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Old engines are sometimes just waiting

To: Douglas Clark <Dclark@microcide.com>
Subject: Old engines are sometimes just waiting
From: Tom Hall <modtiger@engravers.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 00:14:32 -0800
At 04:25 PM 1/18/99 -0800, you wrote:
>I've just purchased a Tiger that hasn't run for 18 years. It has front end
damage and the radiator was destroyed, but it was running 18 years ago.
So...I want to see if the engine is frozen. I'm going to drop the oil pan,
pull the plugs, and squirt some oil into the cylinders as well as on top of
the heads. I think I will start cranking it over by hand before I try the
starter motor. What is the best way to make sure I don't damage the engine?
Does anyone have any advice/experience with this?
>
>Doug C.


        When I first bought "blue" in 81 (when it was green) I could not get it 
to
run worth a damn.  After checking compression, finding major variations,
and pulling the heads, I found a tired .040 over 289 5 bolt.  Scrounged the
local yards for a 5 bolt core that showed no signs of previous repair
(unbored).  Found an engine and broght it home.  Was going to pull it down
but decided to fire it up on the floor.  It ran so well that I simply
installed it.  Ran it for 3 or four years.  Great stock motor.  Sometimes
you get lucky, and sometimes you get garbage.  If you don't see evidence of
rust on the plugs or water in the drain oil, you might just squirt some
WD-40 type lube into the plug holes and try breaker bar on the front crank
bolt.  If you can turn it, it's not likely you can damage it by using the
starter.  You have nothing to loose by trying.

Tom


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