Starting a 3.5litre V8 after 2 years idle

[taylormj4]

Hi there,
I have been restoring a 1973 Range Rover, which has a 3.5litre V8 out of a Rover SD1.

Unfortunately, due to moving house, getting married and a new baby, I haven't been able to do much over the last 2 years and the engine has not been run.

My question is what is the best way to restart the engine, without causing damage as I assume the camshafts etc will be completely dry and there will be a longer period of running before the oil gets everywhere.

I have taken all of the plugs out, squirted some oil into the bores and turned the engine several times by hand, so it has not seized. I have just bought a new battery and was going to turn the engine on the starter next, with the fuel pump fuse out and with the plugs out to expel any remaining oil.

Also is it best to turn it over with the old thicker oil in or cold drain and refill first?

Any suggestions appreciated.

Cheers,
Matt

[taylormj4]

Hi chassis,
Thanks for the reply. I thought I should take the rockers off and do that. They are coated with all sorts of crud and loose paint and dirt though, so I'll have to clean up the whole area before doing that. Was hoping someone might have a clever trick way of doing it.

This seems to be the trouble with this restoration. I can get lots done in bursts of effort but then things get in the way and I might not be able to do anything for months, in which time more things seem to go wrong or decay. Will I ever get her on the road again?!

Matt

[taylormj4]

Thanks all for your help.
Looks like I'd better play safe and remove the rockers.

Have never done this and expect I probably won't like what I find, as it looks pretty black in there from looking in down the oil filler neck.

Good advice on the oil pump. I replaced the gears a few years back but am aware of the "don't take too long replacing the oil filter" thing regarding it not priming.

I think I will pour the oil in via the rockers as suggested and then try turning over with the fuel off and see if I get pressure. If nothing after a few seconds I will stop and reprime the pump.

Sound sensible?

Then once it has some warmth in the oil, I will drain and change filters,oil etc. Fuel is virtually out anyway, so a refill with new stuff should dilute the old sufficiently?

Cheers guys,
Matt

[taylormj4]

leorest said:

taylormj4 said:

I think I will pour the oil in via the rockers as suggested and then try turning over with the fuel off and see if I get pressure. If nothing after a few seconds I will stop and reprime the pump.

It could well take a lot more than "a few seconds" either be brave and keep cranking or do the power drill trick already mentioned.

Hmmm, you're probably right. Especially with the state my Big Ends are in (knocking on fire-up for a few seconds then goes but can hear it coming back under heavy loading). Will get round to sorting them out one day.

Matt

Edited by taylormj4 on Friday 27th April 15:37

[taylormj4]

Hi all,

Got the rocker covers off last weekend, to pour the oil in from the top prior to a plugs-out start up as suggested.



Found the rocker bays to be full of a black soil-like sludge. It was mainly gathered around the edges where the gasket lies. No emulsion indicating water ingress, just this stuff like soil, really crumbly and saturated in oil.

Any ideas what this stuff could be - old gasket that has broken off?



It took me 2 hours per rocker bay to clean it all out. I should really strip the engine and give it all a good clean out but I do not have time for this at the moment. Some of the 'soil' unfortunately fell down the drains and this will now be in the camshaft area.



I have turned her over plugs out and got good oil pressure, so I'm thinking drain the oil and any crap that's in the sump and fill with new cheap stuff. Start her up and run her up to operating temperature with the cheap stuff. Then drain, fill with engine flush, run and drain, then fill with good stuff.



All comments welcome. Any ideas?

Cheers,

Matt.

[taylormj4]

ELAN+2 said:

to prime the oil pump on the rover engine, you pack the oil pump with vaseline, it wont develop enough suction to lift the oil from the sump if its been left for a couple of years. The vaseline will overcome this and just disolve into the oil.

Hi Elan,
I know what you mean. I used this technique when I replaced the oil pump gears several years ago. I tried turning over on the starter and the oil pressure came up to around 40 pretty quickly, so presumably the oil pump has remained primed even though left for so long, either that or it was primed by the oil I poured into the rockers.

Cheers,
Matt