Starting a sitting engine.

[OriginalWheelman]

I thought I would post the method I was taught for lubricating engines to prevent damage.

1. Remove the spark plugs, fuel pump fuse, and valve covers.

2. Slowly pour new engine oil over the cams, valves, and generally everywhere inside the valve cover. Make sure to go over a couple times. I generally do one head, and come back to it after doing the other. Once everything is good and oiled...

3. Pour some oil down each cylinder. About 1/4 - 1/2 cup per cyl. Once you have done this, if possible, rock the engine back and forth to splash the oil onto the cylinder walls.

4. If possible, repeat step 2 with the crank.

5. Now that the engine has been doused in oil, you need to get a large wrench. Using either a flywheel bolt in the rear or (my preference) the main pulley bolt in the front of the engine. Crank the engine by hand for a MINIMUM of 200 turns. Make sure you are spinning the engine in it's operating direction. What you are doing is spinning your oil pump and working the oil you doused the engine with into the surfaces. When it is good and lubricated the engine should turn very smoothly, and your arm should be almost rubber.

6. Now that the oil priming has been done, enter the car and turn the car over for about 10 - 15 seconds. Do this at least 20 times, letting the starter rest for 10 seconds between each to reduce the chances of starter failure.

7. Reinstall the valve cover, fuel pump fuse, and spark plugs. Start the engine! You should now be properly lubricated and ready for another season.

I like to take this opportunity to change the oil, since it has already been sitting and you're going to be over on oil if you don't drain the crankcase before you start. It is a good time for some periodic maintenance, such as new spark plugs, belts, wires, and air filter. Also it is a good opportunity to do a visual inspection of your engine, inside and out. You're going to smell soem burning oil when you start the car. It's just the oil left in the cylinders burning off. You really don't want a lot of oil in cyl, but make sure there is a enough you lubricate the cylinder walls. If you are going to actually measure 1/4 will be more than enough.
Modified by OriginalWheelman at 8:51 AM 3/31/2008

[Zwicked]

Good advice if it's been sitting a long time, before you turn it over the first time. I seen another good idea the other day, and that is to take an old oil filter, install a hose fitting on the bottom. Then screw the filter on and connect a shop vac to the fitting. It will basically prime the entire system.Still a good idea to spray some light oil on the cylinder walls first as well.