what is the safest way to turn over an engine

[Joseph T.]

What is the best way to turn over an engine that has been sitting for years?

What type of tool is used to attach to the crank to hand turn ( small block ). What type lubricant should be used to treat the cylinders as a pre caution.

Is it necessary to remove the plugs when attempting to manually turn the engine?

Joe

[Tracy C.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

Joe,

I would remove the plugs and leave them out. Squirt an ounce or two of Marvel Mystery Oil into each cylinder and let set overnight. Then I would remove the damper pulley and put bolts with at least 1" extra length into the pulley mounting holes and use a pry bar to turn the engine over utilizing the longer bolts as the pry point.

tc

[Roy V.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

I would also remove the distributor and with a priming tool attached to an electric drill I would spin it until oil pressure is up and oil is coming out of both sides
Regards
Roy

[Joseph T.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

Joe,

I would remove the plugs and leave them out. Squirt an ounce or two of Marvel Mystery Oil into each cylinder and let set overnight. Then I would remove the damper pulley and put bolts with at least 1" extra length into the pulley mounting holes and use a pry bar to turn the engine over utilizing the longer bolts as the pry point.

tc

Tracy / Roy

Thanks..I will give it a try.

I've got four engines to turn.

Joe

[John H.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

Joe -

This is pretty handy for turning cranks, so you can use a 1/2"-drive breaker bar; bolts to the pulley holes. Summit has them. The other one is handy if the engine doesn't have a balancer on it.

[Stuart F.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

My favorite was "Wynn's Friction Proofing", if you happen to have an old can of it laying around.

In the Locomotive business (Diesels), we used to call that act actually "Barring Over the Engine". Special tools (electric or manual) were used for this that engaged the flywheel ring gear. Of course, it was necessary to be done before starting an engine that had been shut down for a while to purge any fluids that might cause a hydraulic lock.

Stu Fox

[Joseph T.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

Joe -

This is pretty handy for turning cranks, so you can use a 1/2"-drive breaker bar; bolts to the pulley holes. Summit has them. The other one is handy if the engine doesn't have a balancer on it.

Thanks John..looks simple to install and use.

Joe

[Paul J.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

Joe, there's some great advice in the previous posts.

I've also used WD 40 and PB Blaster, which I allowed to soak before turning the engine, as TC suggested. I like the lighter spray oils both for thier penetrating abilities and the fact that I can spray all around the rings.

Paul

[Joseph T.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

Joe -

This is pretty handy for turning cranks, so you can use a 1/2"-drive breaker bar; bolts to the pulley holes. Summit has them. The other one is handy if the engine doesn't have a balancer on it.

John...I see the crank bolt fastener as you pictured in gold online at summit..but cannot find the simple bolt on bracket. I wonder what it is called.

Paul..all four engines have the heads on. Can I spray the MMO into the spark plug holes? Would you remove the distributor and spin the oil pump as suggested. I think I have an extra shaft that I can attach to a drill.

Joe

[Paul J.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

Paul..all four engines have the heads on. Can I spray the MMO into the spark plug holes? Would you remove the distributor and spin the oil pump as suggested. I think I have an extra shaft that I can attach to a drill.

Joe

Yes, remove the plugs and leave them out, just like TC suggested, but its harder to get MMO to the upper edge of the pistons, thats one of the reasons why I like the aerosol spray oils. Not only do they have pressure to spray the oil out, the straw lets you get into the cylinder. I've never spun the pump just to turn an engine. I've only done it on the first start, but it sounds like a great idea.

[James G.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

John...I see the crank bolt fastener as you pictured in gold online at summit..but cannot find the simple bolt on bracket. I wonder what it is called.

Paul..all four engines have the heads on. Can I spray the MMO into the spark plug holes? Would you remove the distributor and spin the oil pump as suggested. I think I have an extra shaft that I can attach to a drill.

Joe

ALL SUGGESTIONS are perfect Joe. OIL PUMP is also very important, as you will be not spinning a dry crank and camshaft. That 1st instant a starter is engaged in an engine, is the most wear, as everything is unpressurized and not oiled until pressure is up.

Marval MYSTERY OIL, WD-40 are all great products to soak the cylinder walls and rings. We used to load all eight cylinders up and let them soak for a few days, then "prime" the oil pump with an electric drill in the distributor hole. Once the valve rockers have oil squirting, then manually turn the engine over with John's tool and a breaker bar.

[Joe L.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

Joe -

This is pretty handy for turning cranks, so you can use a 1/2"-drive breaker bar; bolts to the pulley holes. Summit has them. The other one is handy if the engine doesn't have a balancer on it.

John------


I use the one on the right for an engine before installing the harmonic balancer However, after that installation, I use the ARP 135-2503 pictured below. This is a "permanent" installation and provides the 1/2" square drive for turning the crank at any time you need to. Of course, it's not "correct", but it's very convenient and VERY high quality.

[Loren L.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

Drain...replace with MarvelMystery/Rislone combine....plugs out....spray combine into each cylinder twice a day for 3 days.....pull distributor.... insert oil pump tool....turn at 4 hr intervals until at least 30 psi shows on the oil pressure gauge....hook up your prybar/?? to the crank & take the motor backwards for about 90 degrees.....spray combine into each cylinder two times.......run the oil pump again....and then turn the engine forward,,,,and don't forget the towels underneath each spark plug hole..

[Stuart F.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

All these are great ideas to record and put into a good check list. It should be noted that this is not only for old engines in barn finds, so to speak, but it was common for our old Vettes to just be stored for periods ranging from over winter up to several years.

My 63 was stored for close to two years back in the 60's. We didn't know exactly how to do it then, but followed the best advice of the time. We filled the cylinders with Wynn's Friction Proofing and collapsed the valves, turned the plugs in just hand tight, over filled the sump with fresh oil, etc. When we prepped it for restart (middle of January in WI), we first changed the oil, set the valves, removed the plugs and barred the engine over (w/o towels). Installed new plugs and base set the timing. We did not run the oil pump though. At below zero ambient, with new gas in the carb, we attempted a crank with the coil wire off to spin it w/o ignition. It turned over slowly at first, but settled into a normal cranking speed. We then put the Air Cleaner on and connected the coil for a starting attempt. The engine again cranked awhile, then fired at the same time we experienced a crankcase explosion (we never checked/replaced the PCV valve). The valve covers blew off. That was at about 10k miles on the car and the engine has now lasted through 44k w/o any ill effects.

It was only a couple years ago that I learned from on this board of a Service Bulletin that addressed this problem on 63 L-76's by adding a flame arrestor inside the air cleaner base over the fresh air tube.

So, you can draw your own conclusions.

Stu Fox

[John H.]

Re: what is the safest way to turn over an engine

John...I see the crank bolt fastener as you pictured in gold online at summit..but cannot find the simple bolt on bracket. I wonder what it is called. I think I have an extra shaft that I can attach to a drill.

Joe

Joe -

Just call Summit, tell them what you want, and their tech will find it for you. Just a distributor shaft won't move any oil - you need the prime tool with a spool on the bottom (just like the distributor housing has) to get oil pressure (or you can use an old distributor with the teeth removed from the drive gear).