Engine Start-up Questions

[scrapman]

I know this has been covered somewhere but I could not find it. I am hoping to start up the engine on my GT that has been in storage for over a year. Knowing oil has dropped to the pan, is there something I need to do before start up to reduce the potential friction and anything else that may occur?

Rick

[guyopel]

Pull the sparkplugs and crank the eng. over to build up oil pressure , file the points in the dist. and adjust them.
Fresh gasoline and new fuel filter . When you crank the eng. over do it in several periods (you want to let the starter to cool off app. 5 min. between cranking to build up oil pressure ) when you hav eoil pressure then reinstall sparkplugs . Hold the RPMs above idle 1100 rpms to app. 1300rpms . till eng. warms up .Add new oil and filter before you start , I am sure you have done this . HTH
John

[jordan]

After the spark plugs are out try putting a few drops of light motor oil in each cylinder before cranking.

[jvandyke]

Originally Posted by guyopel Pull the sparkplugs and crank the eng. over to build up oil pressure , file the points in the dist. and adjust them. Fresh gasoline and new fuel filter . When you crank the eng. over do it in several periods (you want to let the starter to cool off app. 5 min. between cranking to build up oil pressure ) when you hav eoil pressure then reinstall sparkplugs . Hold the RPMs above idle 1100 rpms to app. 1300rpms . till eng. warms up .Add new oil and filter before you start , I am sure you have done this . HTH John

So is it generally a good idea to "rev" up a tad on start up (of a regularly run motor) to build oil pressure and desperse oil? I notice when I start mine it doesn't build oil pressure for a few seconds after start up. This is the danger zone I'm assuming. Would a bit of a rev be a good idea or is revving a cold motor to say, 2,000rpm just as dangerous and the 2-3 seconds of 0 pressure?
Or, since this motor runs alot, is there enough oil hanging around up there that it doesn't matter?

[namba209]

If you listen real close to all the oil commercials, they'll tell you the most critical time on an engine is during startup, that's just before the oil pump gets the oil flowing through the engine. IMHO, What I want to do is have the engine get oil moving first at the lowest rpm the engine will run right after starting. Here's my drill. Start the engine, put on seat belts, adjust the radio, put on driving glasses, then drive. By that time the oil pressure lite has been out for about 5-10 seconds or the gage needle is up where it's suppoed to be. On the monza, the choke is on the fast idle cam, and on Willit? the computer monitors the temps and adjusts the throttle accordingly. It reaslly bothers me to hear somone really rev up the engine before the oil can get flowing. JMTCW.

[Paul]

Rick,

Getting oil to the upper end is always a good idea. You can do it several ways. Cranking the engine over with no load is a good way to get it done or you can little oil over each rocker arm and lifter if you don't mind pulling the valve cover.

If you plan to chainge the oil and filter, don't forget to fill the filter with oil first.

Some fresh gas in the tank wouldn't hurt either.

[GTJIM]

Cranking over a dry engine which has been sitting for an extended period can be a bit hard on the bearings and piston skirts. At least the oil pump nees to be filed with oil or very light petroleum grease ('Vasaline'). I believe it is best to remove the distributor and manually turn the oil pump with a hand drill and suitable flat blade (without the motor being turned over on the starter!) till oil comes out the rockers.

This was recently discussed here: http://www.opelgt.com/forums/introdu...l-miles-3.html
... and we all nearly got into trouble!

[scrapman]

Thanks guys. Good advice. I appreciate the help. The car ran great up till about a year ago. Engine started jerking to the right big time. As soon as it happened. I towed it to my storage thinking that I would soon be able to work on it. Well, as usual life got in the way and I couldn't get back to it until this spring so it sat longer than planned. Turns out that the left side motor mount for sure is broken. Not sure on the right. Going to be replacing both and hope to get the car back on the road real soon.

Rick.