Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

I have an 87 el camino V6, 10K miles sitting in storage for the past 6-7 yrs. I never started, did nothing to plan it for storage. Just covered it with a good car cover and in a secure garage. Im planning to bring it out this yr and make a daily driver out of it.

Any recommendations of what to do - first, just getting it started, and then road ready?

Appreciate the thoughts...... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

change the oil, pull the plugs, wd40 the cylinders and spin it over by hand, turn it over with the starter with a battery charger hooked up, (may want to pull the valve covers and make sure none of the valves are sticking), drain the gas out of the tank and carb, refuel see if it will start. will most likely need a battery, alternator, carb rebuild, radiator flush, oil change, thermostat cap rotor plug wires would be a safe bet, may even service the trans, run it a while and check your hoses, vacuum gremlins and water leaks are a big possibility. things like the manifold/heat riser valve seize up sometimes on those, heater core may be shot if the coolant in it was bad, brakes will need to be checked before any driving (hoses included) it all depends on how well it was stored you may get off lucky on some of it but be safe and do the brakes.

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

if you really want tp get serious pop out the distributor and us a priming shaft on a drill and run it until it starts oiling at the rockerarms,but do all the other things mentioned above first!

Bobby Dodson

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

Thanks for the advise guys, this is in line with what i was thinking.....did not think about the heater core issue. Bobby, i like the distributor idea....

Indy, why do you think the alt may need replaced??

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

I have always had good luck with pulling the plugs and squirting a few shots of Marvel Mystery oil in the cylinders, wait a few days or more then spin it over with no plugs then fire it up. Marvel works wonders with stuck valves and rings... if it seems like you have either stuck rings or stuck valves after firing it up...
with the car running and Aircleaner off rev the engine and pour marvel mystery oil into the carb... we have used this method to unstick rings and valves in engines that have not been started in over 40 years.

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

Thanks for the tips on Marvel oil,,,,,were do you buy this,,local parts store?

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

Ed,

They should have it at any parts store...Pep Boys, etc.

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

The priming of the oil before start up is most important. . At the very least, disable the ignition and run it up w/ the starter motor. .

Back in the boneyard days I used to flash up a lot of motors that had been sitting for years. . I used a drill and the shaft I cut off an old distributor....it worked a lot better than bouncing a cut off screwdriver or whatever else around down in the oil pump drive. .

Buicks and other motors w/ a front distrib/oil pump and rear pan pickup were the worst. . With such a long way for the oil to travel, if you didn't prime them first you'd often get a knock....always not forgetting to check for cracked flexplates on the Buicks of course. .

Make sure you confirm distrib/pump rotation and wind down the drill speed before priming. .

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

~ Pete

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

Pete... we have the same "priming system" ... I should probably check the ID band on that ole cast iron distributor... might be something special. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

Good idea on the priming the pump...ill get some mystery oil and a dist shaft and follow the advise. I was going to drop the tank and drain it, but for the money of new tank, may just install a new one and pickup and make the job quick and easy. Im a little worried about the rad and heater core . . if was properly filled with coolent when it was put away, but do you think sitting has caused more corrosion or damage?

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

The 69 Camaro that had been sitting for 18 years before being started had the heater core go bad with-in 2 days of driving it. If you are worried about it... by pass the core by just running the heater hose from the outlet on the engine back to the inlet in the engine. The pressure on the system is what is gonna do it in.

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

This is probably a bit late, but I'll toss it out there anyway.

I have an '87 Iroc that was stolen and sat for nearly 5 years, when I got to it, the car was sitting on 3 flats and had a doa battery. I got a battery, and aired up the tires with a bicycle pump enough to get it to the gas station. It fired, I let it warm up, added a little oil, and some tranny fluid. And drove it to the station.

Left it running, filled it with premium, checked all the levels, and drove it 200 miles home.

Now the 350 had been replaced with a 305 or I would have taken more care, but it still runs fine. 45mph was a struggle at first, then 55, finally 60 was as fast as I wanted to go on the rotten tires (they did fine, even ran over a raccoon without a problem).

What failed (after the trip):
Belt/hoses/speedo cable/left front tire/shifter cable

What didn't work and now does (freed up):
alternator (wasn't charging, and now works fine) Wipers (all full of crud and rusted) rear brakes/emergency brake

What still doesn't work: radio/trunk pull down

It was a noisy, slow, smokey trip, but I'd do it again.

What I still need to do:
repack wheel bearings, flush tranny, or just rebuild it, works fine but for how long? Clean, clean, clean.

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

Go to Summit and get this oil pump primer... Summit primer

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

thanks charley, i was wondering where i was going to find one - mine is packed away (from and old distributor) . summit price is cheap too.....its hard to tell, but is it one that you hook up to a drill or turned by hand??

Re: Starting a car in hibernation for yrs
 

Hooks up to a drill.