Finally Started Today After 18 Years
 

I got my 83 SC a few months ago. The car has been sitting since 2004. I followed the advice given here. I replaced the fuel tank, fuel lines, fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel accumulator, spark plugs and wires, ignition coil, adjusted the valves etc. Today I tried to start it for the first time and amazingly it started!! Slow at first and then it idled nice.

Anybody have any idea how long it takes for the smoke to calm down? I ran it about 30 minutes with the smoke going crazy. I stopped it and let it cool and when it started again the smoke was minimal but gradually it got bad again.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1610324548.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1610324548.jpg

Are you sure you didn't put too much oil in? How much did you put in? Did you look at the dip stick in the oil tank?

I put 9 quarts in. It was totally drained. The dip stick actually didn't register. I haven't checked it when warm. I know I need to add some more but wanted to get it warm first.

It's going to take a bit The exhaust is full
Take it for a full throttle to redline ride (on a back road at night)
after 20 30 minutes it'll clear

^^^ what he said. Do it at night so Greta won't chase you down....

Thats what I was thinking but I just get a little nervous having that much smoke on the first start in over a decade. Funny watching it idle nicely while smoking so bad.

It's so awesome when old cars start back ups again after such a slumber.

I've done a few in the past and it amazes me when they actually run!

Good luck on this project, the car looks pretty nice.

When you say "it was totally drained", do you mean you drained it and then added the 9 qts? Or are you saying when you got it it didn't show any oil was in it and then you added 9 qts?

Italian tune-up. About 70 m.p.h. in 4th gear for a mile or two after you warm it up ought to do it.

During my work up I drained the oil tank and the sump and the filter. I then put in 9 quarts. Just like a normal oil change.

smoke?
here's your answer.
You did all first-hand jobs good. (what about brakes though?).

now drive it hard.

Good question, LOL! As I wasn't sure how involved getting it cranked would be, I put the issue of stopping until there was a need to consider it. Thankfully I'm now able to move to the brakes. I just ordered from PP everything necessary to have good stopping power. (So I can't actually "red-line" it down the road to clear out the smoke.)

I had a similar situation starting my car after 4 years. Tons of smoke all the down the block. I was smoked out and I was 90 feet down the driveway. Turns out I added too much oil and it smoked a lot when driving. After I performed the oil change and added the proper quarts, it’s been running great sense.

Great to see it come to life.