Picked up this beast at an estate liquidation. Bought it cheap enough that if I scrap it I'll still make out.


1989 ltd country squire lx, woody. Complete with blue velour interior.

It was maintained at the ford dealer until it was garaged in the year 2000. Has not moved since. 64,100 on the clock.

It has the ford 302, 5 liter v8 with electronic fuel injection.

It will get a new battery, and oil change for sure. I will dump a bit of oil in each cylinder to help get them moving the right way. The gas tank seems empty when I knock on it, but I imagine I may have to drop the tank. What would you guys do? Keep I mind, I will only get the car running to sell. I would like to keep my investment as low as possible.

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Eugene

10 E63 AMG
93 300te 4matic
07 BMW X3
14 Ford F-150 Fx2

just took my 78 Puch Moped out of storage after 10 yrs. Fuel in the tank was thick varnish. So, drain your tank and flush it out with some lacquer thinner before pulling that fuel up into the engine. On the other hand, my wife's moped which had been stored a little longer was still pretty clean.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

you are on the right track. might think about pulling the dizzy and spinning the oil pump up and getting everything oiled before firing.

i would expect to clean the tank and replace the fuel pump and filters as well.

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

remove the spark plugs, throw down 4oz of marvel mystery oil into each cylinder using a syringe (horse section of farm and fleet or tractor supply co ect), have the fuel tank boiled out (or just replace the thing, they're usually fairly reasonable aftermarket), and replace the fuel filter. See if the fuel pump powers on. If it doesnt, replace it also.

Oil/filter change, a new battery, and prime it. Should start.

Your total investment if you do everything would be around $200 or less. Consider replacing the plugs with something cheap, just cause.
~Nate

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95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

You sure you want to do that? LINK

I'd dump oil in the cylinders and hand turn them so I can feel any hang ups thru the wrench. If that works ok, I would prime the motor by spinning the oil pump after removing the distributor.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

four oz is a lot of oil in the cylinders, better spin it without plugs to be sure its not hydrolocked if you put in that much.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

There's no need to put oil in the cylinders unless the engine isn't free. Look before you leap. Put a socket on the harmonic balancer and turn. If it does not turn a round or two THEN you can pull the plugs. The best thing to use to free rusted cylinders is brake fluid, but don't the plugs back in until you have freed the cylinders and spun with the starter to throw out most of the fluid.

Since the car was stored out of the weather, there is no reason to believe that the cylinders are frozen. Test before you act.

Also if you can get it started and heat up the oil before draining it, you will get a lot
more gunk out. Best would be drain and fill with the cheapest oil you can get, and then warm it up good before an extended drain and then refill with your favorite brew.

Wait until after the engine is sorted before your Nalysis of what needs to be done. Don't forget to test the brake pedal before moving the car.

Keep us posted on your progress.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Your biggest concern probably will be if the engine is stuck or not. True lower milage gas engines usually do not stick as easily as well worn ones.

Thirteen years in your climate is usually enough to seize a gas engine. I would also expect some brake issues. At 64k and no serious rust I would spend at least some effort on it.

Clean it up, change all fluids and filters, and crank.

I'd not scrap it. I would detail it nicely and try to sell it. Someone needs one for a collection or as a nice car to haul stuff

I might be interested.

X3 on all the previous gas tank, fuel pump, fuel filter recommendations

I usually save a gallon or two of used oil (less than a year old) from a previous oil change for this purpose. I would drain the existing oil before starting and I do mean drain. I've even been known to jack the car up to allow the oil sitting in the bottom of the pan to reach the drain hole. I would change the oil filter then add the used oil from a previous oil change (it's got 5K miles on it) and has a lot less moisture than the oil in the car.

I would attempt to turn the engine over with a wrench.....if it goes around a few times without dragging, then crank with the distributor off to get the oil circulating around before starting.

Good Luck and keep us posted on your results.

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

I'd make sure their was oil in it, throw a battery in, 5 gallons of fresh gas and see if it starts. If it runs change the fluids and filters and drive it a bit to cycle the fresh gas threw the system.

Before you drive it slam the brake pedal hard to see if it has any questionable lines.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Ive had to awake alot of cars from slumber in the past ,the marvel trick will make sure your rings are slick on the walls of the cylinder ,just let it sit for 3 days or more,purge it with the plugs out ,check all plugs while out, reinstall ,drain and check fuel condition ,clean carb on bench with carb spray ,reinstall with new carb to intake gasket, pre-draw gas from tank once the gastank has been visited with siphon,cleans lines of old fuel,,reinstall line, hot battery check, you want to turn the motor at the point when marvel soak is complete ,you can bump it with the starter but I like to see movement with a heavy wrench first just to see free movement .An Oil change would be also a good thing after you find it runs.

This is a practical approach. Many other suggestions in this thread seem to be overkill for most cases.

I've brought a good number of engines out of storage with nothing more than what Hat outlined here.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Cool! I've got a thang for those plasti-woody wagons.

Is that rust on the lower front fender?

I'd do what Hatty suggested: check the fluids, dump some gas in it and turn the key to see what happens. If it starts and there is brake pressure, let it come to temp., see if it'll go into D and R, shut if off, then change the fluids and filter. Then drive.

But I'm pretty lazy and not particularly conservative when it comes to stuff like that. Although I would be if it was something along the lines of an old Packard, Duesenberg or 12 cyl. Ferrari.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

There's one of those near here sitting in the side driveway. Every time I walk the puppy past there I threaten to knock on the door and try to buy it.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.