Hello all, I just picked up a 64 valiant that has been sitting for quite some time. I was able to put a wrench on the crank and turn ( I only turned it about an inch to make sure it wasnt seized)

I have never had the pleasure of dealing with a motor that has been sitting for any length of time. What should I be looking for? What should I do before I try to see if i can get it running?

thanks

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Hemitheus Gherardini
1964 Valiant Signet 200

Welcome aboard hemitheus,

Is that engine in or out of the car?

I’m guessing in car here… Fuel system needs to be inspected for bad gas, rust in tank, bad fuel pump, crud blown out of lines, soft lines replaced, and carburetor needs a good cleaning & rebuild kit to renew all seals & valves.

Valve cover needs to come off, any gunk / sludge needs to be cleaned up, and valve lash checked & set a thousandth loose cold.

Plugs, wires, cap need to be inspected, replaced if damaged or worn. Battery & cables to starter, grounds etc need to be cleaned and remade.

Engine oil changed, look for coolant, sludge, etc while draining, and replace with fresh oil & filter.

Inspect coolant hoses for brittle, cracked, soft, or swollen conditions, and replace as needed. Back flush radiator, block (drain plug under and to rear of oil filter) install new thermostat and re fill system.

Before starting, have spark plugs & valve cover removed, with oil can lube up valve train, turn engine over with starter until oil pressure builds, also this should fill carburetor as well. Replace plugs & wires, check charge on battery,. check that all hose clamps, electrical connections are tight, and car is out of gear, and start her up.

Or, roll the engine over with plugs removed to circulate engine oil, replace plugs, add some fresh gas to carburetor via its vent tube with a catsup dispenser, crank it over and see it she fires off. Once it starts, kill the engine right a way, and proceed to the above list.

Unless the engine it terribly worn, it should be ok after a good servicing.

That is just the engine, before the car is driven there is a ton of other items that need to be checked, and serviced.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Wow, thank you for the very detailed response. This is exactly what I needed to know...

Engine is in the car. Non engine related things i will being gone through as well. the routine. electrical,brakes, tranny, radiator, suspension, diffy etc...
Ive never purchased a car that was non running and sitting before so I wanted to make sure i didnt miss something and fire it up and destroy it.

Thanks again.

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Hemitheus Gherardini
1964 Valiant Signet 200

Hi hemitheus, and welcome to the forum! You will be better off following wjajr's recipe, but just for fun: I think there are plenty You tube clips of slantsixes waking up after 20, 30 and 40 years resting time, usually firing on the first try!
Good luck with bringing your car to life again.

Olaf.

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Aspenized