Preoiling , rarely started engine

[GNONYX]

How many mileage is on the car?

 

[John Davidson]

Sorry to take so long. I don't log-in here everyday.

The car has 27,000 original miles on the odometer, and as per CarFax and AutoCheck, seems to be appropriate. Long story behind it, but I have great hope for the car. I am going to try and take some videos and photos, and likely create a blog/diary of my time with the car. I am going to pull the headliner cardboard down (carefully, no broken clips!!) to get at the build sheet. The options code sticker on the trunk lid is perfect (as is the trunk surprisingly). It will be a slow process as I must get approval of the other half of my Budget Committee for any expenses...happy wife...happy life!

 

[vacuum 6]

My rule cost/2 when I talk to my wife.

Also I sell parts and recycle money for new parts.

 

[Heisenberg]

All I can do is try. What gets me there are some pretty reputable guys in this thread telling people it's ok to dry crank your motor. Worse than that unplug the coil and module so it won't start resulting in even more dry cranking. NOT SMART!

It's pure common sense. Never dry crank a motor to get oil pressure.

Rick

LOL - I know.
I saw that too and went "Wut the %$#*&?"
And whats with the the coil module, and the crank sensor - they are all so easy to get to (not) - when all one would have to do is reach around to the battery and unplug the ECM orange lead.
Makes me say ..."hmmmmm"

Well you might be wrong though - you can dry crank a fresh engine to get oil pressure.
Once.

 

[Heisenberg]

Sorry to take so long. I don't log-in here everyday.

The car has 27,000 original miles on the odometer, and as per CarFax and AutoCheck, seems to be appropriate. Long story behind it, but I have great hope for the car. I am going to try and take some videos and photos, and likely create a blog/diary of my time with the car. I am going to pull the headliner cardboard down (carefully, no broken clips!!) to get at the build sheet. The options code sticker on the trunk lid is perfect (as is the trunk surprisingly). It will be a slow process as I must get approval of the other half of my Budget Committee for any expenses...happy wife...happy life!

You might be disappointed after doing all that work to take down the headliner to find nothing but bare sheet metal underneath.

They stash those "broadcast sheets" all over the place.
If they are even stashed anywhere- which is no guarantee.
Under the rear seat, in the door, even under the hood insulator.

Don't get your hopes too high.
But I wish you the best.

 

[Heisenberg]

Sorry to take so long. I don't log-in here everyday.

I must get approval of the other half of my Budget Committee for any expenses...happy wife...happy life!

We had a downsizing a couple years back and I was forced to layoff or dismiss the other half of the budget committee.
I also lost 135 lbs in the process. (Her)
However, with the reduction in expenses for curtains, pillows and general non-essential kitchen crap, (the only essential kitchen item is a pizza box) - that left a considerable amount of new, discretionary spending to occur for Buick essentials.
I found it to be a win-win.

 

[rpoL98]

i installed an electric oil pump (pre-luber) on my 87 GN. had to get a pipe-thread bung welded to the oil pan sump for the suction-side of the pump. pump electricals are hooked up to a relay and an under-dash push-button. it pressurizes the oil galleys before i crank the engine. it's also run through a dedicated separate oil filter. there's a check-valve in the oil line to prevent back-flow when the motor starts up. i hold the button down, watch the oil pressure come up on the mechanical oil pressure gauge before turning the key to start. the oil pump/system came from a now-defunct company (ORT, Oregon Research Technology) that was selling this kit for the GN's back in the late 80's. the electronic timing module failed after about 20yrs, not too bad, on-board relays), so i replaced that with one of those import-tuner turbo timers (& separate relays) to run the oil pump to cool the turbo bearings after engine shut-down. it's been on the car since 1988. other than the control module, it's reliable and doesn't leak.

while i was at it, i had a bung welded on both sides of the pan, in case i ever wanted to install an oil temp gauge. it helps that the 3.8L V6 oil pan is a lot easier to take off, re-install than a chevy V8 (timing cover).

 

[Jay J]

We had a downsizing a couple years back and I was forced to layoff or dismiss the other half of the budget committee.
I also lost 135 lbs in the process. (Her)
However, with the reduction in expenses for curtains, pillows and general non-essential kitchen crap, (the only essential kitchen item is a pizza box) - that left a considerable amount of new, discretionary spending to occur for Buick essentials.
I found it to be a win-win.

