Some Re-Start Questions

[OK-944]

I started up my 85.5 last November...just after I'd done a complete reseal of the engine and put in fresh oil (Mobil-1 10/40), plus fresh antifreeze. The alt light would not come on at that point, so I only let the car run for maybe three minutes before shutting it off. Didn't even warm up enough to get the water circulating.

There was a bit of smoke from the engine...but probably just engine-cleaner and WD-40 burning off the surface. Did make me a little nervous (my garage is also a barn...I've got my fire extinguisher handy!)

Its now four months later, and I just got the alt light working and will try starting up the car tomorrow, and want to let it warm up enough to get the water circulating and see if the fans come on as they should, and to make sure the charging system is doing its thing.

My thinking is that the oil should be fine....as it was fresh last November, and had barely warmed up during that one three-minute idle.

So I'm thinking that I won't change the oil...but maybe I should still take out the plugs and squirt some WD-40 into the cylinders first - as the earlier start was likely not enough to truly allow the engine to lubricate itself.

Any opinions about not changing the oil? About pulling the plugs to lube the cylinders? And how much smoke is ok? Yeah, I know I sound a little paranoid - but the longer story is that before the single startup last November, the car had sat for three years before I pulled the engine last summer to reseal it. At any rate, many thanks for any advice!

[944Larry]

I pull the plugs after a long lay-up and squirt some Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders and turn it over a turn or so. Never had a problem yet. If I have to start an engine thats set up for years I let the rings soak in MMO for a day or two and then try to crank.