Rebuilt Engine, Ran Fine, Then Parked For 30+ Years

[Dan Kalinski]

What images and stories come to mind after hearing/reading this comment? Stored in a warehouse then garage. Believe there was no no climate control in WH, and certainly none in garage. Thanks.

[Ron LaDow]

I know I'm curious about the number of cars that were running just fine and then stored for many years. Very curious.

[Jon Schmid]

I know I'm curious about the number of cars that were running just fine and then stored for many years. Very curious.

Ran fine until that right angle connecting rod deal happened.

[Dan Kalinski]

Ya know, a little Marvel Mystery Oil down each cylinder and certainly it will be good to go! All kidding aside, can a motor sitting this long be brought back to life without serious intervention? Thanks!

[Ron LaDow]

That engine appears to be a bitsa; early fan shroud with angled coil mount and then 40mm Webers. If that's the '55 Speedster, it shouldn't have the carb heater holes in the rear tin.
I'd be real nervous; those Webers aren't going to work well until north of the RPM that the early rods tolerate for long (presuming that's what's in there).
On top of that, I don't know any lube that will remain in place (and be a "lubricant") for 30 years, so the first X revolutions are going to be metal-on-metal until (or "if") the oil pressure builds.
Back when 'they were cheap' and I was poor, I might have. No longer. Especially if it is claimed to be a matching number.

[Dan Kalinski]

Not numbers correct, but 3rd piece shows to be period correct with an engine number of 34399. When another well versed fellow looked at the engine pictures, his reaction was the same as yours, Ron. Did not catch the part about the heater holes however.

Engine would not turn by hand and it was a pretty casual attempt. Sitting that long, surly the cylinders have developed a rust on the surface. Perhaps a can of worms, but potentially, something worthy and coveted. Will be an interesting adventure as the history is revealed on the car.

Thanks for your post.

[Adam Cultraro]

I love the word "rebuilt" when it applies to engines. Basically everyone has a different definition of what that means. On the one hand, you have the guy who hosed the big chunks of grease off and put new valve cover gaskets. On the other, you have the guy that balanced and rebushed the rods, checked the case halves for flatness, balanced and polished the crank, put new pistons and rings in, and about 20 other things.

And you have everything in between. No documentation = don't trust that it was rebuilt.

[Dan Kalinski]

I love the word "rebuilt" when it applies to engines. Basically everyone has a different definition of what that means. On the one hand, you have the guy who hosed the big chunks of grease off and put new valve cover gaskets. On the other, you have the guy that balanced and rebushed the rods, checked the case halves for flatness, balanced and polished the crank, put new pistons and rings in, and about 20 other things.

And you have everything in between. No documentation = don't trust that it was rebuilt.

All so true.

And, in writing: "as is, where is, no warranties expressed or implied....."

[Edwin Ek]

Treat as if a complete rebuild is necessary. Anything less than that will be a bonus.

[Bob Kittel]

I know I'm curious about the number of cars that were running just fine and then stored for many years. Very curious.

Was a driver then stored 25 years and now runs fine after going through the fuel system from tank to carbs. 64SC.

[Ron LaDow]

Was a driver then stored 25 years and now runs fine after going through the fuel system from tank to carbs. 64SC.

And I can add a '64 C that I sold; solid 25Kmiles engine, ran like a top!
So that's two of the several thousand claimed. Repeat: "I know I'm curious about the number of cars that were running just fine and then stored for many years. Very curious."

[John Brooks]

Dan

I had a super that sat in a garage for over ten years. When I got back in the States. I changed the oil, turned it through a few times with the generator wrench and filled the float bowels with gas via the vent tube in the zeniths to wet the gaskets. I put in a battery and started to charge it. A couple hours later I was getting ready to pull the plugs, when like an idiot I reached in and hit the key to see if the starter would turn over.

