[patajujuju]

hi i have a 63 Pontiac catalina that its been sitting for 10 years. my question is what should i do as a first step to the engine and if someone could hive me a step list of what is next it would be great thanks alot

[ChevelleSS_LS6]

This is assuming it's in good shape and doesn't have a mouse nest in the carb and stuff.

1. fresh oil and a quality filter (baldwin, hastings, fleetgard (go to a cummins dealer or an industrial equipment supply)).

2. pull plugs, squirt oil into cylinders. leave plugs out.

3. crank engine until oil pressure gauge has a good reading. clean up oil, and install new plugs if needed.

4. crank with fuel and spark, see if she'll start.

[va4cqd]

i'd start by making sure the engine isn't seized

[DoubleVision]

I`d do as chevelle said, if the engine fires you have to cycle it just as you would a new engine. Run it about 20 minutes and raise the idle from 1800 RPM to 2400 RPM in 4 minute intervals. Usually when a engine sits and gets refired after a long time down and it`s not cycled the cam will go flat.

[ScoTFrenzel]

Fresh oil change with THIN 5w30 oil..MAKE SURE THE FILTER IS FULL. so oil will get into the nooks and crannies quickly. The engine is dry, everywhere, especially the piston/walls and the oil is at ambient temperature at the start up.

I would be drill motor priming it for 20 minutes. While hand turning the engine every 90* about every 2 minutes. You want the oil dripping off of the crankshaft like it just shut off today. so when it fires off, the oil will sling instantly to the cylinder walls and cam.

Lifters are flat, springs are weak. This might help the lifters pump up, if you are getting 30-40 psi with the drill.

Remember everything is totally dry. Mains, rods, cam, lifter faces, distributor gear, and the cylinder walls and rings, etc.
I would NOT be cranking it with the starter.

I have seen lots of cars fired off after all this and they still run on 4-5 jugs for several minutes until all the lifters get up, and the rust gets beat out of the valve seats.
They don't idle well on 4 firing, and you don't want to run 1800 rpm for a second or two with everything dry.

JMO.

[dalesy]

I'm with Scott. You can do some damage trying to start a dry engine. After squirting oil in the cylinders, turn it GENTLY, working it until free. You can break those stuck rings by cranking to too quickly. A small amount of time early on can save you a bunch of time....and MONEY....later.

[Cape Cod Bob]

and keep us posted on this thread as to your progress so we all can enjoy

[patajujuju]

thanks for all the tips i will precede carefully. another question that i have is what do i have to do with the carburetor?

[dalesy]

Probably be a good idea to rebuild it, or have it done. It's probably all gummed up, stuff is stuck, probably the accelerator pump is shot, and who knows what else. Who knows what kind of gas was in it and how long it sat in there? 2 bbl or 4 bbl......pretty much the same procedure.