Oil /Diesel down the bores ? how to
Discussion
So I have just bougha an old moris minor thats not been on the road for 20 years, the engine turns over with the starting handle but I dont want to bugger up the engine (it was restored before being laid up)
I have head putting diesel or oil (not sure which oil) is advisable if its been laid up.
I have never done this before, once you have done this do you then need to drain oil before starting ?
Probably a very stupid quesion !!
Any advice very apreciated.
Phib
I have head putting diesel or oil (not sure which oil) is advisable if its been laid up.
I have never done this before, once you have done this do you then need to drain oil before starting ?
Probably a very stupid quesion !!
Any advice very apreciated.
Phib
I have done similar. I suggest a light oil is best. You want it to go far and burn off when you get it started.
Diesel is not good it has too much detergent in it to help you.
I used a thin engine oil. I had some 0w but I think 3 in 1 would be absolutely the right thing. You could be quite liberal in use and it will burn off readily.
Diesel is not good it has too much detergent in it to help you.
I used a thin engine oil. I had some 0w but I think 3 in 1 would be absolutely the right thing. You could be quite liberal in use and it will burn off readily.
You could take the spark plugs out. Put a little bit of oil in each bore. Turn the motor by hand and check you're happy, no odd noises etc.
I would then change the 20 year old oil.
Spin the motor on the starter. Check you get oil pressure. Any excess oil should blow out of the cylinders.
At this point you could check compression. It's possible rings will have stuck or something?
You could justify taking the rocker cover off, checking the valves all move and have the correct clearance.
Some people would take the head off.
It's up to you.
There will always be people who are keen to be more careful, and there will be others who say just put some clean petrol in it and turn the key.
So long as you don't lash so much oil into it that the pistons hydraulic lock while the plugs are in it will probably be OK.
It's not impossible that one or more bores will be rusty after this time. It's often hard to know the state of the engine when it was last used, 'rebuilds' range from blue printing with lots of new parts down to re-assembling after replacing the grossly broken bits.
Your engine, your call, nobody else is going to take the precautions for you or do the remedial work if it turns out more precautions would have been a good idea.
I would then change the 20 year old oil.
Spin the motor on the starter. Check you get oil pressure. Any excess oil should blow out of the cylinders.
At this point you could check compression. It's possible rings will have stuck or something?
You could justify taking the rocker cover off, checking the valves all move and have the correct clearance.
Some people would take the head off.
It's up to you.
There will always be people who are keen to be more careful, and there will be others who say just put some clean petrol in it and turn the key.
So long as you don't lash so much oil into it that the pistons hydraulic lock while the plugs are in it will probably be OK.
It's not impossible that one or more bores will be rusty after this time. It's often hard to know the state of the engine when it was last used, 'rebuilds' range from blue printing with lots of new parts down to re-assembling after replacing the grossly broken bits.
Your engine, your call, nobody else is going to take the precautions for you or do the remedial work if it turns out more precautions would have been a good idea.
A "squirty" oil can will reach into the plug holes. Leave it to soak down the sides of the pistons. Turn the engine over by hand, maybe repeat the whole process. When you come to turn over on the key. leave the plugs out to avoid any hydraulic lock. Place a rag over the plug holes or else the engine bay, bonnet and likely you will get a free oil based rustproofing
OutInTheShed said:
You could take the spark plugs out. Put a little bit of oil in each bore. Turn the motor by hand and check you're happy, no odd noises etc.
I would then change the 20 year old oil.
Spin the motor on the starter. Check you get oil pressure. Any excess oil should blow out of the cylinders.
At this point you could check compression. It's possible rings will have stuck or something?
You could justify taking the rocker cover off, checking the valves all move and have the correct clearance.
.
If the engine was restored before being laid up, just do what outintheshed says.I would then change the 20 year old oil.
Spin the motor on the starter. Check you get oil pressure. Any excess oil should blow out of the cylinders.
At this point you could check compression. It's possible rings will have stuck or something?
You could justify taking the rocker cover off, checking the valves all move and have the correct clearance.
.
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