That is a great story Hugh.
I'll add that determining if the engine is stuck or not is about as easy as
rolling up your sleeves. I think that would be about the first thing to find
out before proceeding with anything else.
Also, if you don't at least drop and clean out the oil pan, and clean the oil
screen before starting the car you are asking for trouble. I suppose that one
could say that "all that crud is there for a reason". As far as I know that
reason is neglect. It was never intended to sit there for 27 years.
There is truth to the fact that during the time when non-detergent oil was
common, engine sludge would accumulate in the oil pan. The oil pan is designed
to handle this, but it also is suppose to be cleaned out periodically. Once
cleaned out, there isn't any reason why detergent oil couldn't be used,
although I would change it very frequently especially during the first several
hundred miles.
I wouldn't put anything in the crankcase until the pan has been cleaned out. If
the sludge (that is probably there) becomes free, it could be pulled into the
oil passages and result in serious lubrication problems.
Paul
In a message dated 4/9/2004 1:46:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time, hugtrees@xxxxxxxx
writes:
> Patrick,
>
> I see no reason for the diesel oil. Be sure NOT to use oil with detergent in
>this engine. The advice I was given is counter to what you have heard. If
>there is crud in the crevices, just let it stay there. It accumulated there
>for a reason and beating yourself up to remove it is a fool's errand. When I
>restarted mine, the plugs were removed, we put in a wee bit of marvel into
>each cylinder and let it set a week. We filled the radiator, put in a fresh
>battery and cranked it over using the starter motor, without the plugs in. It
>turned over just lovely. We put in the plugs and it roared into life just
>lovely! Filled the room with smoke, though, and left an indelible mark on the
>wall behind it but it ran nice. We got, after I had to fix the water pump,
>ten years of great service from it until a water pipe from the radiator burst
>and I ended up cracking a head.
>
> In retrospect, we should have changed the oil and flushed the coolant
>channels first. But, you know, the engine is going to be dry as a bone at the
>top regardless of what you do, until the pump can get oil up there which will
>take a few more agonizing seconds than you'd like. We all have our own
>tolerance for risk. I didn't know I was going to become so heavily involved
>with my 58 at the time. To me it was just another piece of junk with a paint
>job at the time.
>
> I cannot say if your engine is stuck, and neither can you. There is no
>reason to assume it is stuck. The oil you have seen on the dip stick did not
>indicate the presence of water. I'd drain the oil and wash out the coolant
>pipes as best I could. Be sure to drain the oil pretty quickly after you have
>let it warm up. As the engine warms up, the circulating oil will remove what
>needs to come out. You must change the oil often during your initial period
>of using the engine. I'd do several additional coolant flushes as well. It
>is from these channels you will get the must rust and gunk. Have you found
>out how much fun it is to change an oil filter on this thing yet? I hope you
>have skinny fore arms!
>
> Hugh
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: PNKMoore@xxxxxxx
> To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Friday, April 09, 2004 10:06 AM
> Subject: IML: Reviving the Dead '58 Hemi: diesel fuel as a cleanser?
>
>
> Dear IML folks:
>
> I'm just getting started on a '58 Southampton, my first attempt at a
>"restoration." The Hemi's been sitting for 27 years and I'm accumulating lots
>of great advice from Dick and Hugh about getting it back into service. I read
>Ross's article too. I plan to drop the pan, clean out as much gook as I can,
>clean the oil pump, pull and clean out the valve covers, etc. I'll also wash
>out what I can from the collant chambers. I'm not going deeper until I
>determine that the motor will fire. A european mechanic friend of mine warned
>me to make my initial work investment by confirming that the motor would fire.
> He said (add Swiss accent here): "You moost make soore there's a strong heart
>before you eenvest in the boody." Sounds like mail-order bride advice.
>
> Question: One local motorhead has advised me to fill the drained block with
>diesel fuel and hand-circulate it to clean out the crud. I'm not entirely
>sure I want to risk that, especially if I see an accumulation of baked-on goo
>that may be best left "asleep" until a rebuild. I suspect, however, that the
>block is clear because there are dozens of oil change stickers stuck up and
>down the driver's door frame and even a few under the hood. (what was that
>all about, I have to wonder?)
>
> Regardless, any thoughts out there about the diesel method of block cleaning
>when you're trying to get a dead but not
> caked engine just clean enough to fire?
>
> I'm having the best time with this!
>
> Patrick Moore
> '58 4 door Imperial hrdtp in Southeast Louisiana
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