How to wake a sleeping Dino?

Hi folks:

My '69 Dino has been asleep for 8 months. I have not started let alone driven it for WAY too long (new kid, busy work, another car project, etc.). I know this is almost criminal but be kind.

ISome people recommend that you pull the plugs and turn the motor over with the starter on a car that hasn't been run in a long time. Is this the right thing to do and is there anything else you would recommend to get it right before I give it some much overdue exercise?

Please advise.

 

Change the oil. Moisture may have creeped in over the winter. It just isn't worth the few quarts of oil to take the chance.

If you're really worried about lubrication...
Pull the plugs, squirt just a little oil in each cylinder, put the plugs back in or you'll send oil all over that nice clean engine, crank it over a few times, install new plugs and fire it up.

Let it warm up.

Now that you've stirred up all the crap that setteled to the bottom of the oil pan, change the oil and filter.

You've blown a set of plugs and a case or 2 of oil, no biggie, but I'm a bit conservative.

 

Pull the plugs and put an ounce or two of Marvel's Mystery oil (or your favorite lube) in each cylinder to pre-lube them then let it penetrate for a few days to a week before starting. When starting, be prepared to burn off that oil in a large cloud!

You should have driven with us over the border last weekend for the Ferrari of Vancouver open house. Great weather, fun friends, good food/drink, and a very good excuse to exercise the Dino. The Euro Dino loves going to Canada as it is one of the few places I don't need to convert the Kmph to MPH.

 

I wish I could have joined you but work and fatherhood kept the Dino in the air yet again. I'm actually a Canadian so it's always fun to go north of the border when I can. My gauges are in KPH as well so it makes it a bit tougher to convince the RCMP not to give you a ticket!

Next time...Keith

 

I would recommend grounding the coil wire while cranking or the engine may start.

 

How does one ground the coil wire and why?

 

You take a jumper wire with a clip on both ends. You take the coil wire out of the distributor cap. You connect the jumper wire to that end of the coil wire. You take the other end of the jumper wire and connect it to a good ground. Now the spark from the coil goes directly to ground and not to the distributor. This way the engine won't start while you're cranking it over to lubricate the cylinder walls. When your done install the new spark plugs and reconnect the coil wire.

Taking the spark plugs out and putting two squirts of engine oil in each cylinder is what you do to prepare for a wet compression check. This will tell if you have worn rings when compared to a dry compression test.

 

Got it. Thanks!

 

Are you going to the Italian car show at the FEN event at the XXX Root Beer shop in Issaquah on the 29th? It would bring us up to 4 Dinos!

 

I suggest that you turn the key on, wait a few moments as the fuel pumps fill the float chambers, turn the key a few more degrees to the right, and start the car.

End of story.

Jim S.

(Yes, all of the suggestions are appropriate, but will the miniscule wear mount to a hill of beans in an engine that over the course of the next century may cover 50,000 miles? John C.'s experience aside, most of these cars will not be driven enough to worry about cylinder wall or piston ring wear. Furthermore, if there is an area where oil would be helpful, it is in the cam-lobe-shim interface, which, without taking valve covers off, will not enjoy lubrication until the engine turns. Taking the plugs out and cranking the engine will eventually get oil to the cams, but without any advantage over simply starting the engine.)

 

an ounce of prevention.....

well, we know what its worth.

 

Yes, I agree about the ounce of prevention. However, if I had to pull spark plugs and change oil each time I start my Dino after a 2 or 3-month hiatus, I would dread getting into the car. I believe that enthusiasts, such as those that frequent this chat room, tend to attribute animate characteristics to inanimate objects. It's a car! It's steel and aluminum and rubber and oil. The same is said about servicing fine watches every 3 to 5 years. All of my substantial collection of fine pieces have never seen the light of a watchmaker's bulb. I will service them when they stop running.

What is the difference between 9 months and 6 months? How about 3 months? A film of oil remains on the cylinder wall for years. Have you ever disassembled an engine after a year of sitting idle in a garage? My hands still get dirty from the oil.

Yes, I agree with all of the comments, and your admonition concerning prevention. I merely suggest that we over analyze potential concerns, with the result that common sense gets pushed aside.

Jim S.

 

Not meaning to be a pain Jim...
....but how many watches do you have that are worth $135,000?

 

Quote -
"Not meaning to be a pain Jim...
....but how many watches do you have that are worth $135,000?"

Dstacy-

Not at all painful. The answer is 3.

