<VV> Starting an Engine after storage

[Sethracer at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/2/2005 6:56:50 PM Pacific Standard Time,  
Corvair72387 at cinci.rr.com writes:

Hey  everyone, I have let my 63 Spyder sit for over a year while I have  been
working on other projects, mostly my 71 Nova. I put fuel stabilizer in  it
before I stored it and I haven't started the car in a year. My question  to
all of you is can I start it right away or should I prime the oiling  system
somehow? By the way the engine is a 140 with a Holley 390. Any  suggestions
would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


Nick  Gier





Nick - A couple of tips. First a safety issue - Holleys are  notorious 
leakers when they have been sitting and the gaskets dry out. Buy a  gasket kit or 
Trac-Pak for it and have it there when you bring the engine back  to life. Make 
sure you are watching the carb from the engine compartment when  fuel pressure 
hits it. (Not from the drivers seat! -i.e. have someone else  crank it!) 
Second, You can simulate the pre-lube by disconnecting the  ignition feed or 
grounding the coil wire and cranking it over. Remember, you  shouldn't crank 
it for too long at one time, it stresses out the starter. If you  do decide to 
pressurize the system, with the modified distributor as a  pump, set the motor 
so the existing distributor is pointed at Cylinder #1  before removing it. 
That makes the re-installation so much simpler! -  Seth