How to test an engine that has sat?

[Toxarch]

Going to look at a '72 FJ40. The guy said it used to run fine. He left for college in a different vehicle around Christmas and pulled the battery from the FJ so it's sat outside for over 6 months. Probably not a good idea to run the old fuel through it, right? Figured I could use jumper cables to my truck for the battery. What's the best way to do the fuel? Is it OK to start it with the old fuel or is 6 months too long? (assuming he's truthful about the 6 months) I do it with the mower, but I add a fuel stabilizer before it sits. It's the original 2F engine. Can I take a gas can and run a line to the engine? Pics would REALLY help of where to connect the line. Hate to damage anything with starter fluid.

If I can get it running to warm it up, maybe I can get a compression gauge and do a compression test to make sure that is OK.

 

[dargreg]

If your sure its only 6 months ,Twist its tail,pour some gas down the carb first 2 or 3 teaspoons maybe a bit more if it fires.

 

[Toxarch]

Think I should add fresh gas to mix up the old gas in the tank incase the water has separated?

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

Going to look at a '72 FJ40. The guy said it used to run fine. He left for college in a different vehicle around Christmas and pulled the battery from the FJ so it's sat outside for over 6 months. Probably not a good idea to run the old fuel through it, right? Figured I could use jumper cables to my truck for the battery. What's the best way to do the fuel? Is it OK to start it with the old fuel or is 6 months too long? (assuming he's truthful about the 6 months) I do it with the mower, but I add a fuel stabilizer before it sits. It's the original 2F engine. Can I take a gas can and run a line to the engine? Pics would REALLY help of where to connect the line. Hate to damage anything with starter fluid.

If I can get it running to warm it up, maybe I can get a compression gauge and do a compression test to make sure that is OK.

Many people have different ways of going about this. Some would say to just drop the battery in, and turn the key, while others would have you change all fluids, drop some mystery oil in, drain the gas tank and start fresh...both methods have seemed to work in the past.

My only comment to this post is that if indeed it is a 2F, then it is not the original engine...just thought you should know in case you wanted to restore the rig...2F started in 1975.

 

[landcrusher909]

check out this post https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/288675-starting-engine-has-been-sitting.html also I have started alot of motors that have sat for years. Dont mix fresh gas with whats in the tank if anything run a seperate fuel line from a can to the carb when testing. Make sure it has oil and pull the valve cover that way if it does fire you can make sure your getting oil to the valve train. You will be surprised I would not even pull the plugs except to make sure there getting spark. pour some fuel down the carb and see what happens , Good Luck and post up what happens

 

[Toxarch]

My only comment to this post is that if indeed it is a 2F, then it is not the original engine...just thought you should know in case you wanted to restore the rig...2F started in 1975.

That would be my noob mistake. He just said original engine. I meant F engine.

 

[inkpot]

Howdy! I busted the frame on my Piggy last November. I Did not touch the 1/2 tank of fuel until I fired it up 6 months later. It runs OK. Fresh fuel will probably run better. I did give it a 3 second blast of Hot Shot to get it to fire up quickly. If the tank is capped up, it should not of lost that much potency. John

 

[avgas]

the gas should be fine after 6 months, 6 years is another story....

 

[Eric Winkworth]

my sleds sit every year for 8 or 9 months with gas in them, always start first or second pull when the gas reaches the carbs... Of course they are fogged out and the carbs and exhausts are blocked.

I would just check the oil, rad fluid, brake fluid... if all levels are good and reasonably clean start it... drive it then change oil

 

[Weedhopper]

I have become a huge fan of Seafoam. Pour a can of Seafoam and add about 5 gallons of gas and fire it up. 6 months is not too long for gas to sit... It's not a great idea, but like Avgas said, it's not 6 years.

 

[Toxarch]

Thanks for the suggestions. Going to meet the guy now. I'll take my camera with me.

I'll need some advice on what you think of the pics and what you think I should offer based on the pics. It sounds like one of those too good to be true offers. It's maybe 5 miles from my house. It's a 2nd owner vehicle and he claims it had zero body body rust. Hard for me to believe that part. It was repainted last year and the hard top (unpainted) needs work.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

Thanks for the suggestions. Going to meet the guy now. I'll take my camera with me.

I'll need some advice on what you think of the pics and what you think I should offer based on the pics. It sounds like one of those too good to be true offers. It's maybe 5 miles from my house. It's a 2nd owner vehicle and he claims it had zero body body rust. Hard for me to believe that part. It was repainted last year and the hard top (unpainted) needs work.

Why so much negativity...could be the perfect rig...wait till you see it before making up your mind...and big time on those pics

 

[Michael Hanson]

If you had the time I would add a teaspoon of oil down each spark plug hole. 2 cents Mike

 

[Toxarch]

I grabbed all the stuff for the engine and freaking forgot my camera.

Ad said it was a "restored" FJ. It was just painted on the outside and that's it, not even under the fenders. Outside looked pretty good. You see a couple of small spots under the door that had rust under the paint. Whole underside had surface rust with a couple of small round rusted spots, I guess factory holes for attaching something, that were where the jump seats go. Engine bay was fairly clean. Frame was rusted with a couple of light flaking rust spots, but looked like it could be cleaned up and be good. Interior pans looked good and no rust, just the surface rust underneath. Needs new front seats and there were no rear seats. Gas tank was gone and he was using a plastic boat tank between the seats. The entire roof of the hard top was gone. Had a new radiator but the fan was missing. Engine had F155 on it.

He said it ran before he parked it. I asked if we could start it up since he had a battery in it and connected. He said he charged the battery and turned it over the other day. Said it tried to start but wouldn't. Said the carburetor needed to be rebuilt and he didn't have any ether to put in the carburetor when he had tried to start it. I said I could pull my truck down to jump it off and I had starter fluid in the truck. He said he needed to charge the battery first and it was out of gas. I brought jumper cables, oil, radiator fluid, starter fluid, and I can go get fresh gas. He still wouldn't let me start it but assured me it would run. He said he would get his guy out to charge the battery and add gas and get it started later. I left him my name and number and told him to call me if he ever got it started. I'm not bothering with making an offer if he won't let me even hear it turn over. It would be nice if he did call, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Toxarch]

Here's the pics from his ad:

Those outter taillights didn't look stock to me.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

How much did you say he was asking?

 

[dargreg]

Be carefull what you pay.

 

[antFJ]

looks pretty good... i would make an offer of what you think it is worth NOT running. tell him this is what i'll pay... if it runs i'll pay this much. Could be enough to get him to want to sell it cheap or enough for him to let you start it...

 

[Toxarch]

I guess I could do an engine swap on it. I could always make it a sweet trail rig. He was asking $4500 last month. This month he is asking $5000 and says he's pretty negotiable on the price. Somebody give me a price.

 

[tyama]

IIRC, this rig was on the Dallas craigslist. I kinda looked at it and thought 3500.00 tops? Really look hard at the rust- everywhere you can. I would also look at the operation of all the switches & electricals. What do the doors and hard top look like? Do a compression test and also drive it out on the road to check for steering wander, smoothness of shifting, engine noise, power, etc... Really look at the brakes and axles to look for leaks- you can see runs down the tires. If you have little experience with that age cruiser, find someone at the local TLCA club that'll let you drive a comparable one to see what you should expect. I've seen loads of listings for 40's in the DFW area so you shouldn't have to look long for a good one at a price you will like. I've seen many in the 2 - 3 K range in the last few months. HTH, ty