The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Grampa Bob's truck, a long sleep

What's the best way to start a 283 cid that hasn't been started in yrs?

Be very patient- - - - -don't get in a hurry to hear it run. Start by pulling the spark plugs and soaking the cylinders with a lightweight oil like PB Blaster, Marvel Mystery Oil, or KROIL. You might also pull the valve covers and soak the valve rocker arms and guides with the same penetrating oil. After a week or so, try turning the engine by hand, maybe with a medium-length pry bar on the flywheel teeth. Don't force anything. If it's reluctant to turn, find out why. Anytime an engine stops, a few valves will be partially open and air (and humidity) can move in and out due to temperature changes. Those cylinders will be subject to rusting.

Try using a USB camera borescope and a laptop computer to look at the condition of the cylinders by putting the scope into the spark plug holes. I use the same 5MM camera for inspecting cylinders that I use for inspecting rifle bores- - - -clear down to .22 caliber size. If there's no serious rust, and the crankshaft can be turned through at least two full turns without locking up or getting hard to turn, you probably won't need to do any major disassembly. There's a very informative tutorial in the "tech tips" section of the forum about "waking up a sleeping engine". Read it- - - -twice- - - -before proceeding any further. It will be time well spent! Good luck!
Jerry

How many years has it been sitting? Was it inside or outside? Climate controlled? Chicken coop?

I recently started a 1950 216 that hadn't been started in 5 years but had been parked inside a garage (non-climate controlled).

I did more or less what Jerry suggested but didn't remove the valve cover.

I removed the plugs and added Marvel Mystery Oil. I ascertained that the engine wasn't locked or frozen by turning the crankshaft by hand with the plugs removed.

Installed new points, cap, rotor, plugs, wires, etc.

I removed the original fuel pump and saved it for later use and installed a new Chinese pump from Advance Auto.

It was obvious that ethanol had gummed the old pump, fuel tank and fuel line. I routed a rubber fuel hose from the new pump into a gas can full of ethanol free fuel.

Primed the carburetor with the new pump and ignition off and then turned the key.

Fired up after a few seconds and kept running.

Been driving it for the last year and a half, albeit with lots of new parts (feul tank, rebuilt pump, carb, etc.

I did the same thing with a '66 Mustang that sat for 15 years untouched in a climate controlled building. Same procedures, same results. Still driving it. 2 years later.