Thread: Motor's been sitting 6 months, what do I need to do to fire it up?

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Hello Everyone! The 392 Hemi that I'm putting into my '32 Ford has been sitting for 6 months. It's a new re-build from Big Al's Toy Box. 392 w/ a 8:71 on it. I'm getting closer to firing it up & was wondering what I need to do before I do. I figured I'd need to pump oil through the motor. Why can't I just turn the motor over with the starter to get oil throughout the motor instead of putting that attachment/drill thing in the distributor hole??? Thanks, Bill

Bill if you prime the oil pump first to where it pumps oil to all the lubrication points throughout the engine,then when you crank it over there will be no delays in lubing those new bearings valves, etc. If you just crank it over there may be delays for oil circulation, while friction from the turning parts is occuring. That's my take on this.

A hemi is a very complicated engine ---the time it takes to get oil everywhere is much more than other engines--if you have a oil primer, use it--if not and your car is a stick, tow or push it some distance to get oil pressure up.

With the blower and carbs make sure the timing is right on and the carbs are primed---if the cam is a flat tappet(not a roller) be prepared to keep it revved up to break in the cam lobes/lifters

Billsbird;
If you didn't pep your fuel to store it you may want to drain the fuel tank.
And the ethanol thats in the gas now make it go bad that much faster.
Other wise that fuels gonna be just like varnish!!! Kurt

.....Thank You Stovens, Jerry & Vara 4, I don't have an oil primer but I will get one because it's an auto not a stick. It's a roller cam so no break in & I will make sure that the carbs are primed. I guess I just squirt fuel down the carbs to do this??? The timing should be right on now so when I take the distributor out to prime it I'll mark it's location with a pencil line. This should be ok, shouldn't it??? The fuel cell, fuel pump & fuel filter are new so there's no gas in it now. So I won't use the old gas that's in my old tank. I'll buy new fuel. Thanks again! Bill

ps, just got off of the phone with Jeg's. I've got a Mopar Performance Oil Pump Primer on the way, $14 including shipping & handling.

a squirt or two of marvel mystery oil in the cylinders wouldnt hurt either

Priming the engine before start up wouldn't hurt Bill (even thought the oiling systen is no more complicated than any other rocker shaft engine). It would be a good idea to turn the engine over a little bit at a time while you're doing the priming and and make sure you prime long enought to completly fill both rocker shafts.

I suspect you know that you will have to pull the intermediate shaft out in order to prime it. If you;ve never done this simply take a long screwdriver put it into the slot where the distributor sets and turn it so the teeth on the gear walk up out of the teeth cut into the cam. Use a magnet to pull the shaft the rest of the way out of the engine, then use the the priming shaft.

Mike P beat me to it. The pump and dist. drive has to come out to prime it. I would just pull the plugs and spin it over on the starter to prime the system, you don't want a blower motor backfiring if you get the dist. in wrong! That's assuming it's in right to begin with, of course.

Both rocker shafts equates time it takes to get oil everywhere

A good idea would be to remove valve covers and oil the rockers and valve tips

with 'only' six months idle, I would think you would be ok by just spinning it for 30 - 60 seconds before you fire it.

run out or replace the gas before you romp on it though.

.....Thanks Gassersrule, Mike, R Pope, Jerry & Firebird77, ok I will put a squirt of Marvel Oil in the cylinders... Actually no, I've never primed an engine before! I knew that the Dist. needed to come out but that's it. I will follow your directions though to take the intermeadiate shaft out. So I guess the tool I ordered goes all the way into the oil pump? For some reason I thought it just turned the cam, which turned the pump. And I'll remove the rocker covers to make sure they are full & that oil is on the rockers & valve tips. I don't want to take any chances on this puppy! The dist. should be in right as Big Al's ran the motor before sending it. And it will have new gas in it..... It's going to be a pain to do this as the motor needs to come forward to get the dist. out! I have a little hole in the firewall for dist. clearance but no way will the dist come out & a drill motor fit in there. So I'll unbolt the motor & trans, slide the motor forward, prime it, slide it back & then fire it.... It will probably be a couple of weeks till I get to this point though. Just wanted to know ahead of time what I was faceing. If I had it to do again I'd probably move the entire firewall back. I still have to finish hooking up the fuel lines {firewall to engine}, Alternator, starter, wiring, radiator, grill, elect. fan, gas linkage, & steering. But I'll fire it before I do the steering.... Thanks again. I don't know what I'd do without this web site! Bill

A few extra tips here Bill.

1. Unless you have studs (instead of bolts) to hold the valve covers down either don't fill the engine with coolant or drain the level down ….. the top row of valve cover bolts go into coolant passages.

2. With the valve covers off (you've had to pull the plugs and tubes) put you finger over number 1 plug hole and turn the engine over until you feel it coming up on the compression stroke then finish rotating until the timing parks line up at TDC. Mark the location of the distributor rotor and housing and pull the distributor.

3. With the distributor removed you can look down the hole and see the intermediate shaft. You will see the slot the distributor fits in, mark its orientation and walk it out with a screwdriver and magnet as described above.

4. If the exhaust is off make sure there are bolts in the upper row of exhaust bolt holes .… these go directly into the head where the oil will collect and run out onto the floor if nothing is filling the holes.

5. Unless you heads have been equipped with the press-in sparkplug tube seals (these press in recess where the plug tubes fit and provide raised area to prevent the oil from collecting in the plug recess) you will want to wad up some small rags (I normally use a single sheet of paper towel per plug hole) and stuff lightly in each spark plug recess). This will prevent oil form the rockers from filling the cylinders.

6. Prime the engine using your drill motor and turn the engine over in small increments with a breaker bar until all the rockers are oiling.

7. Before you put the valve cover back on bring the engine back up to TDC compression and reinstall the intermediate shaft and distributor according to your marks. (you might need to use a LONG screw driver to turn the oil pump shaft to get the intermediate shaft engage).

Hope this helps

I think the engine is 'shot' after sitting for 6 months.
I'll be right over to pick it up for . . . uh . .scrap, yea that's it.
I'll be right over !! (c;~

Wow Mike, Thank you! I could see myself getting into some serious trouble without your help! LOL, good one Mach1Joe, yeah come on over.... Bill

I wouldn't go to all that work to get the dist. out! Just pull the plugs, squirt some oil down the holes, and spin it on the starter. 6 months isn't all that long, our tractors and combines sit all winter and we just fire 'em up with no priming, no sweat.