triumphs
[Top] [All Lists]

RE: Starting a Long Dormant Engine

To: triumphs@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: RE: Starting a Long Dormant Engine
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2004 04:38:28 +0000 FILETIME=[6ACD1610:01C4B4CC]
I went throught the same thing with a TR2 engine in a Swallow Doretti a 
couple of years ago....

Being that you say the engine is free, your part way there.  Some people 
might say I over-killed it, but.....

1-  I put penetrating oil down the cyclinders over a couple of week period 
to make sure the rings were not only free from the walls, but from the 
pistons.
2-  Unless you are very sure your fuel system is clean and has no old gas 
and gunk, disconnect the fuel lines and be prepared to fuel the carbs from a 
squeeze bottle or something else (my tank was really foul!)
3-  Poured oil over the valve train to lube up everything and flush away old 
junk.
4-  Put some oil down each spark plug to flush out the penetrating oil and 
lube the rings.
5-  Changed the oil and filter
6-  Made up a small tank out of PVC pipe with a tire valve on one end and 
threads on the other.  Into this I put some oil, screwed in the appropriate 
fitting for a valve, a tee with a pressure gauge then the adapters needed to 
fit it up against my oil pressure gauge line that comes off of the oil 
filter area.
7-  Pressurize the tank, turn on the valve and flush out all the old oil in 
the bearings, etc.
8-  Only then did I turn the engine over, first by hand, then with the 
starter (without plugs.).  Here you can check that your oil pump is working 
correctly.
7-  After blowing out all the excess oil in the cyclinders, put the plugs 
back in, turn it over by hand to make sure you have pushed all the excess 
oil out of the cyclinders (doubt the starter would have enough torque to 
blow the head, but why chance it.)
9-  Turn on the oil pressure again, crank it over to make sure everything is 
working.
11-  Hook up the spark plugs, fuel up the carbs, turn on the oil pressure 
again  and see what happens.  In my case, I was really suprised - after 25 
years, the engine started on the second try and came up to a nice smooth 
idle without choke or anything.  What a suprise - didn't even have water in 
it!

Frank
  '59 TR3 TS55223L
  '54 Swallow Doretti (#20 of 276 made)

Check out the new British Cars Forum:
http://www.team.net/the-local/tiki-view_forum.php?forumId=8




<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>