Out of retirement advice?

[Weldguy]

I am ready to bring my '70 Challenger R/T 440 out of an 18 year retirement. It's been stored in my attached garage. I had no intention of storing it for years, so I didn't oil the cylinders. My question is, should I squirt some oil (Marvel Mystery, Kroil, similar) through the spark plug holes, or would I be better off pulling the heads, oiling the cylinders and repllacing the valve springs and seals? I don't want to rotate it at all for fear of breaking a ring. The engine had about 3200 miles on a complete rebuild before storage.

 

[Xcudame]

Well, removing spark plugs and squirting a little oil in there is pretty easy. Better yet with the spark plugs out, pick up an inexpensive bore scope on Amazon that you can Bluetooth into your smart phone. Then use the spark plug holes to check out each cylinder. Who knows, you might have got lucky and everything is OK. The great thing is, with the factory rocker arms, they're probably still holding so oil!

 

[Ricks72Chlgr440]

I am ready to bring my '70 Challenger R/T 440 out of an 18 year retirement. It's been stored in my attached garage. I had no intention of storing it for years, so I didn't oil the cylinders. My question is, should I squirt some oil (Marvel Mystery, Kroil, similar) through the spark plug holes, or would I be better off pulling the heads, oiling the cylinders and repllacing the valve springs and seals? I don't want to rotate it at all for fear of breaking a ring. The engine had about 3200 miles on a complete rebuild before storage.

Just squirt some oil into each spark plug hole and slowly turn the engine with a bar & socket on the crank bolt. I assume you've changed the oil & filter. After a few rotations with the bar, assuming it turns well, pull a valve cover then pull the distributor and prime the engine until you have oil coming to the rockers. If all goes well, put the distributor back in, valve cover & spark plugs back in. The fuel tank is likely suspect so you may not want to use it. Get a gas can full of fuel and put a hose from it to the inlet to your fuel pump. Squirt some fuel into your carb and see if she will fire. Carb may leak due to dry gaskets/seals. May need to pull the tank and check it out for rust/gunk. I've taken mine to a radiator shop to have them boil it out. If it is bad, better to replace it.

 

[Xcudame]

One additional thing, to prime the oil system, you'll need to remove the intermediate shaft that drives both the oil pump and distributor off the camshaft. Usually a BIG flat bladed screw driver will work. If the intermediate shaft is tight, a crescent wrench can be used on the square shaft of the screw driver.

 

[Ricks72Chlgr440]

One additional thing, to prime the oil system, you'll need to remove the intermediate shaft that drives both the oil pump and distributor off the camshaft. Usually a BIG flat bladed screw driver will work. If the intermediate shaft is tight, a crescent wrench can be used on the square shaft of the screw driver.

Yep, forgot that & will need a primer shaft to go down into the oil pump!!!

 

[413]

I like to remove a valve cover and pour oil on the camshaft. Get every lobe wet before turning the engine.
That cam and lifter is the biggest failure area.

Pre oil the oil pump with a drill is mandatory.

Is you garage heated or dry? Or is it humid there like the northeast? Look in with a scope and see if it's rusty.

Yes you can spray the cylinders, but any piston that is going down it will be on a dry cylinder. So what's the point of it?

 

[Weldguy]

I like to remove a valve cover and pour oil on the camshaft. Get every lobe wet before turning the engine.
That cam and lifter is the biggest failure area.

Pre oil the oil pump with a drill is mandatory.

Is you garage heated or dry? Or is it humid there like the northeast? Look in with a scope and see if it's rusty.

Yes you can spray the cylinders, but any piston that is going down it will be on a dry cylinder. So what's the point of it?

I plan on oiling up the cylinders with something thin and letting it sit for a week or so while ripping out the interior. That should let some oil down through the ring gaps.

 

[Weldguy]

Yes to the suggestion of preoiling with a drill. I made a shaft the first time I rebuilt the engine.

 

[mrmopar340]

Small engine fogging spray the cylinders. Fill the fuel bowls and check the accel pump diagram. It will probably be dry rotted. Prime like the others said and use starting spray to get it going quickly. After you fog and oil try to lightly rock the motor back and forth gently. Like others have said bore scope will give you a look inside.

 

[Challenger RTA]

A picture is worth a thousand words. A video explains it all. ​

 

[413]

Fogging oil is for use while the engine is running. I wouldn't use it on a non runner.

 

[Weldguy]

Fogging oil is for use while the engine is running. I wouldn't use it on a non runner.

Are you confusing fogging oil with SeaFoam?