08/25/2026
We performed a few additional steps that Maxwell didn't mention in the video that you'll want to undertake before trying to start a vehicle that has sat for several years:
- We had the battery on a trickle charger for a week before work commenced
- We performed a very thorough visual inspection
- We cleaned the carb
- We checked the air filter for furry friends or other obstructions
- We checked the oil level and added nearly two quarts due to a known leak – discovered during the visual inspection as coming from the strainer
- We temporarily ran a fuel line and in-line filter from the fuel pump to a fuel jug with fresh gas to bypass the fuel cell and any gunk that may have accumulated over the years
Then, as Maxwell and Tony said, the spark plugs were pulled and their condition checked. This is when we noticed one of the heads had been repaired as the plug threads on one side had been increased from M14 to M16.
With the spark plugs removed, a dry compression test was performed and showed three cylinders had very good, and similar, compression, while the fourth was 15psi lower than the highest. We then squirted a bit of oil in the cylinders and the wet compression test showed all four cylinders within ~4% variance. This is great news! For reference, 10% is generally considered a perfectly acceptable value for a street-driven engine.
Once the spark plugs were reinstalled the engine was turned over numerous times by hand with a breaker bar on the crankshaft (always in the direction of engine rotation!) to feel for potential obstructions. Once everything was verified multiple times, and documented…we fired ‘er up!
If you find a gem hiding in the barn we recommend you follow the same process before turning the key. These simple steps are a great investment because they can prevent unnecessary damage, ultimately saving you time and money.
