Startup after 9 month layover

[David H.]

I am ready to restart my engine after dropping the body on the frame.
The engine has been run before but not for 9 months.
Can I just put some MM oil in the cylinders and fire it up or is it more complicated than that?

Thanks

[Dick W.]

Re: Startup after 9 month layover

I probably would not worry about doing anything other than starting it. I am a big advocate of Marvel Mystery Oil, but in your case I do not think it is needed

[John F.]

Re: Startup after 9 month layover

A little oil in the cylinders won't hurt plus pull the coil wire and spin the motor to pump up a little oil. Use new gas and you should be good to go.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Startup after 9 month layover

I'd just start it. My 72 sits for that long at times without being started.

[David H.]

Re: Startup after 9 month layover

Thank you gentlemen for your responses.
With a little persuasion of spritzing fuel in the number one cylinder she fired up good.
Good oil pressure.
Only have an overheating situation now.
Thermostat may be stuck? No liquid in the upper hose.
Temp going up to 200.
Will take hose off and see if thermostat is opening.

[Dick W.]

Re: Startup after 9 month layover

Thank you gentlemen for your responses.
With a little persuasion of spritzing fuel in the number one cylinder she fired up good.
Good oil pressure.
Only have an overheating situation now.
Thermostat may be stuck? No liquid in the upper hose.
Temp going up to 200.
Will take hose off and see if thermostat is opening.

Is it pushing water out? The temperature guages are notoriously inaccurate

[John F.]

Re: Startup after 9 month layover

Replace the thermostat regardless and fill the block thru that hole with distilled water.

[David H.]

Re: Startup after 9 month layover

I never drained the block of antifreeze.
Put two gallons more in the radiator.
Pulled the thermostat and tested with heat.
Opened and closed properly.
Checked temp with another gauge and got 200 plus also.
Does not seem to have any flow in the upper hose but that would be
because the thermostat is not opening I presume.
Will get a new one tomorrow and try again.
Is it possible there might be an air bubble in the system that is preventing
circulation?
Very frustrating afternoon.

[Tim S.]

Re: Startup after 9 month layover

IMO, it does sound like an air pocket. Usually, I only had the problem on C3's. Now I have a tool to vacuum down the system to fill it.

Tim

[David H.]

Re: Startup after 9 month layover

Just to add to this, I ran this engine as is last fall many times and had no overheat issues.
I just read another earlier post on this and it said that if the coolant is not boiling it is not overheating.
It does not boil.
But shouldn't you be able to feel the coolant circulating in the upper radiator hose when the thermostat
opens? And shouldn't the temp gauge reading drop slightly when it opens?

[Dick W.]

Re: Startup after 9 month layover

Just to add to this, I ran this engine as is last fall many times and had no overheat issues.
I just read another earlier post on this and it said that if the coolant is not boiling it is not overheating.
It does not boil.
But shouldn't you be able to feel the coolant circulating in the upper radiator hose when the thermostat
opens? And shouldn't the temp gauge reading drop slightly when it opens?

You are making an assumption that the temp guage is operating correctly

[John F.]

Re: Startup after 9 month layover

You can buy a cheap IR gun to check temps at U/L hoses, thermostat, radiator,etc.

[David H.]

Re: Startup after 9 month layover

Still frustrated with this issue.
Have double checked everything.
Convinced it has an air bubble in it somewhere.
Have tried two thermostats, two gauges.
Removed heater hose from below thermostat and filled till a/f came out.
Am going to try the following proceedure:

"My overheating problem on the '56 has been somewhat overcome finally. My older brother(Wesmar Racing Engines)told me to back the Vette down in the ditch in front of my acreage so that the nose of the car was pointing up in the air. Then take the radiator cap off and top off the liquid. Then put the cap back on half way(so it's loose and can burp without making a huge mess). Start the car and let it run up to temp. Watch for any burping, etc. After it is at temp, I removed the cap and put a little over a half gallon of coolant in it and tightened the cap. I went for a ride and the temp was 20 degrees cooler!!!!! At running before the temp on the gun was 210 and at idle it was 217. After burping it ran at 190 and idled at 197 which is within tolerances for me at least. How simple! My brother started racing in 1955 and he said that the 265 was fairly notorious for trapping air. He said that years ago he did that procedure many, many times and it usually worked."

Any reason not to try this?

thanks

[David H.]

Re: Startup after 9 month layover

Well, I didn't back it down into a ditch, but I did jack it up so the rad was higher than the engine and it worked.
Have obvious flow in the overflow tank and temp at the therm is around 190-200.
I figure this is good for the circumstances of sitting still with not much air flow.

Was close to torching it and buying a Pontiac!