Starting a 350 that's been sitting

[usar17]

If you guys haven't noticed yet, I rely on you guys for most of my questions since im not a mechanic.

some of you know I got my hands on a 1987 C20 for parts. Owner says the motor is a GM rebuild with around 1000 miles on it. Unfortunately this truck has been sitting out back of his shop in the grass now for I believe maybe a year. Engine Compartment is only missing the battery and Radiator. Radiator hoses are still there with open ends.

He claims it will fire right up and that it rain great. I'm only concerned with what may have happened while this sat....

Your thoughts? Friend at work said to pull the heads and see what the cylinder walls and water passages look like. Then rebuild with new gaskets. Another friend said spray a little oil in the spark plug holes and give it a try with fresh gas.

 

[89Suburban]

If it's only been a year I don't think there is much to worry about. Maybe pull the plugs spray some oil or wd-40 in it and turn it over SLOWY by hand to get things coated before starting it up. And even after that just crank it with no spark and get some oil to pump up into the valve train, then see if she fires up. I don't see having to pull the heads unless the hood was off the truck and the motor was exposed to the elements.

And if it's a GM crate with that low miles on it I would expect it to look like as stated, even after sitting a year you should to easily tell if it is that fresh looking install or not.

 

[usar17]

There are weeds and vines growing up into the engine compartment and cab. My main worry was that the radiator hoses were open and god knows what got in there and wat the passages may look like. Ill try and confirm the down time since last ran.

 

[89Suburban]

There are weeds and vines growing up into the engine compartment and cab. My main worry was that the radiator hoses were open and god knows what got in there and wat the passages may look like. Ill try and confirm the down time since last ran.

Oh, that puts a little different light on the subject, lol!

That's a shame if the motor is like the guy said and it wound up "in the bush" like that.

 

[usar17]

thats why i'm tempted to pull the heads to look at the coolant passages for rust and critters. I really hope this engine didn't get ruined.

 

[89Suburban]

thats why i'm tempted to pull the heads to look at the coolant passages for rust and critters. I really hope this engine didn't get ruined.

I guess it won't hurt to ease your mind of you got the time to do it, just a shame to have to do that with a 1K motor. Better safe then sorry I suppose. So it had no coolant at all in it? What's the oil look like?

 

[79K10]

battery, oil change, radiator installed/filled, new gas, unplug the coil, crank it over a few times, plug the coil back in and fire it up. ive pulled trucks out of fields that have sat for years, checked the oil level, put a battery in it and fired it up

 

[Jims86]

battery, oil change, radiator installed/filled, new gas, unplug the coil, crank it over a few times, plug the coil back in and fire it up. ive pulled trucks out of fields that have sat for years, checked the oil level, put a battery in it and fired it up

Take the thermostat out, re install the housing and the upper hose..run the garden hose through it full blast, then put a new thermostat in, and a radiator.

 

[Driver4r]

When i whent to get my truck, it had sat for four years. we dumped about 3 gallons of new gas in the tank. then a lil in the carb to prime it. Rolled over about 3-4 times then took off. Of course my engine is not a stock gm motor. My dad built this engine many years back(definety doesnt run like a stocker). But i didnt see/or havnt found anything wrong with mine yet. Just pull the hoses off at the block and glance inside. If it looks mostly clean ide say its fine, if its not clean, then ide say flush the system for awile.

Edit: Also as stated above, check oil, install radiator/battery

 

[austinado16]

If it's only been a year I don't think there is much to worry about. Maybe pull the plugs spray some oil or wd-40 in it and turn it over SLOWY by hand to get things coated before starting it up. And even after that just crank it with no spark and get some oil to pump up into the valve train, then see if she fires up. I don't see having to pull the heads unless the hood was off the truck and the motor was exposed to the elements.

And if it's a GM crate with that low miles on it I would expect it to look like as stated, even after sitting a year you should to easily tell if it is that fresh looking install or not.

+1. I do the exact same thing.....pull plugs, a little oil down the bores, crank it over by hand, then crank on the starter with plugs removed until it makes oil pressure. Then put the plugs in and fire it up.

 

[HotRodPC]

I doubt you have to worry about much. Just do the suggested that's been said and go for it. I damn sure wouldn't go thru the headache of pulling the heads. What's the worst that could have happened? Mud Dobbers got in and made some mud nests, but I'd say they didn't make it as far as the cylinders for sure. You know there is still antifreeze in the block so they wouldn't go that far. I've seen a mice nest in air cleaners before. Mouse and rat **** will squish and burn with no harm to the cylinders, so let it rip. Exhaust might stink like mouse **** for a bit but it'll burn off. No worries !!!

 

[Driver4r]

Exhaust might stink like mouse **** for a bit but it'll burn off. No worries !!!

Well said

 

[HotRodPC]

Well said

Thought so, what other way is there to say it?

 

[89Suburban]

Thought so, what other way is there to say it?