Jim S.

 

Wow, interesting.
Asking just because a hundred grand watch is way out of my league.
What make of watch costs that much?

 

Dave -

Complicated Pateks are like Ferraris...way overpriced based on numbers produced, complications, and demand. Discontinued perpetual calendars with other features, such as the 3970, limited-edition 5038, 5004, etc., are quite dear and collectable. Stainless steel Rolex Daytonas, vintage circa 1970 fetch $40-$50,000 and more for particular models. The one advantage of being born during the first half of the past century is that one could purchase these gems when new, and when no one else appreciated their value. Two of my Dinos were purchased for $12,000, while the 3rd forced $50,000 out of me. But it was a special car.

A wise (redundant) sage once advised me, "Never sell anything." His suggestion has proven to be sage advice.

Jim S.

 

Thanks Jim:

In the past when I had not driven the car for a few months, I did just as you recommended; turned the key, let the fuel pumps fill and then started the car. After a few tries, it would come back to life quite nicely. With 8 months of inactivity, I thought I might be a bit more cautious. Perhaps not.

With regards to not selling anything - I agree. I sold my Brabham F1 car in 2005 and have watched the prices skyrocket ever since. I also looked at the results from the RM "Ponder" auction yesterday and was blown away at how Gene's collection of memorabilia was worth its weight in gold. "Never sell anything" are words to live if finances allow.

Cheers...Keith

 

Keith -

Please don' misunderstand. I agree completely with the suggestions of removing sparkplugs, introducing a squirt of oil in each cylinder, and turning the engine for a minute or so. Then replacing everything and firing it up.

My comments reflect my contrarian nature, and the simple fact that the above is a royal pain in the butt. As a young man, with only one car, I would cherish the opportunity of doing exactly as suggested on a lazy Saturday afternoon with a brewsky resting under an old oak tree. However, the reality is it probably does not matter. Given the choice of spending the day doing busy work versus driving the car, for someone who has but one Ferrari and limited time to enjoy, then I would suggest driving (without the brewsky).

Jim S.

 

Hmmm ... a few years ago the shop where my father and mother worked had to rebuild a Ferrari Daytona engine.

Why?, because the mechanic started it directly and it had been sitting for a very long time. The crank bearings picked up and full engine rebuild was the result.

Thus I disagree slightly with what has been said above, but note I am no expert. The real area of concern when you start an engine after a long period of no use is the crank bearings NOT the cylinder walls and rings.

Thus remove the plugs and spin on the starter until you have oil pressure. This removes the load from the crank bearings (from the compression stroke) and gets them nicely lubricated. I do not care what the car is, even a Toyota deserves that treatment if it has been over 6 months say.

This will also get oil up to the camshafts before the rev's increase.

Re-install plugs and fire up and drive off, carefully until fully warmed and then thrash as per NORMAL

Pete

 

Jim S.,

"...never sell anything..."

This kind of relates, you'll understand.

I'll tell you my 2 favorite car stories. Sometimes I can be such an idiot.

#1) I remember being in the process of buying a new shelby 427 cobra and just a bit short of funds so I had to borrow some cash. When the finance guy told me the payments were going to be $127 a month I told him nobody with any smarts would ever have a car payment of more than $100 a month and passed on the deal.

#2) A while back I looked at a 246 Dino and I looked the guy right in the eye and told him he was out of his f***ing mind. Nobody would ever pay $30,000 for a Dino.

<sigh>
Thank God I can find the humor in these stories.

 

And chances are really good that the guy who you "spoke with" still tells the same story as you just have, and I'm sure he gets enjoyment out of it too!

 

interesting thread...just this morning i awoke a model t ford after a 40+ year deep sleep. an oil flush,new hoses and modern water, plugs and wires. new gas was pumped in the tank [actually old cars love our new ****ty gas as it replicates 1920 fuel]....the old bugger started right up...a little smoke and rust bits blown out the exhaust but it cleared out after a while.

happy earth day as well!!!!!

 

Hey Keith:

Scott asked a while ago if you are going to try to show up at the XXX Drive In this weekend (4/28/2007) but I didn't see a response from you. It appears that if the weather cooperates there should be 3 or 4 246GTS and 1 or 2 246GTs. Any chance of seeing you? Give me a call -

Mark Nerheim

 

mark, xxx show is sunday [29th] not sat. keith hope you can make it. trying to get a few more dinos. dan z.