Dick is absolutely correct.
The reason that your oil looks so clean is that all of the dirt has settled
into the pan. Water wouldn't be clear, but rather show up as a milky residue,
or simply as rust on the dip stick. Frankly, given that your car wasn't
properly stored, it is surprising that the engine will move. Often with that
much neglect the motor becomes siezed.
You will be able to tell a lot about the condition of it when you drop the pan.
If the engine is stuck, and the interior of the engine is really rusty looking,
you will need to pull it out and have it rebuilt. If it is stuck but looks dark
and oily, you may have a chance at getting it free, although it will probably
smoke. Sitting idle for a really long time usually results in damage to the
cylinder walls. This may or may not result in excessive oil consumption.
I once bought a '55 Imperial with a stuck engine that had 44,000 actual miles
on it. The car had not been run in 34 years. Not only had the car been
improperly stored, but the small amount of total miles that it had was all "in
town" driving. This kind of driving leads to excessive condensation in big V-8s
designed prior to Positive Crankcase Ventilation systems. I also suspect that
during the end of its useful life that the choke was stuck causing it to run
very rich, thus adding more destruction from foul crankcase vapors. When I
dropped the pan, I found a hopeless mess.
I don't wish to discourage you, but low miles isn't always a good thing.
Paul
In a message dated 4/7/2004 11:39:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time, "Dick Benjamin"
<dickb@xxxxxxxxx> writes:
>Patrick;
>
>If the engine has not been run for 27 years, I assure you that the oil pan
>has at least 1/2 inch of grit and mud accumulated on the bottom. If you
>crank the engine, you will begin to circulate all that through the oil
>system. I urge you to drop the pan and clean it out before you even try to
>start the engine. Failing to do that will no doubt quickly lead to bearing
>and hydraulic lifter failure as the grit does it's thing.
>
>You mention putting penetrating oil in the cylinders - this can do no harm,
>but do not try to crank the engine with any fluid in the cylinders unless
>you leave the spark plugs out. Hydrostatic force can do major damage to the
>engine and surroundings if you crank it with fluid in the cylinders.
>
>Dick Benjamin (an old geezer with some experience starting long neglected
>engines)
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <PNKMoore@xxxxxxx>
>To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2004 8:01 AM
>Subject: Re: IML: Welcome Patrick Moore, '58 hrdtp
>
>
>> Hugh:
>>
>> Thank you so much for your note and kind welcome into the Club.
>>
>> My valve covers say "Imperial," so I have another reason to be psyched
>about
>> this car today!. Thanks for that tip in identifying the 392 hemi. I
>mentioned
>> that the car arrived on Monday, and the last two mornings before work I've
>> stood outside it a few minutes and just looked at it, walking around, to
>muse
>> about what has to happen next, etc. It's been very enjoyable. I'm in it
>for
>> under $1000 at this point, and for all of the fun I've had it's been
>entirely
>> worth it.
>>
>> You talked about leather seats and/or vinyl in identifying the model.
>From
>> my reading, I see where only the Crowns came with leather as a seating
>option.
>> Mine is not a Crown, which I knew, though I was surprised to see that the
>> "Imperial" on the dashboard was capped with a little gold crown even
>though the
>> exterial trim was not. My car has vinyl seats which are filthy, but the
>back
>> seat is otherwise pristine and the front has bad wear only on the driver's
>side.
>> I may be able to save most of the upholstry as a result. The rest of the
>> interior is in ghastly condition, right down to needing new floor pans all
>> around. (I pressed on the accelerator and it dropped into the floor!) The
>dash
>> items, nonetheless, look intact and functional. My worst interior
>trouble, I can
>> see, will be the doors. One of the pot-metal door handles is broken, and
>only
>> the driver's door is opening at this point. I haven't figured out how to
>> operate the locks yet.
>>
>> I still don't know how to tell if it's a Southampton or a base model,
>> particularly if you could get a Southampton with only front air. It has
>every other
>> option except, sadly, no Auto Pilot. I would have enjoyed having that and
>may
>> retro that in at some point in the future.
>>
>> My first order of business is this Friday (I have Good Friday off), when
>I'll
>> have the time to wash the 1/4 inch of grime off the body and pressure wash
>> the motor and trunk. Several generations of squirrels resided on the
>intake
>> manifold and in the trunk. From what I can see, however they did very
>little
>> damage to the engine. There was obviously a pecan tree nearby,
>because the
>> engine and trunk compartment are full of pecans. Then I'll pull the
>plugs,
>> pour some Marvel Mystery fluid into each chamber and shake the block and
>let is
>> sit a day or so. I'll also pull the valve covers and check for rust and
>lube
>> up the rockers, etc., as well. I don't know how much MMF to pour into the
>> chambers and I don't know if I'm supposed to try to suck it out before
>attempting
>> a start, etc. I'll wing it unless you have any knowledge that you'd care
>to
>> share about that.
>>
>> Oil: After searching awhile I found the dipstick and it came out with
>> clean-looking oil. Of course, I'm wondering if that means that the water
>is on the
>> bottom of the pan, and 27 idle years has allowed the goo that may have
>been
>> suspended in the oil to settle and leave the dipstick looking like the oil
>was
>> changed last week. Regardless, I'll drain the crankcase and see what I
>find.
>>
>> Water: The radiator is dry and looks like it may have been replaced
>because
>> is looks new. I'll pull it and see what's at the bottom of the tank
>before I
>> fill it.
>>
>> Gas tank: I'm ignoring that issue for the moment. I'll probably have to
>pull
>> it, of course, but I sure don't want to. I hate fooling with gas tanks,
>fuel
>> lines, and the like.
>>
>> Key: The key is at large, so I'll have to bypass the ingnition for the
>time
>> being, but after taking care of the stuff I've described above, I'm going
>to
>> try and introduce a little fuel into the carb to see if I can get the hemi
>to
>> fire. I'm hoping, at only 45,780 original miles, that I've got a strong
>motor.
>> Wish me luck!
>>
>> Thanks again Hugh. I'll keep you posted of my progress.
>>
>> Patrick Moore
>> '58 4-door Hardtop.
>> Southeast Louisiana
>>
>
>
>
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