this is why I like to pull the valve covers.. flatheads your s.o.l here..
spending money on new oil, and anti freeze. is crazy, untill you know it'll run.. unless the oil is a milky mess.. at that point I'd not even try to fire it.. I'd be pulling the oil pan first..

good luck

[topwrench]

Originally Posted by stich626

1) pull the plugs, squirt in some marvals mystery oil.. let it sit, go to lunch..
come back and spray it again..
2) now by hand, turn the engine back and forth.. back and forth, then turn it a few times by hand all the way around..
3) check the oil, depending on , make the call to use it for start up or replace it.. remembering that todays oils don't have enough zinc and you'll need the additive
4)next. I pull the distributor, and install the engine priming tool, spin it with a power drill and see if the oil comes up through the pushrods.. or if car it's in has an oil pressure gauge that you have psi. I like to pull the valve cover,,gauges can lie..
5)fill the rad. with straight water.. no point in use'n antifreeze now, just remember to drain it and add antifreeze , as right now it's winter..
6) drop the distributor in.. plugs, add battery and a short term fuel source. and a fire ext. and let it rip..

if you take your time, almost any locked up engine can run again..
if while rocking the engine back and forth, try'n to turn it over by hand.. it stops, don't force it.. it can be rust on the cyl. walls or a stuck valve.. this is why I like to pull the valve covers.. flatheads your s.o.l here..
spending money on new oil, and anti freeze. is crazy, untill you know it'll run.. unless the oil is a milky mess.. at that point I'd not even try to fire it.. I'd be pulling the oil pan first..

good luck

All these answers were good but I think this is best one!

[T-bucket23]

6 years should not be a problem if if was not exposed to the elements.
I would pull the plugs and squirt a little Marvell Mystery in each cylinder, Dump the oil and filter, Pull the distributor and prime it, try to turn it by hand. If it turns try to start it on fresh gas. I would not bother with coolant except to be sure it is full. If you have a leak you don't want your new antifreeze all over the ground. Once you start it just let it idle until it comes up to temperature. Watch for leaks.
I just did this with a Pontiac that sat for 8 years and there were no issues except it blew a dry rotted heater hose about 5 minutes into the warmup. The key is if it turns by hand, if it does you should be good. The Marvell oil will help if there are any stuck rings. Let it sit over night after you squirt the oil into the cylinders.
I would change the oil again after 1/2 hour of running and make sure you change it while the engine is hot.

[rsfyj]

Through the block feel the block when it starts to get warm bump the starter this has always worked for me never failed me. The longest was 4 days for a Dodge 1958 v/8 engine...