Need help getting a 200 I6 that has been sitting running

[Anlushac11]

OK here the scoop.

I have been given a 81 Mustang T-top coupe with 200 I6 and C4. It was driven to the location it is in now about two years ago and placed on jackstands and a car cover.

My friend and I got the rest of the suspension put back under it today, got wheel back on it and we are supposed to try and get it running next Saturday.


Heres the battle plan.

1) Change the oil and filter.

2) Pull spark plugs, pray WD40 in all the cylinders and then repace spark plugs wth new.

3) Replace cap, rotor, and wires. New fuel filter too.

4)Use a socket and wrench and gently rock the crank back and forth to try and free any stuck rings.

5) spray carb down with carb cleaner and if fuel tank is low add about 5 gallons to the tank with about 5 cans of gumout.

6) Crank it til we get gas and reconnect fuel line.

7) Make sure everything is connected and try and fire it up.


Am I missing anything?

 

[Anonymous]

dont forget to crank the motor with the coil lead pulled to build up oil pressure before running

 

[addo]

I'd have a slight variation. This sequence allows you to diagnose problems in comparative order of seriousness and when each is resolved you are free of one area of concern.

1. Safety check - wheel nuts, tyres, brake action, hand brake, steering.
2. Remove plugs and inspect. Replace only if filthy or ungappable. Install plugs after dripping a teaspoon of ATF down into each cylinder.
3. Examine dipstick oil and level. Top up if needed.
4. See through fuel filter installed before the fuel pump, and another between pump and carb.
5. Install charged battery and check for voltage to the coil with the key on. Unhook battery again.
6. Check plug and coil leads with a multimeter, also test coil.
7. Rotate engine by hand to 10° BTDC and eyeball timing by rotor position, for approximateness.
8. Use a squeezy bottle to fill the fuel lines. Fill the tank right up and include the maximum ratio of your chosen additive.
9. Fill the carb by the vent tube and work the throttle lever until the accelerator pump squirts nicely.
10. Top up the cooling system with plain water. Bleed it by squeezing the top hose muchly.
11. Reconnect the battery and ground the coil lead off the dizzy. Crank the motor a few turns and look for a healthy spark.
12. Put the coil lead back on, crank the car while feathering the throttle. it'll start.

I can't guarantee the C-4 but they're a go or no-go usually.

 

[Anonymous]

Anlushac,
Your on the right track but some of the products your using aren't correct.
1) Yup change the oil.
2) Pull the plugs and use standard motor oil. WD40 will wash any oil off the cylinders and may cause scratching of the Cylinders. Leave the plugs out then go directly to step 4. Rotate the crank adding a small amount of oil after a few rotations. Do this for a good 15 mins. Leaving the plugs out will help in rotation.

Now since the main objective is to see if it will start here's what I would do next.
Disconnect the fuel line from the carb, remove the carb, flush and clean it. Run a piece of gas line to a fresh can of gas. After cranking a few times to flush the fuel pump and prime with clean gas hook the carb back up and after checking the the gap on the points and plugs, see if it starts or wants to.

Expect a lot of smoke from the oil in the cylinders!!!

3) Definetly replace the fuel filter, remove the gas cap and take a sniff. Does it smell like caroseen?? (sp) Check the bottom of the tank for a drain plug. If you got one drain the gas anyway. Do NOT dump that much gumout into anything. You might loosen up some crap that you don't want to run through the system or on a low (fill level) tank it may cause to high of a temperature (burn) in the cylinders. Pull the carb as well and flush out the gas there as well as disconnect the gas line at the tank and blow out the gas into a jar. Check for crap as you drain everything to see if you have a problem with crap. The other electrical change is nice but if the wires, plugs, and cap look to be in good shape, may not be neccessary just to fire it up. Main thing at this time is to protect the cylinders from damage. If it doesn't turn over easily by hand your going to have to pull the head and check why.

Why was the car parked in the first place?

Steve

 

[Lazy JW]

A portable fuel tank for outboard motors ( the kind that you pressurize with a little hand pump) works great for starting an engine whenever the fuel tank/lines is suspect. It also eliminates the fuel pump from the equation. I wouldn't use WD-40.
Joe

 

[Anlushac11]

8)

The car belonged to a friend who was getting a divorce, so he signed the car over to my other friend and drove it over and parked it at his house.

He never came back to get it and last year around Christmas he committed suicide. The guys parents told my friend who has the car currently to keep it and do what he wants with the car.

Thanks for the info. My two biggest worries are the fuel system and the cylinders sticking.

I was thinking of rigging up something like a kerosene hand pump to a hose to empty the gas tank and then filling the tank full with fresh gasoline.

My friend has a printer at his house so we will make a checklist and go down the list before trying to start.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry to here that.

I've seen cars sitting a lot longer than 2 years start right up with no issues but your doing the right thing, slow and easy will bring the motor back. Addo mentioned a lot of other issues before trying to move the car so heed his good advice. A side note if you do have to drop the tank becouse of bad fuel and no drain plug, a radiator shop can flush and clean it AND add the drain plug. Worth the extra money for future issues. Since the car didn't seem to have any issues before parking it I would spend the extra time on the fuel system.

Steve

 

[rickwrench]

Pull the plugs, a few squirts of wd40 in the cylinders the night before. See if you can turn it over by hand. If you can turn it completely over, hook up an auxiliary fuel tank and fire it up. Otherwise keep working it until it turns completely over by hand. Hose down the carb with Berryman B12, too. Blast some Berryman down the carb vents until the bowls are full.
DON"T use two year old gas. It would be bad smelling barely combustible varnish at this point, no matter what you add.
Once you get it running, let it run at operating temperature for a while. Then worry about changing the oil and filters
Rick

 

[Anonymous]

Don't "rock the crank back and forth" only turn the engine over to the right like you are tightening the bolt. You dont want that bolt to come loose.

-Dan in Atlanta

 

[Asa]

dont forget to crank the motor with the coil lead pulled to build up oil pressure before running

i wouldn't do this
if you want to prime the pump, hook up a power drill to the dizzy's shaft

 

[mugsy]

One system usually over looked is the cooling system. You might want to do a pressure check of it. The aniti-oxidants in anti-freeze are usually good for two years. So after that time the stuff is all used up and the water starts to rust all the metal parts. You could probably get the car started without any work to the cooling system, but after its back on the road it needs a flush/fill real bad and real quick.

tanx and Good Luck!!
Mugsy

P.S. let us know how it goes!!