Bringing my cobra out of 2 year hybernation

[Svtracer]

Hey guys Im finally going to have my car wrapped up in another month or so. Its been in my parents garage for 2 years now. Im getting ready to drop the oil pan to replace the gasket and upgrade to MMR pan. Now before I go starting this thing up. Any recommendations on how to go about it. All fuel lines are new and the gas tank has been emptied out of any old fuel that was in there when I did my fuel setup. Im hesitant about just starting it up since its been sitting so long. Any help would be great. Thanks :rockon:

 

[99cobra09]

If its been sitting that long i would purchase a garden sprayer and force oil through the oil pressure switch port so that when you start up the car its not completely dry inside and build oil pressure right away. And obviously some nice fresh fuel.

 

[MalcolmV8]

If its been sitting that long i would purchase a garden sprayer and force oil through the oil pressure switch port so that when you start up the car its not completely dry inside and build oil pressure right away. And obviously some nice fresh fuel.

I can't stress enough how important that is. While the oil is pumping through the oil pressure port I put a socket on the crank pulley and slowly turn the motor over so the various oil ports on the bearings and such line up and get oil pushed through them.

You'll be shocked at the damage done when a motor sitting that long is just started. You'll see score lines on the cam lobes, the inside of the oil pump as the gear spins on the pump housing dry and much more.

 

[Svtracer]

im very glad I asked. Thanks fellas!

 

[MalcolmV8]

I found a couple old pics of my setup. It's very simple. Just a weed sprayer from your local hardware store and also get a barbed fitting that matches the threads of your oil pressure switch. Cut the nozzle off the weed sprayer and attach barb with some hose.

About 3 to 4 quarts is all I put in the sprayer as that's more than enough to get everything. Pump the heck out of it and then open the valve so oil can start flowing. It moves somewhat slow so you have time to get under the car and turn the crank slowly with a socket. About half way through I go pump the sprayer up some more to keep pressure at max.

I do this every time I start up a new engine and it has instant oil pressure as soon as you fire it up. Definitely do the same for an engine that's been sitting an extended period of time and would be dry.

 

[Svtracer]

Man thank you so much! that was very helpful.

 

[MalcolmV8]

Man thank you so much! that was very helpful.

:beer:

 

[Brutal Metal]

What do you consider an extended period of time Malcom? Mine will sit for a month or more without being started..

 

[MalcolmV8]

What do you consider an extended period of time Malcom? Mine will sit for a month or more without being started..

Mine has sat for 4 or 5 months over winter. Fired right up with no issues. I've torn down my motor a couple times over the years and looked at all the parts inside and zero scores, marks or any indication of an oiling problem.

However the OP said his has been sitting for two years. I would definitely not chance that.

I really don't know what the cut off is. The motors I've seen inside that were scored had sat for unknown long periods of time. Just my personal opinion but anything over 6 months I'd start been concerned.

My boat sits longer than that over the winters and I just fire it up. But it's just a boat lol. For all I know that motor is scored to hell inside but who cares, it's not boosted and supporting ridiculous amounts of HP and if it burns a little oil (which it doesn't) or makes a bit of noise (which it doesn't) I wouldn't be to bothered. Turn up the radio

 

[VA-Mach1]

The most I would do is unplug the cops and hit the key for a few revs, then plug em back up and start it

 

[MalcolmV8]

The most I would do is unplug the cops and hit the key for a few revs, then plug em back up and start it

Do you realize how much you have to crank a dry engine before you see oil pressure? That's the last thing I would do.

 

[VA-Mach1]

Not trying to get pressure. Just wetting everything down with oil before cranking.

 

[MalcolmV8]

Not trying to get pressure. Just wetting everything down with oil before cranking.

Without pressure no oil is moving. You're not wetting anything. Your pump is sucking air while everything is spinning around dry. Another trick some use is to take apart the pump and pack it with grease on assembly. This causes the pump to suck oil up much faster (instead of spinning air around) and gets pressure fairly quick. The weed sprayer method (there are commercial versions of that tool that cost a few hundred dollars) however pre lubes everything and insures instant pressure and oil on start up.

 

[R.D.P.]

Malcolm - what do you think about the practice of holding down the pedal to kill the ignition and cranking it over before first start up in the spring? I've done this the past two years, crank for a good 10 count twice, then start it up. No apparent harm, but who knows what it did or didn't do on a small level inside the motor. My car is usually in storage for 3-4 months like most people.

 

[MalcolmV8]

Malcolm - what do you think about the practice of holding down the pedal to kill the ignition and cranking it over before first start up in the spring? I've done this the past two years, crank for a good 10 count twice, then start it up. No apparent harm, but who knows what it did or didn't do on a small level inside the motor. My car is usually in storage for 3-4 months like most people.

