I have a 383 stroker engine in a 1985 camaro iroc/z.The engine has been sitting for about 4-5 years and has never been started.I installed the engine in the car in the summer but I did not get a chance to start it and I am getting ready to start it up now.What should I do before starting it up for the first time...thank you, scott overmann

 

Prime the oil system if you can.

 

What kind of assembly lube did you use?

 

lets hope you used moly lube and deff. prime the oil system. Is there any fuel in the tank or lines????

 

yes i used moly lube and i just put some new gas in a few weeks ago with stabil fuel additive

 

Nothing you can do before you turn it over will make up for not being assembled and/or stored properly.

So, make sure it has fresh oil and gas, set the timing as close as you can, fire it up. If you want to get **** about it, after putting in oil and before giving it spark or gas, leave the spark plugs out and turn it over until you get oil pressure. Then put the spark plugs in, give it spark and gas, go for it.

 

Priming the oil system is a good ideea. I would spind the engine by hand one turn and repeat the priming process. I would repeat this a couple of times to make sure all bearings ahve a good coat of oil. Inspect the plugs make sure they are clean. If at all possible, sta-bil or not, drain the tank and get some fresh gas. Fresh gas is always better than stored gas. Wouldnt want to ruin a good engine for and hour's worth of work and maybe 20 - 30 bucks.

 

Priming the oil system is over-rated. The factory never did it. Assembly lube is a better first-turn lube than oil.

 

But, after 5 years, is the assembly lube the original poster used still going to to its job?

 

I say, better safe than sorry, I would prime it, it won't hurt it.

 

If you never started it, lube should still be where it was left ! unless it got really really hot to make the lube watery.

 

with a limited amount of work, here is what i would say needs to be done, make sure it has fresh oil and gas, make sure there are no visual signs of rodent deteroration that could make a big accident, i would even pull the plugs for inspection, and maybe spin the engine over by hand just for peace of mind, as well as try and have the base timing set close, you could even put in about 3 gallons of cheap oil and let the car sit for an hour, just to help coat the lower crank bearings after 5 years, be sure to drain the oil to spec before start up.