Step 1: Engine that has been setting?

[Indianasquarebird]

I just brought home a 60, 352. Sitting for at least 7 years. She is in my garage now. One of my earliest orders of business is to see if she fires, therein my seeking sage advice from the group.
So i shall get to it:
Beyond, the ordinary precautions, clean clear carb, marval magic, in the pistons, clean plugs, points, gap, starter connections, (or assemble a remote starter), roll the engine a little, crankshaft, while in neutral,squirt more marvel,fresh battery,take valve covers off, inspect them, and kaaazammmm, she starts..lol.
I apologize: Here is my question. I do not have the skill set to "prelube the bearings, valves" that i have heard about, by placing an old distributor without the gear in the engine and crank the oil pump that way..Is there another way to lube up an engine that has been setting, so i don't score the bearings, and/or is their something that I may have missed in my setup to start this beauty.
Thank you very much.
Jeff

[Woobie]

Other than the distributor method, there's the socket taped to an extension and then into the drill chuck, using a 1/2" drill. Reverse is the direction but verify with another source if you are about to begin in the next ten minutes. The socket is placed on to the oil pump drive shaft.

There are also pre-oiler shafts sold that may fit your conditions.

[jopizz]

Use a 1/4" socket (tape it to the extension so it doesn't come off) on the oil pump shaft and go counter clockwise on your drill to turn the oil pump.

John

[scumdog]

Also check none of the valves are stuck open before spinning the motor!

[jopizz]

Originally Posted by scumdog

Also check none of the valves are stuck open before spinning the motor!

Great point. Tap on the valves with a rubber mallet. If you don't feel a vibration they're probably stuck and you'll bend a push rod for sure.

John

[Indianasquarebird]

Thank you John, I made that mistake on my 67 Galaxie, bent about 3 pushrods.. so i just did a top half gasket job and valve job while i was in there. I dont care to do the work, i just don't want to cause myself extra..lol
jeff

[Indianasquarebird]

Thank you scumdog...thats solid advice..

[DKheld]

OEM on the way out


I bought one that was rebuilt and by the time I got it installed it had been sitting 5-6 years.

Although you can't tell from the pics it had been sealed after rebuild - all the ports etc were taped shut. (this pic was the day I was cleaning it and getting ready to paint and install)



All I did was rotate the engine a couple of times to make sure nothing hit - shot marvel mystery in the cyls.

Installed and put fresh oil/filter in it - added ZDDP. Spun it over with the coil disconnected until the oil light went out which meant to me that I had good oil pressure.

Ran great .......but

After about 1500- 2000 miles it developed a tick from a lifter.
Took it apart and found some rust in the top end even though it had been sealed. Probably from condensation.



Found ALL the lifters stuck solid. Replaced all the lifters and pushrods.



Been fine now for over 10K miles


May be something you just can't find without tearing it down but hope yours runs first shot.

Remember the FE's have hydraulic lifters and they will tick and stick for the first few minutes - at least mine did. Even the original did that after it had been sitting about 4 years and I was just getting the car back on the road.

Good luck,
Eric

[scumdog]

Originally Posted by jopizz

Great point. Tap on the valves with a rubber mallet. If you don't feel a vibration they're probably stuck and you'll bend a push rod for sure.

John

Further to that, if storing the motor for some time it is a good idea to back off the rockers/rocker gear until all valves are shut.
It will save your valve springs, no valves will be stuck open - and nothing will be able to fall into the motor via intake or exhaust ports.

[simplyconnected]

Originally Posted by jopizz

Use a 1/4" socket (tape it to the extension so it doesn't come off)...

Originally Posted by Woobie

Other than the distributor method, there's the socket taped to an extension and then into the drill chuck,..

I have nearly lost a 1/4" socket down the engine. Since then, I use a deep 1/4" socket on a 1/4" extension. It fits nicely in a 1/2" drill chuck. The chances of a deep socket falling are slim.

Tom, I like your idea of relieving the rocker stand bolts. When using a rubber mallet on the valves/springs, expect to hear a hollow sound as the valve 'pops' in and out. Intake valves sound a little different than exhaust valves. If a valve is bent or stuck, this method will usually reveal it. The purpose for using a rubber mallet is, in case the valve is right on top of the piston. You don't want to use a steel hammer unless the head is off the block. I have seen bent valves and broken or chipped guides from piston/valve crashes.

Anybody know how much your piston-to-valve clearance should be? In other words, what is the minimum measurement when the piston is closest to any valve during rotation? (This is mostly affected by your cam timing and rocker arm ratio.)

We had one member who went through four or more sets of (different brand) hydraulic roller lifters right after his major overhaul on an FE engine. - Dave