It fired after 3/4 of a revolution, scared the crap out of me. Ran for 10 seconds oil pressure light went out before I could turn off the key. I pulled the plugs, cranked it again to check the oil pressure, spun it for 15-20 seconds all was good. Put in the plugs it fired right up again in less that a full turn, ran for 30-45 seconds and quit.

Went to check the accelerator pump volume, no gas. So I filled the float bowels again through the vent with a hypodermic syringe. Pumped the throttle a few times got squirts, measured the accelerator pump volumes. Cranked it again fired right up ran for 45 seconds and quit.

After checking the fuel pump and tank, lines etc found a blob of jelly about the size of my thumb in the fuel cock filter bowel blocking the line. Cleaned and rebuilt the fuel shutoff and it was good to go.

The engine wanted to run. When I parked it, before going to vietnam, I ran the engine about 3500 RPM and poured 30w oil down each carb, it smoked some but ran ok. I turned off the fuel valve, put the keys over the visor and disconnected the battery, and walked away.

Ran Litz had told me about the oil down the carbs, when I was storing a 547 engine years earlier. It worked. I drove the super from 78- 2001 with no problems.

On yours the mistery oil in the plug holes and a spray into the rocker arms. Spin it with new oil and no plugs. You will be Ok.

I just helped start an 59 AH bug eye sprite for a friend that had been garaged for 15 years last month. On the first crank compression on #1 was 50 pounds, then #2 80 #3 120 #4 135, rechecked #1 135. Every thing looked good and it fired on the 5-6 revolution. He moved here from NY and never got around to the sprite. Lucky for me it had Ammaco white lead free high test gas it it when he shipped it.

But a static check of the timing, crank wth no plugs to pressurize the oil and wet the fuel system. It fired right Up and runs fine. A month and an oil change and 200 miles later it fires right up and drives fine.

Yours will too. If you need help I can scoot across the ferry. Oh by the way the clutch disc will be stuck to the fly wheel, that's easy also. After it's running well, point it out of the garage and start it in 1st gear with the clutch pedal in, keep it in as you drive off until the clutch brakes free.

John

[Steven Clarke]

Dan:
Since you asked, here is my story.
I bought my '65 C coupe from a buddy I have know for years. I had personally driven the car years ago before he parked it and knew it ran well. After sitting for 17-18 years unused it was now mine.
The engine turned freely, so I rebuilt the Zeniths, replaced the battery, and gave it a complete tuneup. I installed a direct reading oil pressure gauge and cranked the engine until I had oil pressure. Then I fired it up. It ran, sounded good, and the oil pressure light was out. Looking at the oil pressure gauge it said zero! So I ran up front and turned off the ignition. Went back to the engine and saw that the oil pressure gauge was slowly returning to zero from the high side. I realized that the oil pressure was so high that it had pegged the needle on the high side of the zero pin. So I installed a 0-200 psi gauge, fired the engine back up and was looking at 140psi at idle.
So I removed the pressure relief piston in the left case half. It wasn't easy to get out, and seemed to have a little surface rust when I looked at it. Polished it up, reinstalled it, and my oil pressure was back to normal (40-50psi). However after running the engine for just a little longer I realized I now had a massive oil leak from my newly blown oil cooler. Apparently 140psi exceeds the manufacture's specifications!
Not to worry, I had another cooler in stock. I pulled the engine, and a couple of days later it was in and the car was running great. With 30-40 miles on the car I drove it to another friends house to show it off. On the way home the car made a loud bang and I was running on three cylinders. I limped home with my fingers crossed. The next day I pulled the valve covers and the #2 intake valve spring had broken. Looking at all the springs I could see surface rust on all of them.
So I pulled the engine (again) and had a valve job done and replaced all the springs. The #2 piston looked fine, so the heads went back on, reinstalled the engine, and it has been running fine since. That was about 8 years ago.
So what did I learn? Probably not much, but I am a firm believer in having a direct reading oil pressure gauge installed the first time you start an unknown engine. Also, that highly stressed engine parts do not like stress risers (i.e. rusty valve springs). Also I am in south Florida, so humidity may have played a factor after years of sitting. However I like working on 356s, and can still pull an engine by myself in an hour, so feel that no real harm was done.
It is all great fun. Your results may vary.
Steve
#2311
'65 C coupe
'73 911

