Advice on Using a rebuilt Engine From 10 years ago?

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I am trying to clean up my house so that it looks a bit less Sanford and Son, and have decided that a car must go. That car is a 1979 AMC Spirit GT with a AMC 360 swap in it. Unfortunately, the engine has almost no oil pressure and makes all kinds of wonderful noises! Fortunately, I have another AMC 360 from a 1973 Javelin AMX project that did not go too well. It was rebuilt back in 1998, put on a stand, openings taped up with duct tape, and never run. I want to use it in the Spirit, but am afraid to use it because it has sat for so long. Of course, I would do the normal oil pump priming, etc. but what else should I do before starting it to give it a chance at life? It has a new cam in it too, so I have to wonder if the assembly lube has not all dripped off it by now.

Anyhow, I plan to sell it for $3500 obo when it runs and drives. It has new Hooker Super Comp headers, Edelbrock Performer intake, Comp 268h cam, Edelbrock 600 carb, 3.54 gears, 2.5 in duals with Flowmasters, Autometer Monster Tach, new Carter mechanical fuel pump, Milodon water pump, Spirit AMX suspension, etc., if anyone wants one of these things.

 

[pontiacgp]

the best plan would be taking it apart to inspect it but since it doesn't look like that's an option I'd put some good penetrating oil in the cylinders to try to free up any frozen rings and I'd let the oil sit there a few days before touching the engine. Then I'd take off the valve covers so you can pour oil over the all the exposed valve components and down the pushrods to lube the lifters and cam. Fill the engine with very light oil and turn the pump with a drill to build up pressure and lube the engine. The light oil will help to get into the small crevasses and if any rust has built up the light oil may be able to lube the smaller than normal openings. I'd put some oil in each cylinder and then I'd turn the engine by hand. If the engine seems to turn over normally I'd give it a try without the plugs at first. If the oil pressure come up then I'd dump the light weight oil and put some good oil to break in an engine, drop in the plugs and start it up...

good luck

 

[83LSWagon]

Is it out of the car? Pull the heads off, and see if theres rust in there. Chances are it's fine though.

 

[Blake442]

X2 what pontiacgp said...

 

[shotgun]

Very similar to above but I like using Liquid Wrench in the cylinders.

Spray in the spark plug hole, reinstall the plug, let stand for a day, turn engine 360.

Repeat above , everyday for a week, turning it more then 360 so you don't stop at the same spot each time.

The Liquid Wrench lubes but better then that it dissolves the light rust.

The reason I want the plugs in is so compression forces the LR into the ring pack.

If you put good oil like Brad Penn break in oil you don't need to worry as much about the cam lube, just prime the hell out of it.

 

[dan2286]

Would the gaskets be dried out by now?

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Well, the engine does turn freely, and I would of course prime everything beforehand, and lube the rockers too. I don't want to take it all apart though, as that would take too much time. I basically have 3 weeks to paint one car, change an engine in another and rebuild a porch roof before school starts again and I have no time. Ideally, I would also paint my house and replace the bad screens around my pool too.

 

[pontiacgp]

I basically have 3 weeks to paint one car, change an engine in another and rebuild a porch roof before school starts again and I have no time. Ideally, I would also paint my house and replace the bad screens around my pool too.

sounds like a reality show in the making.... :lol:

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Well, I am going to try to farm out the paint work to a local shop, and pay them to spray my paint. That will be one less item I need to fix. I am starting the roof this week, and am doing the carpentry and roofing materials part for the main house now, and the aluminum roof for the porch within a few days. The engine swap will not run the first day, but the big parts of installing an engine and transmission will be done. The plan is to get the Cutlass painted so I can assemble it when I have free time during the school year, and to get the AMC running by spring when I plan to sell it. I just need the big, messy parts of the projects done now so that I can pick at the smaller parts later.

 

[midwestls]

Sounds like you've got your hands full. Damn, and I thought I had stuff to do 😳 Good luck buddy keep us posted.