I've been watching the thread about the lifters not pumping up and it really has me wondering if I'm planning on going too far too soon on the Plymouth 383 in the Dodge Panel I'm getting. It hasn't been ran in 15 years. My thoughts were to pull the intake and heads, and see what the cylinders look like prior to trying to turn it over. If it looks OK, put it back together and get 'er running. If not, either rebuild it right away, or drop in the 350/700R4 out of my old Chevy van until I can go thru the 383. How about some opinions on what you'd do? 1. Get it home and see if it'll crank over. 2. Pull the heads and see how the cylinders look. 3. Shoot some oil in the plug holes and crank it with the plugs out, then see if it'll fire. 4. Drop in the Chevy 350 and run it, forgetting the 383 completely (Not gonna happen, but had to throw it in there).
There might be, but it's not showing up in a search or from looking at the 136 posts in the tech archive.
When in doubt, take it apart and inspect the parts. If everything looks ok, put it back together and start it up.
Thanks, that's what I had in mind. I've been suprised at the responses telling the guy with the 327 to try different oils / additives. I do believe I'll go ahead with my original plan of pulling the heads for a visual and going from there.
well, no expert but this is what I do.first thing take out plugs put a socket that fits the crank bolt on my 24inch braker bar my favorite tool and see if it will turn alittle if it does I marvel oil all the cyls and turn er a couple times if it feels right then I disconect the fuel line dont want to send any god knows how old gas into my freely turnin motor hook up a battery and use the starter to spin it a bit and blow the marvel oil out if its turnin free I do a compression test it wont be exact just off the starter but if everythings close lbs wise.I clean the carb..new points.. plugs..wires and start that monster up it will smoke for awhile just burnin the **** that builds up but if it dont clear then there might be some ring problems but wtf.your gonna need those plugs and wires and **** anyway ...but if it clears out and starts hummin...well then that sure beat tearin a good motor down
Exactly what Mopar Steve says. Also make a driver to put in the dizzy drive to pump oil to the top end first. Warn the nieghbors to close their windows and doors to preserve the domestic tranquility. If they have a pie cooling on the window sill it will taste like a junk yard smells. It WILL smoke.
Shoot, if it's going to turn, you aught to be able to do it by hand with the plugs all in it, especially if it has a plain fan on it. That's how I checked the motor in the Willys Aero I bought. If I had a 6V battery handy I would have robbed a coil off something and tried to start it by now.
Thanks for all the replies and the link. I've got that saved and will read it in depth. Still haven't figured out how I missed it in the archives.
You guys got it all right when dealing with the cylinders,however you forgot where and engine can "lock itself up" The bearings can sorta weld themselves to the crankshaft. Yea just from sittin...Heres what I have done. I fill the engine up with drain oil from my other cars..yea drain oil,the **** ya usually recycle or burn. I fill the block up till I know the crank and cam are submerged in the oil. Usually when the oil runs out the dipstick tube top ya got it just right. Let the ****** sit for a few weeks. Then grab evry drain pan you can find and let it all out. Then and only then attemp to bar the engine over. Yea do the usual cylinder treatment along with this and if it does not turn over ya can bet the rings are rusted tight to the walls, or the cylinders are solid rust. One other thing,when you do go to fire the engine fill the carb up with gas used to run 2 cycle weedeaters and such as it has oil in it and the first fuel the engine sees has lubricating qualities to it. The prepare for the SMOKE!
1. The motor isn't out of the vehicle, if I pull it, I'm going thru it. Not easy to turn upside down without screwing up the body. 2. See #1. 3. A given. 4. See #3. 5. Good advice. 6. Approximately 2,000 miles on it after a rebuild, not likely to be worn out.
You got that truck from the same guy that tried to sell me a truck, about 50 times in my life. "just overhauled"! Seriously now, if you know this to be true, you're a damned fool not to pull the pan and clean it out before you turn it over, so the pump gets fresh clean oil..........
For a motor that's been sitting for years, i'd pay very close attention to the valve train.... even more so if it has hydraulic lifters. First of all, i'd at minimum pull the rocker ***emblies and confirm with either your hand (if valve springs are weak,) or a rubber mallet that valves are not seized into position. Once of the worse things is getting a motor going, having stuck valves and then bending / breaking push rods, or damaging lifters and/or camshaft. While rockers are off, clean then. Also make sure all the pushrods are straight. When you re-***emble, make sure everything goes back in the same spot. If the motor sat with non detergent type oil and you can see a big build up of the gray sludge and has hydraulic lifters-- i'd change the lifters while I have the valve train off. Sticky lifters are common in this scenario. Giving the valve train a little love before you start a long sitting motor is a must in my book. -scott noteboom
Buyin' it from a friend, I trust him completely. Pulling the oil pan sounds like a good idea. I'll have to see if it can be done with the engine in the truck.
Not a bad idea at all. I think I'll go thru all of these posts, as well as the linked tech tips and put all of the info in one place.
lots of great info.but..notice I was the only one with a two foot breaker bar hey good luck with it man!!
Who needs a 2' breaker bar when you work in a shop full of pipe? I have access to pipe big enough to break anything.
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