Author Topic: Attempt at Starting  (Read 1904 times)

Offline Blowout

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Attempt at Starting
« on: November 12, 2021 - 12:09:47 PM »
Was going to attempt at trying to get an engine started that's been sitting for a long time.  At least try to get it to crank over. It's a 74 Challenger 360 Rallye car that has the numbers matching engine. All there.  Any pointers or advice?




Offline mrwfp

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Re: Attempt at Starting
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2021 - 01:57:08 PM »
Make sure that you have fresh oil in the crankcase. Remove the spark plugs. Put the tranny in neutral. Using either a torque wrench or breaker bar and a socket that fits on the large nut of the lower crank pulley, see if you can rotate the crank by hand.  If you can turn the motor over by hand a full 720 degrees (twice) without any binding or funny noises coming from the valves or crank, then it is probably safe to try using the starter. Install the spark plugs and try it with the starter.

Offline 70chall440

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Re: Attempt at Starting
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2021 - 12:13:15 AM »
If you really want to be cautious you can pull the distributor and prime the engine or when you have the plugs out (after ensuring that you can rotate the engine by hand) pull the coil wire and spin the engine over with the starter and check for oil pressure. Also make sure you have fuel in the bowl/s of the carb and sprinkle a little into the carb mouth so that the engine will fire right away. Make sure you have a good charged battery in the car as well.

Its not rocket science and relatively hard to screw up.
Current Mopar
70 Challenger RT 440-6 EFI, 73 Cuda 416-6 EFI
05 Hemi Durango, 01 Ram 4x4, 14 Ram 2500 4X4, 10 PCP Challenger 6 spd RT, 01 Viper GTS ACR, 52 B3B w/330 Desoto Hemi, 70 Hemi RR (under const)
Past Mopars
9 x Challengers. AAR Cuda, 4 RR, 2 GTX, 4 Chargers, etc... (too many to list)

Offline jimynick

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Re: Attempt at Starting
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2021 - 09:34:12 PM »
If you really want to be cautious you can pull the distributor and prime the engine or when you have the plugs out (after ensuring that you can rotate the engine by hand) pull the coil wire and spin the engine over with the starter and check for oil pressure. Also make sure you have fuel in the bowl/s of the carb and sprinkle a little into the carb mouth so that the engine will fire right away. Make sure you have a good charged battery in the car as well.

Its not rocket science and relatively hard to screw up.

 :iagree:  Pretty good advice and I'd also check to make sure there's coolant in it and that the water pump turns and the belts aren't ready to fly off. Try to also make sure there's some ventilation where you start it, because you may have a few surprises fly out the tailpipes.  ;)  Let us know how you make out- I've got a 74 Rallye myself.