> new home in North Carolina from North Dakota. It has been in closed, un-
Where are you in NC? I know a guy in Henderson who has a pretty good
stock of Healey parts, both new and used. His name is Dave Crane and
his phone number is 919-430-1334. He has been busy as of late and my
take a day or two to get back to you but its worth it to keep after him.
He is quite knowledgable and a just a good guy in general.
> My question is, basically, what preparation should I perform before
> attempting to fire it up?
In addition to the fuel tank and lines, I would change oil, oil filter,
and coolant, but first I would get it to spin free.
As far as lubing the cylinders, I have used automatic transmission fluid
in the past. If the engine is stuck, it's a good idea to put a couple
of tablespoons in each cylinder, then wait a week or two to give it a
chance to work its way into spots that have corroded. If you are not
planning a rebuild in the near future, I would be careful when turning
it over the first time. Try to spin it by hand first (using a wrench
for some leverage), using only moderate force. If it doesn't go, put
more ATF in and wait a little longer. If you force it, you risk
breaking rings that may be bonded to the cylinder walls by corrosion.
If you're going to rebuild it anyway, you don't have to be so careful!
After you get it to spin free, change the oil, filter, and coolant.
Flush the cooling system if it looks really gooky. Then, with the spark
plugs out, turn it over with the starter motor until you have oil
pressure. It may take a while. Listen for funny noises while doing
this. If everything sounds ok, put in the plugs and give it a go!
> Also, the mechanic indicated that the piston rings may have lost their
> springiness after sitting so long in one position, and may therefore not
> seal well and/or wear out relatively quickly. Is this true?
If there is a problem with the rings, I think it would be more along the
lines of corrosion restricting their movement rather than a loss of
springiness.
Good luck, and have fun!
Mike
mburdick@unmc.edu
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