Start up after long term storage or fresh rebuild first start

[MoparFreak1988]

Title says it my truck was properly stored in a heated garage and hasn't started in about a year and a half. referring to the 99 ram in my signature

Concerns are

• traditional v8's you would change and then prime the oil system on fresh rebuild or long storage 
• obviously an oil change is in order do I need to prime the oil system?
• I have a brand new turbo with 3k miles on it that is the highest point of the pressured oiling system do I have anything to worry about
• Fuel system, filters will be changed and system primed 
• anything special with injectors or the vp44?

I think that about covers it, the cab is going back on today so first start won't be for about a week yet but I want to have my ducks in a row first

[Wild and Free]

Shouldn't have no worries, chances are it will crank over a few seconds before it fires so oil should already be priming and the turbo will not spin until after it fires so any residual oil will be plenty there but if it cranks for a few seconds before firing it will already have full flow there too. I would fire it before changing the oil, the longest period an engine will see with no oil is after a sump and filter change it can take a few seconds to fill and prime things then so on an engine that has sat for a while leave the oil and filter in place fire it warm it up and then drain it.

Hit the key and have fun.

[CUMMINSDIESELPWR]

yup, when i rebuilt mine, the second the engine fired up it had oil pressure in under 10 or less. i would just change oil and filter, start it up wait 20 seconds and be good to go

[Wild and Free]

If you do choose to dump the oil and filter prior to start up definitely prefill the oil filter being VERY careful to only fill it via the outer portion and let it filter through to the center on its own......

 

NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER FILL A FILTER OF ANY TYPE THROUGH THE CENTER OF IT AS THAT IS WHERE THE CLEAN FLUID COME THROUGH, FILLING HERE ADDS DIRT AND CONTAMINANTS DIRECTLY INTO THE SYSTEM TO GRIND AWAY AT EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL WITH FUEL FILTERS WHICH IT IS NOT RECOMENDED TO EVER PREFILL A FUEL FILTER EVER ANYHOW!

[MoparFreak1988]

Thanks guy I think it will be started and run for a bit then I will change the oil....

Should I drive it down to the end of the driveway and back to get the gears turning then change all drive-train fluids at once or do you think the transfer case, tranny, and diff not matter as much since they got fresh fluid before storage?

[Dieselfuture]

I don't think you can prime oil anyway, engine got to be spinning for that to happen, a little screwy but that is how it is. To make you feel better my dad has a zx300 turbo and I chenged oil in it 10 years ago he starts it every few years and drives it around neighborhood. One time his turbo didn't work for first few miles and than came back to life. I know it's not the way you do that but he don't care he just wants to be buried in that car when he goes. Yeah I know ...

[Mopar1973Man]

There was old articles on CF from long ago people plugging up there oil cooling nozzles with bits of plastic, foil seals from the bottles, and other weird things killed engines. I really don't like pre-loading filters with oil through the center hole.

[Cowboy]

There was old articles on CF from long ago people plugging up there oil cooling nozzles with bits of plastic, foil seals from the bottles, and other weird things killed engines. I really don't like pre-loading filters with oil through the center hole.

 

From http://dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/filter/oil_filter.htm

ANYTHING poured into the center of the filter goes directly into the bearings and piston cooling nozzles when the engine is started. The killer dowel pin is now famous for causing expensive engine damage, but Cummins reports that far more engines have been heavily damaged by the foil that is used to seal oil jugs.

 

 

 

OP,  I'm with 'Wild and Free' on this one.  I wouldn't worry about it that much.  Start it, let it idle for 10-20 seconds,  If it's an auto, then put it in neutral for those 20 seconds.  If it's a manual, put it in neutral and take your foot off the clutch.

[MnTom]

If you do choose to dump the oil and filter prior to start up definitely prefill the oil filter being VERY careful to only fill it via the outer portion and let it filter through to the center on its own......

 

NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER FILL A FILTER OF ANY TYPE THROUGH THE CENTER OF IT AS THAT IS WHERE THE CLEAN FLUID COME THROUGH, FILLING HERE ADDS DIRT AND CONTAMINANTS DIRECTLY INTO THE SYSTEM TO GRIND AWAY AT EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL WITH FUEL FILTERS WHICH IT IS NOT RECOMENDED TO EVER PREFILL A FUEL FILTER EVER ANYHOW!

One RV forum I am on there are people that claim you should fill the fuel filter with ATF when you change them on Cat powered motorhomes.

[Wild and Free]

One RV forum I am on there are people that claim you should fill the fuel filter with ATF when you change them on Cat powered motorhomes.

   

They have money to throw away for injector failures and possible engine failures then.

[MnTom]

Funny thing is, I can't find any tech papers that say what can happen.......

[Killer223]

i understand the ATF to a degree. but idk how it would work on diesel. i know my grandpa used to add some to his gas trucks to help clean the fuel system. and then about 250 miles before an oil change he'd add some to the crank oil as well.

not sure it would hurt diesel to much, might lower the lubricity some.

