Spring startup

[Rosco]

Hello everyone - hope everyone is doing well.  Just looking forward to the spring when we can get back out there driving and I have a question - does anyone have any suggestions or helpful hints for re-starting my flathead six that will have been stored over the winter (about four months).  In the past, I have disconnected the coil wire, turned it over til I get oil pressure, poured some gas down the carb and it started.  I’m just wondering if I’m causing  damage by doing this and should I be squirting some oil into the cylinders before turning it over.  The engine has 43000 miles on it and is in good condition.  Thanks in advance.

[Sam Buchanan]

There will be about as many opinions on your inquiry as there are responses, but I don't see any need to over think this. What you are doing is fine and won't do any damage but is probably unnecessary. But if it makes you feel better about your stewardship of your car, so be it.

 

If my P15 sat for four months, I'd make sure the battery is freshly charged, pull the choke, and start the old guy up. These really are robust engines.  

Edited Tuesday at 07:12 PM by Sam Buchanan

[Young Ed]

Ya mine sits for 5ish months and I don't do anything beyond hooking the battery back up. By the time it pumps up a little fuel it's already made oil pressure 

[Veemoney]

As others stated, I just pull the battery when I park it and give it a good charging before putting it back in come spring.  

[FarmerJon]

If you wanted to be extra diligent, you could pull the spark plugs and put a couple drops of oil in each cylinder before spinning it over. That will give the rings and upper cylinders a little lube. 

It will smoke a little for the first couple miles, and you may want to spin it over before you put in the plugs back so that they dont foul. 

Edited Wednesday at 04:31 AM by FarmerJon

[Ivan_B]

You are supposed to use fogging oil before storage, not afterwards 😅

Other than that, just crank it cold to get some oil circulated, as you've been doing, and that's it. Also, the fuel pump should fill the carb while you are cranking for oil, so I would suspect that no additional gas into the intake is necessary

[Dan Hiebert]

Our D24 sits for at least 6 months here for the winter.  I do the same as all the responses so far.  In addition, just before I park the car for the winter, I add fuel stabilizer and make sure it has run throughout the system.  And already knowing I'll have to crank it a bit before it starts, I'll do that until I see oil pressure.  If it hasn't started by the time the oil pressure shows up, I'll put some gas down the carb that has some Marvel Mystery Oil added.  I don't just pour it in with abandon, though, I kind of tease the engine until the fuel pump catches up and it starts on its own.  My thought is that putting too much "raw" gas down the carb cleans too much oil from the cylinders.  That could probably be debunked, but that's just how I've always done it.

[FarmerJon]

5 hours ago, Ivan_B said:

You are supposed to use fogging oil before storage, not afterwards 😅

Other than that, just crank it cold to get some oil circulated, as you've been doing, and that's it. Also, the fuel pump should fill the carb while you are cranking for oil, so I would suspect that no additional gas into the intake is necessary

Sure, but he didn't mention doing that when putting it to bed, and I am of the mindset that it is better late than never.

The oil that spashes up on cylinder walls is mostly scraped off by the rings, so the remaining film is (relatively) quick to evaporate off. The only downside is that it can be a little messy, smokey and, in theory, an etra cost ( but who here doesnt have an odd quart or two of sacrificial oil, you know, that 0w20 you have nothing to run in?)

[Ivan_B]

6 hours ago, Dan Hiebert said:

. . .I add fuel stabilizer and make sure it has run throughout the system.  . . . . I don't just pour it in with abandon, though, I kind of tease the engine until the fuel pump catches up and it starts on its own. . .

That's a good point. Last time I needed to store the car, I just filled it with the ethanol free gas, since it is supposed to last longer (I think). Also, I've recently seen some really advanced youtube engine people using an old Windex bottle to mist the gas right into the engine, just as the carb itself would do. Can't do any better than that . . . Well, unless you feed it some propane from a hose 😅

 

1 hour ago, FarmerJon said:

you know, that 0w20 you have nothing to run in?

Go for it! 😉