new timer needs serious help help help

guys= I am brand new to this. I have a buick garaged over 15 yrs. It hasnt ran for atleast 10 yrs.

What are my first steps to getting it running well without damaging it just trying?

1972 455/4B Riviera 90,000 miles.


I already soaked the pistons with some expensive stuff a mechanic told me to pour on through the spark plug holes.

I changed the oil. and lubed the lifters and just about anything I could get to before turning it over in hope I could prevent damaging it. Was that the right thing to do???. It seems to still have serious compression. I havnt fired it up yet. Cautious because I think someone toyed with it. the coil wire wasnt plugged into the center of distributor cap?!! Its hot at the coil but not past the cap. I know this because I got the shock of my life. wow. :af: it has a very hot spark. lol So theres a perfect example. I need help with this before I blow something up.

PLEASE GIVE ADVICE/DIRECTION of any kind. I really need it. obviously. lol

Thanks

 

You should try breaking it free by hand first before you try cranking it, use a breaker bar and a 1 1/16 socket i believe it is maybe 1 1/8. work it back and forth till ya get it to turn over.

 

It would be nice to pre oil it.

 

thanks to both of you for replying.

I got it broken over and starter is now doing the work very well. I changed the goo. i mean the oil and lubed the valves. I havnt actually fired up the engine yet though. Cant seem to get a hint of any spark past the distributor cap. The little lever that opens and closes the circuit under the cap even has fire to it. I thought it was stuck and used a screw driver to push on it. yea dont do that. the spark hurts. I dont know the fire order either. or anything.

Does anyone know how to fix/check that. or should I do more work on the engine before trying to fire it up?

thanks again for replying guys. keep it coming. Thanks.

 

If it will turn through I would definately pre-oil it . Most important do NOT use Fram oil filter .

 

what do you suggest in oiling. Do i need to break it down or what exactly???


thanks.o No:

 

the "little lever" you mentioned under the distributor cap is the points. Take the cap off and have a friend turn the starter briefly and make sure the contacts are opening and closing by themselves. Is the rotor there? Is the little button in the center of the inside of the cap? You can "pre oil" it by turning the starter until the oil light in the dash goes out. Don't turn the starter more than 10 seconds at a time or you might damage it. This will take a few tries since the car sat so long but it will work. Having the spark plugs out when you do it helps.

Where are you located? It sounds like you could use the help of someone more knowledgeable.

 

oil light wont go off

I am in Lufkin, TX.

Thank you for the help. I will check the points expansion and center cap in the morning.

I previously ran the crank without plugs as you mentioned without holding it more than 10 seconds. it was usually around 5 seconds at a time. problem with that is I have done this periodically more than around 12 times but the darn "oil" light is still on. The light that says "stop" is now gone thankfully
do you have any idea why the oil light wont go off.?

thankyou thankyou

 

I say go for it. I have bought so many cars dead -on -the -side -of -the -road you wouldn't believe it. Those old engines are TOUGH!

I will be fine.

Just put 5 gals of fresh gas in the tank, and pour some down the carb.

 

If it were me I would pull the distributor out and install a priming toll that is run by a drill and connects to the oil pump shaft turning it as if the motor was running . But if you are not familiar with pulling and replacing the distributor , just keep on with turning it through with the plugs out until you get oil pressure . If your car only has lites and no gauges , invest in an inexpensive oil pressure gauge and install it so you will know exactly what you have .

 

Rotary button?

Make sure it has a rotary button.

Very easy to overlook a missing rotary button if you are in a hurry or not familiar with the distributor.

Bert

 

Re: oil light wont go off

It takes time/revolutions for the pump to draw the oil from the pan up to the pump, fill the oil filter and then pressurize the system. This always takes more time when you change the oil and filter. Doing this with the starter is not ideal but it seems like you might get into more trouble taking the distributor out. If you can wait for help or take it to a shop that would be better. Like it was said above, you could probably get away without getting oil pressure first. I wouldn't do it but it comes down to personal preference.

 

Re: oil light wont go off

Andy is right on. by you getting spark from the coil , that shows that the points ect. are working. there is a problem from the coil wire on. Ck to see if some one has removed the rotor button and ck to see if the dist cap is corroded in the towers. the spark plug wires are bad, ect.
i would just take it easy on the engine for about 500 miles or so, after you get running.

 

wow thank you everyone for your wisdom. I am headed out to give it a try. have a great week

 

weak points

I m not sure what that previous post was all about but anyway. I checked the points and they are opening and closing well. But there isnt much pop to it. just a little sizzle and barely any visibly spark.

I checked the black button on top of the cap and its there with a copper ring around it and the 8 copper studs sticking down were a little pitted and coroded but i just wiped them off with a fine wire cloth and they are all shiny.


Oh and the oil light is now gone. great advice.

so why cant I get any fire to my plugs. is the coil wore out/not hot enough or perhaps the Capacitor under the distributor cap is not working?

i get a little spark at the points but i figure if it wont jump a 1/32" then it wont jump the plug gap. what do you guys think and what should i do. I have a really big sledge hammer i thought about using but came here instead.

 

Went over your post. You said you got the shock of your life at one point. That would indicate that the system is doing something. Just the 8 volts at the points will do nothing. Simplest way to check for spark is to take a plug out and ground it to the motor. Turn the motor over and you should have a nice sharp blue spark occur in the gap. If not then we need to run down other stuff in the ignition.

By the way most of us post a name or nickname to be addressed by here.

Keep at it. All it needs to run is fuel, air, compression and spark.

 

There shouldn't be any spark at the points. The points are, simply put, a switch for the coil. The only spark you have would come from the coil.

You can clean away corrosin under the cap but you can't erase a carbon track. You can clean the rotor but you can't fill the pits to bring it back to specs. Plug wires get old and develop added resistance, the only cure is a new wire set. Points can be fickle, I've replaced several sets that "looked" great but no longer performed their task. Points aren't rebuilt they are replaced.

 

thank you guys for going direct to my problems and helping me out.

I'll be back soon with updates after i get some new wires. Any suggestions on that? I just need some that'll do the job. nothing fancy!

How do i know if the points "in the cap" are bad?

have a great one,

Corey

 

furious goat. I laughed out loud at the discription of your screen name. 'sold goat bought buick". My grandfather used to be referred to as the "goat man" you wouldnt believe the things he would get by trading a goat. lol
GREAT NAME. and thanks for your input

 

SS TRUCK - had commented that its very important not to use a FRAM OIL filter . Why is that?