[M Penta]

Mine "ran well when parked" too, but sat for 25+ yrs and the engine is still stuck after filling it to the brim with oil, marvel in carbs, cyls etc. nearly 6 yrs ago. I can feel the bearing clearance when trying to turn it with wrench, but do not want to force it (did not try it with starter yet). I'm sure the rings are rusted to cyls, a project for a later date... too bad the kids of deceased owner did not at least turn the engine over occasionally and try keep the mice out, but then again it would have probably been out of my price range too.

There are obviously many other concerns with sitting not related to engine (brakes, electrical connections, TO bearing, etc), but perhaps the most serious is rusty transmission gears. I am facing this now with my 1966 Dodge that sat for similar amount of time. The top 1/2 of gears got rusty from sitting and wore quickly over the 13K miles I have driven it (only 43K total on it now). I finally found all new gears for it and will have it back together this week, but it is another thing to wonder about with the 356.

[Dan Kalinski]

Dan

I had a super that sat in a garage for over ten years. When I got back in the States. I changed the oil, turned it through a few times with the generator wrench and filled the float bowels with gas via the vent tube in the zeniths to wet the gaskets. I put in a battery and started to charge it. A couple hours later I was getting ready to pull the plugs, when like an idiot I reached in and hit the key to see if the starter would turn over.

It fired after 3/4 of a revolution, scared the crap out of me. Ran for 10 seconds oil pressure light went out before I could turn off the key. I pulled the plugs, cranked it again to check the oil pressure, spun it for 15-20 seconds all was good. Put in the plugs it fired right up again in less that a full turn, ran for 30-45 seconds and quit.

Went to check the accelerator pump volume, no gas. So I filled the float bowels again through the vent with a hypodermic syringe. Pumped the throttle a few times got squirts, measured the accelerator pump volumes. Cranked it again fired right up ran for 45 seconds and quit.

After checking the fuel pump and tank, lines etc found a blob of jelly about the size of my thumb in the fuel cock filter bowel blocking the line. Cleaned and rebuilt the fuel shutoff and it was good to go.

The engine wanted to run. When I parked it, before going to vietnam, I ran the engine about 3500 RPM and poured 30w oil down each carb, it smoked some but ran ok. I turned off the fuel valve, put the keys over the visor and disconnected the battery, and walked away.

Ran Litz had told me about the oil down the carbs, when I was storing a 547 engine years earlier. It worked. I drove the super from 78- 2001 with no problems.

On yours the mistery oil in the plug holes and a spray into the rocker arms. Spin it with new oil and no plugs. You will be Ok.

I just helped start an 59 AH bug eye sprite for a friend that had been garaged for 15 years last month. On the first crank compression on #1 was 50 pounds, then #2 80 #3 120 #4 135, rechecked #1 135. Every thing looked good and it fired on the 5-6 revolution. He moved here from NY and never got around to the sprite. Lucky for me it had Ammaco white lead free high test gas it it when he shipped it.

But a static check of the timing, crank wth no plugs to pressurize the oil and wet the fuel system. It fired right Up and runs fine. A month and an oil change and 200 miles later it fires right up and drives fine.

Yours will too. If you need help I can scoot across the ferry. Oh by the way the clutch disc will be stuck to the fly wheel, that's easy also. After it's running well, point it out of the garage and start it in 1st gear with the clutch pedal in, keep it in as you drive off until the clutch brakes free.

John

John,

Thanks for your post. Gives me hope that the car can be brought back without doing "heart" surgery. Would love to have you come over to help and will be happy for the extra hands and the experience. Think this should be a pretty interesting project.

Dan.

PS: Thanks for your time in the military!