All Small Six Car hasn't started in 7 years

This relates to all small sixes
Hello all!
I just got my first project car, a white 1981 fox body with a 200ci I6. I’m pumped to have it and to learn, but I know very little about cars and am using this one to gain my knowledge in the process of making it my own. Currently the car has 4 flat tires and hasn’t run in 7 years. She’s been garage kept and is rust free( which in MI is a god send). But with the car not running I figured that was the first place to start. My plan was to syphon the gas tank, add fresh gas. Get a new battery and see what happens? I was able to get the clock on and some clicking noise, which I think was the starter trying its best, from a jump pack and 2 minutes of fidgeting. Thank you for all of the advice in advance, let’s see where this journey takes me!
 
One of the first things you need to do on a car that's set for many years is pull the spark plugs and put a few squirts of oil in the cylinders and let it set for awhile then try turning the engine by hand to see if it free. It is important to clean out the fuel tank of any old fuel rust crud ect. You will probally also need to go through all the brake parts too. I use engine oil for lubing the cylinders but ATF or Marvel Mystery oil works well too. This is in case there is any light surface rust on the cylinder walls above the piston tops these oils will help to lube each cylinders piston rings, clean the upper cylinder walls removing any light rust that might of formed over time setting, most often it won't hurt anything to just try first turning the engine by hand or a socket wrench to find out if it turns fairly easy and if it dose you will be looking good going forward. if the engine is stuck then the lighter oils like penetrating oil, ATF or even Desiel fuel (this method is also used to put an engine in long term storage oldtimers called this Pickling). Any of these oils can be put into the cylinders to soak them and loosen up stuck piston rings by turning engine a little in one direction then back the other way using a socket wrench on the crankshaft center bolt. This can take some time turning it a little at a time then resoaking the cylinders some more but most times if you can move it even a little bit you will be able to get the engine free again over time of a few hours to a few days in the more severe cases but take you time so as to not do any damage to it.

My best guess by your descriptions of the car and its engine being garage stored that it is maybe going to be free so a little engine oil will give the dry cylinders some lube so a couple tea spoons of oil in each should do it. The engines bearings and oil pump are also going to be dry. Examine the existing oil for its viscosity by feel in your fingers compared to fresh oil if it seems okay you can use it to get the engine started and then warm up the engine before you change the old oil and filter if not then you can chage the oil and filter first but know that you will probally need to re change the oil and filter again sooner then normal. Something I would do is to is to run the engine with a flush before changing it do that two to three times to clean out any built up sludge. My favorite for this is to use Justice Brothers engine flush it was a company local and famous in the area I grew up in, I also knew the locale supply rep to. If you decide to change the oil and filter first then when the oil filter is off you can also squirt a bunch of oil into oil filter input port (this goes right down into the oil pump) also fill up the oil filter this will get some lube in the oil pump to prime it and also get lube to the engines bearing a little faster. You will want to turn the engine severial rotations by hand ,first and then you can try using the starter to turn the engine over (pull the coil wire so it can't start) this will help prime and pressurize the oil system it can work very well in getting oil into all the passages. Anther way that's even better is to pull the Distribitor with the engine at TDC on #1 cylinder and use drill to turn the oil pump to pressurize the oil system passages you could also turn the engine a 1/4 turn by hand then pressureize it again turn another 1/4 turn and repeat this until you have turned the engine two full turns this is the method I often use for a new or rebuilt engine before starting it. Best of luck
 
One of the first things you need to do on a car that's set for many years is pull the spark plugs and put a few squirts of oil in the cylinders and let it set for awhile then try turning the engine by hand to see if it free. It is important to clean out the fuel tank of any old fuel rust crud ect. You will probally also need to go through all the brake parts too. I use engine oil for lubing the cylinders but ATF or Marvel Mystery oil works well too. This is in case there is any light surface rust on the cylinder walls above the piston tops these oils will help to lube each cylinders piston rings, clean the upper cylinder walls removing any light rust that might of formed over time setting, most often it won't hurt anything to just try first turning the engine by hand or a socket wrench to find out if it turns fairly easy and if it dose you will be looking good going forward. if the engine is stuck then the lighter oils like penetrating oil, ATF or even Desiel fuel (this method is also used to put an engine in long term storage oldtimers called this Pickling). Any of these oils can be put into the cylinders to soak them and loosen up stuck piston rings by turning engine a little in one direction then back the other way using a socket wrench on the crankshaft center bolt. This can take some time turning it a little at a time then resoaking the cylinders some more but most times if you can move it even a little bit you will be able to get the engine free again over time of a few hours to a few days in the more severe cases but take you time so as to not do any damage to it.

