Starting a DOHC after 2.5 years

[5speedz34]

I need/want to start working on the lumina again this summer. I plan on changing the oil. I know most of the oil in the cams have probably drained down to the pan. I will be changing it with Amsoil 5W-30. The motor has like 10k on a rebuild.

Do I need to worry about rust in the cylinders? What about priming the oil pump? Do I need to do that? I know if you start a DOHC after a few months of sitting its loud for a few minutes until the oil goes through the motor, any ideas?

[HayesPerformance]

Is the gas in the tank that old too?

[5speedz34]

Is the gas in the tank that old too?

Ya

I plan on draining that out and cleaning the tank also.

[grandprixgtp_91]

you should take the plugs out and crank it over until you see the oil pressure start to rise up on the gauge, wont take long at all, dont forget the oil filter will hold all the oil, so really there shouldnt be a problem.

Jake

[gpchris]

you may have rust. My cylinder walls rusted after 2 months sitting in my garage. It had no pistons or heads but you could still have some..

[JMo60]

see if you can get a boroscope to look at the cylinders,, you could use some fogging oil or wd-40 in the cylinders and then start her up after building oil pressure with the plugs out

[gpse3400]

Fogging oil would be good but as long as you had the TB closed any oxidation would be minimal. I'd get some IsoHEET and thow that down the tank. Instead of pulling plugs just floor the engine while starting, that will bring it into clear flood mode and build up the oil pressure which should come up very quick. Should be at lik 70 psi in 3 seconds, hold for no more than 5 more seconds. Release the gas pedal and and it should start up roughly and then clear out. Before doing this you'll need to prime the fuel system, you can do that by running the loose connector by the drivers side electrical center tot he positive remote terminal or you kick the key on and off 3 times. Keep it off for 10 seconds then turn it on for 5.

[OldSkoolGP]

Along with priming the fuel system you should also bleed the old fuel out of the fuel rail or it'll just end up back in the tank and in the engine which won't burn very well. Before you turn the key on for the first time try pressing in the schraeder valve on the rail and see if fuel squirts out. If it does you still have rail pressure which means your pressure regulator is still good. Then turn the key on a couple times and pressurize it and do it again twice more. By then you should have clean fuel in the rail which will make startup easier.

[HayesPerformance]

I would also put a small bottle of menthol hydrate in the tank to evaporate any water/condensation build up from sitting all that time.

Did you every start it up every so often at all?

Something I don't like about letting a engine sit without running it every so often while it parked is some of the oil seals start to dry up/ harden and you can end up with some new oil leaks. It would be a bad Idea to add a oil additive to soften the seals abit like Lucuas, etc.

There was in one HOTROD Magazine I had a new cylinder spray that helps clean the cylinders without causing damage for a engine that has sat some time. I forget where it is..........

[HayesPerformance]

Hey,

Was that picture of your car taken in Arizona? LOL Looks like a spot I know on mount lemon outside of Tucson.......... LOL

[Juglenaut]

Pressing the schraeder valve in after it sat for awhile doesn't prove if the regulator is good or bad if it has pressure or not.

I had several cars sit and sat for extended periods of time and rust is vary minimal. If it sat that long the oil should have been changed at least twice a year and idled for 20 min. and reved after warm to 3 grand for 30 seconds once a month.

I recently brought my euro back on the road and currently only battling exhaust system failures.

It may only reflect on PR engines but since getting old reliable on the road again I inspected the top engine and found out I had to put a new plenum and intake manifold gasket on it because they where squished and rock hard. However this time I made my own plenum gasket. I scoped around the heads and saw no obvious reason to pull the heads.

[markz34]

my black z34 started after 5 years with old oil and gas lol. dont ask me how she started . but after it started i changed everything and took the gas out .

[pocket-rocket]

my black z34 started after 5 years with old oil and gas lol. dont ask me how she started . but after it started i changed everything and took the gas out .

Chevrolet, Like a Rock! 5 years with old gas is crazy, did you use some kind of stabilizer with it before you parked it? I did with the 92, and that was for just over winter, lol.

[markz34]

nope nothing it was parked 6 years ago becuase i just baught a new car so i parked it at my cottage . then 5 years after i baught the new car i decided i want to drive the lumina again . so i went there it needed a jump of course lol and it start just about right up stumbled a big but it started and actually ran quite good. but now shes blown r.i.p and i still have the z34 bug so i found an 92 z34 and had to pick that up .

[Canyonero]

Well, did this car ever get started?