Start-up procedure? Engine not run for years ...

[eddie914]

I have acquired a replacement engine for the 2.7 that went Ka-Blammo last month. It will arrive in Seattle in about a week.

The engine has not been run in a number of years.

What should be done to an engine that has been in storage to get it up and running safely?


Here is my plan:

Totally draining and cleaning the oil system to ensure no debris remains from the detonation of the old piston (and who knows what else). Where can I get the oil cooler cleaned? Hydro sonic?

Remove the CIS and install the Weber 40IDA-3C carbs and Bursch headers from the old engine.

Adjust the valves and check the head studs.

Prime the oil system by using the starter to rotate the engine (with spark plugs removed).

Set the static timing.

Questions:

Should I squirt or spray lubricant in the cylinders before turning over the engine? What type of lubricant?

Should the head bolts be retorqued? Untorqued? Overtorqued?

Should the crankcase be flushed out prior to assembly?

Should the oil be changed soon after the engine is restarted? 1 hour? 10 hours?

What weight oil should be used initially? I usually use Kendall 20W50 but at about $3 a quart I hate tossing out 15 quarts after only a few minutes of running. I can get Chevron 20W50 at the FLAPS for $1 per quart.

Thanks

Eddie

[syncroid]

"Should I squirt or spray lubricant in the cylinders before turning over the engine? What type of lubricant?"
Yes that would be good. Regular oil and only a squirt.
Is the oil cooler a stock cooler or a big after market type? Ultra sonic cleaning is the only way to get all the debris out.
I would hold off on the valve adjustment until after you run the engine for awhile. You never know what kind of crud has formed on the back side of the valves while it has been sitting.
Priming the oil system is a good idea too. DO that for sure. Just disable the ignition and crank it over till the oil light goes out.
On a 2.7 engines, retorqueing the cylinder heads is ALWAYS a good idea. DO that too.
Should the crankcase be flushed out prior to assembly? I'm not quite sure what you mean by this one. Is the engine apart to the point that you can actually clean the case???
You do not need to change the oil on it after a short time of running unless you just feel like spending money. IMHO, I would run the oil for 500 to a 1000 miles and then change it.
20/50w Kendall is what we use as our house oil. Good stuff!
I hope this helps.

[snowman]

My opinion on any engine that has not been run for a very long time is that its a crap shoot. The only way to be certain is to tear it down, clean it, measure everything and then reassemble, using assembley lube. Thats just an opinion.

The reasons for this opinion are as follows:
1. All the lube has dried out and is now goo, or worse, glue, that cannot be easily cleaned. Its not possible to hot tank an assembled engine.
2. Its a total unknown. The seller said "trust me"
3. all the seals are shot anyway. They dry out and shrink and get brittle.
4. you can spend far more trying to troubleshoot an unknown than it would cost to just freshen it up to begin with.
5. If you take the crap shoot and loose you can loose bigger than if you did it right to begin with, ie you can damage good parts and now must replace them.