[Russ Roth]

Title says it my truck was properly stored in a heated garage and hasn't started in about a year and a half. referring to the 99 ram in my signature

Concerns are

• I have a brand new turbo with 3k miles on it that is the highest point of the pressured oiling system do I have anything to worry about

I think that about covers it, the cab is going back on today so first start won't be for about a week yet but I want to have my ducks in a row first

 

 

Turbo is first thing to get oil.  This from my cuz, former service manager at Portland Freightliner.

[MnTom]

Turbo is first thing to get oil.  This from my cuz, former service manager at Portland Freightliner.

Exactly. The oil line for the turbo comes off the filter head so it gets oil before anything else, but llke W&F said, it will crank over and get the oil moving before the turbo starts spinning.

[ISX]

My truck hasn't been started in years.  Too much going on, pump and stuff is on my desk.  What sucks is it has a full tank of what was probably $5 diesel.  Jeep is just too fun to drive.  

 

My concern is that if you ever go to a dealership, you will see the brake discs are all rusty.  Just surface rust but its from all that condensation from the hot and cold cycles of night/day.  I would think that would happen inside the engine as well after a period of time.  

[CSM]

My truck hasn't been started in years.  Too much going on, pump and stuff is on my desk.  What sucks is it has a full tank of what was probably $5 diesel.  Jeep is just too fun to drive.  

 

My concern is that if you ever go to a dealership, you will see the brake discs are all rusty.  Just surface rust but its from all that condensation from the hot and cold cycles of night/day.  I would think that would happen inside the engine as well after a period of time.  

 

It can.  I've seen it many times in gas engines.  I hope the crankcase isn't open to the air and all the holes where the IP was are plugged, more for grit than humidity.  

 

On a gas engine I usually spray some oil in each cylinder through the spark plug hole before putting it to bed for a winter.  Cam lobes are always iffy though, and sometimes will get dry on some models of engines and wipe when you start driving again.  Some aircraft engines are this way, and on some old Chrysler V8s you will see one of the rear cam lobes wipe on a resurrected engine.

 

The cam will run fine for a while, but the thin layer of surface rust will have destroyed the surface finish on the cam, causing irregular wear on the lifter.  The lifter cam surfaces will then quickly wear through the hardened layer on each and hopefully the lifter keeps spinning in its bore.    

Edited December 7, 2014 by CSM

[Killer223]

when my dad and grandpa used to store the jeep 304 v8 we wold cork the engine. fill it with oil to the top. take plugs out fill cylinders up.

granted i know you can't do this on a diesel to easily. but the idea cold be modified to work.

[rancherman]

Winter time is usually my  rebuild  time of the year... in a very cold shop.

I like to leave the injectors out,  but  keep  the  fuel lines  attached.    Then  crank  until   OP  is  up to snuff.   Very little  drag on the starter motor, very little pressure on the  bearings,  and  my fuel system is  all but  primed as well.  Pop in the injectors,  and  poof.   almost instant running engine  with full OP.    It is  a little messy however.   

When I do luck out and it's  warm,  I just keep the  fuel shut off  in  'off'  and  crank until  op  is   good-to-go. (easy peasy with  the 12v..)     Last  turbo  change  I  just kept the  inlet pipe  off,  and  my son  grabbed the  turbine  and held it for  5-6 seconds...  while engine was idling.

[flagmanruss]

As a boat yard mechanic I winterized over 4000 gas engines...  never lost one. 

After running antifreeze through the raw water cooling, I fogged the cylinders of the running engine (fast idle, pour fogging oil into the carberator untiol it stalls or you might have to turn the key).  Back then I used a pint of Marvel Mystery Oil per engine.  I think today I might just try TCW3 2 cycle oil.  The point of fogging is to coat the valves IN/EXH & cylinders. 

Occasionally we'd have to pull the plugs & turn it over if one cylinder got a glug of oil. 

I had my Chevy C30 stored in an open shed for 5 years after fogging.  That 454 fired up the first time (always a cloud if oil smoke) and settled down to a purr.  Broke my heart to hear her drive away. 

I never tried fogging a diesel but imagine it would just keep running...   

[Guest 04Mach1]

They have money to throw away for injector failures and possible engine failures then.

Managing / working in a joint that performs 30 to 40 PM's a day to medium and heavy duty diesel engines every single customer has an opinion about how to keep the fuel system clean and has millions of trouble free miles to back their practice up. I have to say filling the fuel filters with ATF is one of the more popular requests. Next would be filling the fuel filters with straight Lucas injector cleaner. A diesel will run on any petroleum based product. As far as filling filters from the center you are all correct about it not being recommended. As for not priming fuel filters, best of luck to you, not all engine manufactures have a lift pump or hand pump to prime the fuel system therefore filling fuel filters is required in most cases. In fact I only see Cummins routinely using an electric lift pump as standard equipment on their engines which means the final filter after the lift pump can be put on dry.