Well if you do that then you should crank it till you see the oil pressure gauge come up. Otherwise you just cranked it over "dry" for nothing. OK not really dry, just with what ever oil it had sitting there. The pump didn't have enough time to pull a suction behind it and draw any oil up the tube from the pan and push it anywhere. If it did you would have seen some oil pressure register.

I've owned my car since brand new so about 13 years now. My car has sat for 4 to 5 months at a time over the winters. My motor has also been torn down to a bare block and inspected twice. Once in the winter of 08/09 and again in the winter of 14/15. I can tell you I had not a single score, mark or slightest hint of oiling issues. In fact my bearings looked like brand new. Quite literally like they had just been installed.
I inspected everything in the motor in detail, cam lobes, journals, lifters, crank, rods etc. I even tore apart my oil pump and inspected the inside gear and casing for wear marks, scores or anything of that nature. Absolutely nothing.

So I can tell you after 4 to 5 months of sitting just get in the car and swing the key and start it like I've always done and you're 100% perfectly fine. I've torn my motor down twice and inspected to back that up.

 

[01cobravortech]

So MalcolmV8...what exactly happens from the 6 month period and beyond...that you can get serious bottom end scoring?


What I mean is...oil loves to leave a film...no matter how long.

So why would there be an oil pressure issue with oil still in the long block?

I get the 'dry' secnarios but if an oil filter is still full, then why would a 2 year sit present a potential 'hardship' event for the shortblock vs. a 6 month sit?

I'm not calling BS, I just want to understand the science behind this.

Because is 6mo...really that much of a difference vs... 2yrs...?

We're discussing non-start up time but a long block still full of oil.

Want to hear your thoughts. Want to hear what you're seeing inside that long block.

Want to see your argument as valid..

 

[big dad]

My 03 sat for 4 yrs. prior to last month, albeit I started it at least twice a year and let it come up to operating temp all that time. The only thing I did over that time period was replace the fuel in the tank a few months ago prior to driving it again. Never had any ill effects. And I used the old fuel in my beater.

 

[Posi]

Mine hadn't been cranked in over 6 months and it fired right up haha. What was I supposed to do?

 

[MalcolmV8]

So MalcolmV8...what exactly happens from the 6 month period and beyond...that you can get serious bottom end scoring?


What I mean is...oil loves to leave a film...no matter how long.

So why would there be an oil pressure issue with oil still in the long block?

I get the 'dry' secnarios but if an oil filter is still full, then why would a 2 year sit present a potential 'hardship' event for the shortblock vs. a 6 month sit?

I'm not calling BS, I just want to understand the science behind this.

Because is 6mo...really that much of a difference vs... 2yrs...?

We're discussing non-start up time but a long block still full of oil.

Want to hear your thoughts. Want to hear what you're seeing inside that long block.

Want to see your argument as valid..

I really don't know the science behind an engine that has sat for years. I've heard an engine start that sat for years and it made a hell of a racket for a few seconds till oil got back through everywhere and then it went quiet again. It also had plenty of score marks after that. You could just pull the valve covers and see the lines in the cam lobes.
I've had the opportunity to see inside a few engines that had sat for years and then fired and seen the score marks. Much more than that I couldn't tell you. If it was my car personally and it had been sitting for 2+ years like OP I'd take a few minutes to prime the oiling system like it was a new engine build and fire it. Just my opinion from what I've seen.

 

[oldmodman]

I recently started a car that had not been started in 25 years. Not mine (but I sure wish it was).

Got it running without any problems by doing exactly what has already been mentioned. Forced oil throughout the engine with a garden sprayer. Turned the engine over by hand about twenty revolutions to make sure that the inside of the crank passages were full and the rod bearings were plenty wet. Changed oil filter. Pulled plugs and squirted plenty of oil down the cylinders. Then put a towel over both banks of plug holes to catch oil spray. Spun the engine with the starter after the oil had been pumped in with garden sprayer (sprayer was still forcing oil in during being spun with the starter) Most of the oil that I put down the cylinders blew out so the plugs were put back in and the motor started. Got oil pressure immediately. And a huge cloud of smoke out the pipes. Smoke only lasted 30 seconds. Let the engine warm up in the garage. Then changed the coolant, oil (one more time), plugs for new never soaked in oil ones, and flushed the brake system too. Looked for leaks or weeping. None found.
Then drove the car. It was a 1977 Ferrari 365BB
Goddamn incredible sounding high compression 12 cylinder engine.
It's now going through a complete look over in preparation to being shown in the preservation class.