My best guess by your descriptions of the car and its engine being garage stored that it is maybe going to be free so a little engine oil will give the dry cylinders some lube so a couple tea spoons of oil in each should do it. The engines bearings and oil pump are also going to be dry. Examine the existing oil for its viscosity by feel in your fingers compared to fresh oil if it seems okay you can use it to get the engine started and then warm up the engine before you change the old oil and filter if not then you can chage the oil and filter first but know that you will probally need to re change the oil and filter again sooner then normal. Something I would do is to is to run the engine with a flush before changing it do that two to three times to clean out any built up sludge. My favorite for this is to use Justice Brothers engine flush it was a company local and famous in the area I grew up in, I also knew the locale supply rep to. If you decide to change the oil and filter first then when the oil filter is off you can also squirt a bunch of oil into oil filter input port (this goes right down into the oil pump) also fill up the oil filter this will get some lube in the oil pump to prime it and also get lube to the engines bearing a little faster. You will want to turn the engine severial rotations by hand ,first and then you can try using the starter to turn the engine over (pull the coil wire so it can't start) this will help prime and pressurize the oil system it can work very well in getting oil into all the passages. Anther way that's even better is to pull the Distribitor with the engine at TDC on #1 cylinder and use drill to turn the oil pump to pressurize the oil system passages you could also turn the engine a 1/4 turn by hand then pressureize it again turn another 1/4 turn and repeat this until you have turned the engine two full turns this is the method I often use for a new or rebuilt engine before starting it. Best of luck
Oh my god! Thank you so much! As you can tell I’m fairly new to cars, I’ve changed tires and done small things before but nothing to this extent. I’m very glad I asked I wouldn’t have known any of this. I hope to report back good results.
 
A reminder...Leave the plugs out after oiling the cylinders...No sense to fight the higher induced compression and possible hydraulic lock, once you get it spinning fast with the starter and the oil cleared out , then put the plugs in.
 
Hi, X2 on the advice.
I would probably remove the gas tank and clean it because the dirt and gunk if it is in there can cause many headaches.
You can carefully put a portable gas can under the fuel pump and run a rubber hose down to it. Be careful and have a fire extinguisher near by.
As mentioned, I would turn the engine with a socket on the harmonic balancer after removing the spark plugs and oiling the cylinders. Give the oil some time to soak in before turning the engine. After you know it is freed up after a few revolutions I would spin it with the starter.
Good luck
 
Don't forget to flush the fuel line and fuel pump. There is a 1/2 cup of bad gas just waiting to fill your carb and complicate your restart.
 
Anything that sits log periods like that should be gone over well. All rubber parts dry out and crack. Calipers wheel cylinders rubber brake lines master cylinder and lines need checked or replaced before driving.
 
I pretty much do the above w/hand turn B4 engine bump (w/batreee). I also may pull a valve cover on these as I bent a push rod once. I wanna C B4 it hammers itself to destruction ( don't wanna hear 'those sounds", see or smell 'those things". It's kinda like the doc's proviso: 'do no harm'. I may puta tq wrench on the crank bolt to see how much pressure is developed if not breakin free. As oiling the cyl thru sparkie's holes I take a good look at the ends to diagnosis what was goin on when last ran. They can tell alot (B4 I put my own info on 'em). A head will come off ('do no harm') if 90/100 ft lbs still does not break it free. After a start on a cana gas held hi (if no ign. intervention needed fora start) the same (oil'n filter). No rush to get started. Just wanna hear for a diagnosis on issues'n problems. Then onto the fuel system, all possible safety issues/w.bearings, stop power, transmis and if all OK - a shake dwn cruse (further diagnosis). Later a 1hr cruse lets me know all ok (or not) till 500 mi or so put in. Now I'm not ckin every smell, noise, bump, etc & relax into regular maintenance...
 
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