• Welcome to ClassicBroncos! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all the site features, please take a moment to register. It's fast, simple and absolutely free. So please join our community today!
    If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.

Crank Bronco that's been sitting

Brian B

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Messages
703
Hey everyone - My Bronco has been sitting in my garage for about a year without being started. What precautions do I need to take in starting it? I have already replaced the battery it wouldn't charge.

Sorry, if its a dumb question, I just don't want to screw anything up.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Brian
 

omureebe

Full Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2013
Messages
406
Mine sat for three years, or maybe I should say it sat at the body shop forever....

Before I started it, I put some Marvel Mystery oil in the cylinders (spark plug), let it sit overnight, and hand rotated the motor a couple revolutions. Then I pulled the distributor (making the exact location of vacuum advance and rotor) and spun the oil pump with a hand drill until I saw pressure - it doesn't show much because the drill isn't powerful enough, but I know the oil circulated.

Put back distributor, making sure it's in the same location, and start it up outside since it'll be smoky from the Marvel Mystery oil. Start it up and adjust timing.

Oh... hope your fuel is new! And a good time to make sure spark plug gaps are correct.

Good luck
Omar
 

tirewater

Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
1,044
Loc.
San Francisco Bay Area
Hey everyone - My Bronco has been sitting in my garage for about a year without being started. What precautions do I need to take in starting it? I have already replaced the battery it wouldn't charge.

Sorry, if its a dumb question, I just don't want to screw anything up.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Brian

Make sure you have oil + coolant in it. :)

Turn the engine over by hand first, just to make sure nothings seized up.

Priming the oil system would be a good idea. You'll need to pull the distributor and prime using an drill + extension.

I suppose you could try priming using the starter as well, but the goal would be to prime without turning the engine.
 

spap

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 2, 2010
Messages
2,606
All above and add some new gas, unless you put Stabil in the fuel.
My biggest concern is that a ring would break So oil in the cylinders is key
Especially is your in a very wet area
 

399strokerEB

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
1,567
Loc.
Wasilla, AK
My mustang and my bronco both sit outside all winter in Alaska. I just crank with the starter until I get oil pressure then turn on the gas. I've never had any issues in the 10+ years I've been without a garage. Heck the plow bronco I picked up last year hadn't been started in at least 15 years and I did the same thing after an oil change.
 

Jakedog

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2010
Messages
868
How fresh was the oil before it went to the shop? If it was due for a change before you dropped it off I would take the time/opportunity to change it before cranking it up.
I add half a quart of Lucas oil stabilizer at every oil change. 5.5 quarts of oil and a 1/2 quart of Lucas. I only do this because the engine builder suggested it. He does it with all his builds.
 

Jakedog

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2010
Messages
868
My mustang and my bronco both sit outside all winter in Alaska. I just crank with the starter until I get oil pressure then turn on the gas. I've never had any issues in the 10+ years I've been without a garage. Heck the plow bronco I picked up last year hadn't been started in at least 15 years and I did the same thing after an oil change.

I believe that is considered elder abuse.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
35,704
In a garage, not worried. I only worry on stuff with a timing belt. Rubber rots worse sitting still than staying active.

My boat will sit for extended times. A few times for several years. Stuff like new house, economy crashing, little distractions like that.

The only thing I would worry about is bad gas. And the test for bad gas is sniffing it. Take the gas cap off and take a whiff. Running on bad gas can stick rings, stick valves, and really mess up an otherwise perfectly good engine. I've seen it done too many times. Mark killed a perfectly good almost new AMC 401, took a full rebuild to fix. Worked on a Bronco that stuck a valve that hit a piston and broke the bottom of the piston letting the wrist pin rattle the cylinder wall. That was a fresh engine that was parked, went into the military and years later sold it. An old co-worker bought a car off another coworker but got lucky, the rocker arm fell out and the piston didn't bang the valve. All of them were eager to get it running on the bad gas that was in the tank.

The boat I have, use AV gas to prevent the bad gas issues.
 

wildbill

Old Bronco Guy
Joined
Jun 29, 2001
Messages
6,888
%)%)%) When I do this I prime the carb. with weed eater gas oil mix works good and no dry starts, Good luck with what you do. :D:D:D Bill ;D:cool:%)
 

73azbronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
8,225
pull coil wire and ground it, crank a few times, maybe 10 seconds per, then run it.
 
Top