THAT is funny!

 

[John Davidson]

Regarding the build/broadcast sheet: No doubt. I am hopeful as I have pulled the back seats up/out to clean them but did not find it there. My next step is the headliner. Hopefully it was a "Monday through Thrusday" car, and not a "Friday" car. Lol.

Glad to hear about your win-win (and funny to read), i am sorry to hear about the downsizing. I have no plans to "layoff" the other member of my budget committee. Lol. We are a great team, and she keeps my balance sheet in the black. When she spends, I spend. It's a win-win. It just takes a little longe. I work two jobs, so I get a little extra wiggle room most months.

Holidays coming up, so a little less to spend. And with the teeth of winter biting in January, my days of working on cars in the driveway on my back or butt like that are LOOOOOONG behind me...

 

[earlbrown]

I'm sure he's fine. Normally after a layoff from upper management, the 'interview' and 'collecting applications' stage takes over. That's a time consuming process with all of the 'oral interviews' and 'videotaped interviews' and 'thinking outside the box' prequalification exercises.

 

[Don Smith]

Your journey sounds just like mine. Car sitting outside for 3 years, no cover, no start. I was wondering the same thing about the dry start. My new purchase has 58k from the original owner. I think I might just go with the orange wire disconnect after replacing all the fluids and adding the ZDP stuff to the oil. Still digesting all these replies to your original question. Great thread!

 

[Jay J]

Your journey sounds just like mine. Car sitting outside for 3 years, no cover, no start. I was wondering the same thing about the dry start. My new purchase has 58k from the original owner. I think I might just go with the orange wire disconnect after replacing all the fluids and adding the ZDP stuff to the oil. Still digesting all these replies to your original question. Great thread!

Would like to hear how this one works out. please keep us posted!

 

[Don Smith]

Would like to hear how this one works out. please keep us posted!

Just spoke to the original owner and he used Mobil 1 since new and per this thread that oil disapates so it looks like I will be pre-oiling before first start.

 

[earlbrown]

Two years ago, I poured 5 quarts of Mobil1 in my engine without the drain plug in....


There's still a layer on my carport floor. It doesn't evaporate.

 

[we4Mateo]

My car sat without being turned over for almost three years. We replaced the tank and fuel pump and fired it up. That was with 23k original miles. Car now has 91k and runs great. I did put bearings in it at about 70k but that was from a misfire that bent all 6 rods. The bearings on #1 and #4 looked great still as did the cam bearings. Just my experience. I'm in no way suggesting that pre-oiling is bad, but it may not always be needed. Experiment at your own risk.

 

[jim0207]

I see you are from Canada. My GN sits a lot in the winter. I found heating the oil in the oil pan before starting, it helps the oil move much faster to the valve train. I run Brad Penn's 10w-30. I like the ZDDP

 

[turbocamino1]

I see you are from Canada. My GN sits a lot in the winter. I found heating the oil in the oil pan before starting, it helps the oil move much faster to the valve train. I run Brad Penn's 10w-30. I like the ZDDP

Probably been covered but am too lazy to read all prior posts...i imagine its relative to the amount of spring pressure you have at the cam more than anything...ive seen 980s come out, after only a couple seasons, at 50-55lbs ... My car sits Dec. Jan. Feb. some of march and i run more spring pressure than most on a f/t cam(115) I have a cam made out of preferall and hardened lifters...am still concerned. Im making an oil pan heater over this winter and get my oil good and hot before i fire it this spring

 

[John Davidson]

My car sat without being turned over for almost three years. We replaced the tank and fuel pump and fired it up. That was with 23k original miles. Car now has 91k and runs great. I did put bearings in it at about 70k but that was from a misfire that bent all 6 rods. The bearings on #1 and #4 looked great still as did the cam bearings. Just my experience. I'm in no way suggesting that pre-oiling is bad, but it may not always be needed. Experiment at your own risk.

What was wrong woth the gas tank that you replaced it?

 

[we4Mateo]

What was wrong woth the gas tank that you replaced it?

Rusty. Kept taking out pumps so eventually they just let the car sit.

 

[John Davidson]

Rusty. Kept taking out pumps so eventually they just let the car sit.

Gotcha. I am looking at dropping my tank to replace the fuel pump and investigate whether or not it is clean. The neck looks clear, but I want to see inside before I turn it over.

And sorry for the spelling. I meant "with", not woth.