What to do to facilitate restart after a long storage period? (1 Viewer)

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e9999

Gotta get outta here...
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OK, so I'm about to get the 80 going again. It's been 3 years with no real driving and only a very few engine starts. The last one about a year ago.
I will do the obvious like full inspection, check all hoses and wiring, change all the fluids, check the filters, and put in some fresh fuel.

Now, I'm also tempted to spray some oil in the cylinders to reduce wear during the first few cranks since it sat out for a long while and could be very dry, but I also need to have it smogged soon after restart, and I won't be able to drive it much at all before the test, so I don't want to clog up the cats with gunk either (if that is an issue at all - don't know). Given that, do you think it'd be a good idea to spray some oil in there?
And any easy way to get oil to circulate before cranking?

Anything else I should think about doing to avoid problems on or after restart?
TIA
 
Might pull the coil wire to allow the engine to prime itself. There might be a way to prime the system prior to cranking it over.
 
Might pull the coil wire to allow the engine to prime itself. There might be a way to prime the system prior to cranking it over.
Pull the EFI relay so you don't clog the cats with unburnt gasoline
 
If you want, first pull spark plugs, spray/pour a light oil into each cylinder, disconnect coil wire and pull EFI fuse, crank engine five seconds at a time with plugs out until you see the oil pressure needle move, replace plugs, reconnect coil wire, reinstall fuse. Start engine.

Or, just disconnect coil wire and pull EFI fuse, spray any aerosol oil (to make a mist) via the brake booster hose port on the intake while cranking the engine until you see the oil pressure needle move, put everything back together, start engine.

Or, if you wanted to be super careful, buy an oil primer (pre-luber) system to fully pressurize the oiling system before cranking/starting.


At a minimum crank the engine with the coil wire disconnected five seconds at a time until you see oil pressure start to build. I've done this many times with no apparent damage to an engine that I send off oil samples for regular engine oil analyses.

Maybe consider replacing the oil filter before you start and while the old filter is off pour oil into the port that goes to the oil pump (to prime the pump) and pour some fresh oil into the filter itself. Although in the usual configuration most of that oil will pour out unless you have a 90 degree oil filter adapter.
 
interesting. These pre-oilers, what port do you connect them to on the 4.5?
 
I'm thinking that if I put oil in the cylinders it may be a good idea to turn the engine over a few times by hand first, rather than with the starter. Worth the trouble?
 
The better question to ask next time is:

What should I do for my 80 for long-term storage?

This way, all you have to do is get in and turn the key because it's already been prepped for a restart.

Check all fluid levels.
Pull the EFI and crank until you see oil pressure. Reinstall the fuse and start it.
If you did not change oil prior to parking it, then you should change it. The damage is already done. The sulfur in the oil mixes with moisture and creates sulfuric acid and eats bearings of engines that are not moving. Look it up. It's best to change the oil right before you park it for long term.
 

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