Verifying if an engine is any good if not in a car ?

[J4CKO]

As per the title, our old Fiat decided to grind its internals to a coarse Aluminium paste at the weekend (see thread in Yesterdays heros for pictures) when a valve snapped, have a "spare" engine only I dont know if its any good, so other than checking it turns over is there any ways to verify if its any good without fitting it into the car and seeing what happens ?

Was thinking I could wire the starter up with a compression tester plugged in and see whether it has compression.

Also, any suggestions for starting an engine thats been stood for a while, I seem to remember bunging some oil down the bores and leaving it, is that a valid approach, obviously changing the oil in the sump as well.

[Superhoop]

Give Leepu of Chop Shop fame a call

On the original series of Chop Shop (it might not have been called that then) when Bernie and Leepu were in India, they went to a car engine warehouse - To test the engine, they wired it up, gave it a fuel supply and had it running in the middle of the street - Once they were happy it ran, they strapped into a trailer and the guys from the warehouse transported back to the workshop for them.

Edit to add...

It was called Bangla Bangers - See link from 4.10 to about 5.00 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjFAaKYXszs&fea...

Edited by Superhoop on Monday 6th June 16:30

[varsas]

Remove the sump, take a big end bearing cap off and inspect the bearings. If they check out then, as above, pull the head.