Starting a an engine which has been rebuilt and stored, but never run

Question:

I have a 1941 Studebaker Champion that I am going to restore over the next several years. Before I really dive in, I would like to get the engine running. It had been restored years ago, but never was run. I have asked a few people how I should go about preparing to start it. The most common answer was putting kerosene into the spark plugs, dropping the oil pan and spraying the inside with something like Liquid Wrench, spraying the distributor, and flushing the engine. I would appreciate some professional input, as I am not sure which way I should go.

Answer:

If the engine has oil in it, change 4*\ it and add fresh oil. Empty the gas tank of old fuel; clean it out by sloshing sharp gravel and a little water around in it to loosen any rust, and then blow it dry with compressed air. When the tank is completely dry and installed back in place, put in fresh fuel. Old fuel will damage and hang up the valves in a hurry, so get it all out of the system. Old gasoline also can cause varnish and deposits in the carburetor float bowl, so it can’t hurt to clean the carburetor as well.

Next, order a new head gasket and then take the head off and have a look. This is an easy task on that little Studebaker flathead. If the cylinder walls are still rust-free, put no more than a teaspoon of oil in each cylinder and coat the cylinder walls with oil. Then, with the head still off and the coil high-tension wire grounded, turn the engine over briefly until a little oil pressure shows at the gauge.

Put the head back on, torqueing it evenly in three stages to the specifications in your shop manual. Fill the cooling system with water and a little rust inhibitor and your engine is ready to start.

Be sure to re-torque the head after the engine has been started and warmed up thoroughly and then allowed to cool down.

However, if your cylinder walls turn out to be rusty or the engine is stuck—as sometimes happens with cars that have been sitting for years in a damp climate—you will need to take out the pistons, hone the cylinder walls to rid them of rust, then re-ring the pistons and put them back in.