The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop restarting engine after 15 years

This is my first post so bare with me. Just bought 1951 suberban that has not been started in 15 years has 235 cu in put penatrating oil in each cylinder can turn over by turning fan thats it so far any advise from this point

sounds like you are off to a good start. does the starter work? check the points first.

Welcome to the 'bolt Bob. Don't run the truck using the stock fuel system until you make sure the tank and lines are clean. Very old fuel can stick your intake valves shut, causing bent pushrods or even worse.

As a minimum, I would change the oil and filter, and drain out any old gas left in the tank. Change the fluid in the cooling system.

You might try removing all the plugs and rotate the engine with the starter and see if the oil pressure will come up. This will tell you if the oil pump is working, and will also get oil to the bearings, lifters and hopefully the rocker arms. If no pressure, undo the line to the gauge and rotate again to see if in fact you do have pressure and a bad gauge.

Next I would do a compression check, just to make sure you don't have a stuck valve. You could remove the valve cover and bump each rocker with a mallet and make sure everything moves like it should.

If it starts, keep an eye on the oil pressure and the temperature. Listen for odd sounds. If it knocks, shut it down.


Kurt

Need to do a whole lot more than just drain it. After a period of time some of it hardens and won't drain out. When you put fresh gas on it some of it "melts" and mixes with the fresh gas. When you shut the engine off the old gas hardens again on the intake valve stems, as the fresh gas evaporates, and can stick them shut. If the truck was sitting with gas in the tank all those years the only safe option is to pull and clean or replace it.

you should drop the oil pan in my opinion.i don,t know how long my truck sat before i got it but there was about 5 lbs. of smegma in the bottom of the oil pan.also if you have a oil filter make sure you clean the canister out also,mine was also full of crud.good luck

Sort of was in the same boat. I did use some diesel in a garden sprayer to wash the insides down from the top. Removed the valve cover, then sprayed it down. Left the oil plug out to see how much gunk came out. Then I put in fresh cheap oil and used the shaft from an old screwdriver I did not need any more, and put that on a drill. Inserted it down the distributor hole and spun the oil pump. Took a short time and the fresh oil started to arrive at the rockers. Turned the engine a few times with just the starter and no plugs. Drained again and added new good oil. Thing started right up. Ran only for a few moments before I shut it off. Need to add oil filter to it now.

Any idea where to get one?