advice on starting a Series III after 3 years

[laurenceholden]

My Series III has been sitting unstarted for 3 years under a a shed roof (a long story I won't go into)! Any advice would be appreciated on how best to prepare to start it up after all this time to avoid any damage -

Besides making sure it has all its fluids topped up, gas tank drained and refilled with fresh petrol, a freshly charged battery and brand new spark plugs - squirt a little oil in the spark plug holes to lubricate the pistons? change the engine oil and filter first (might it all have turned to gunk after 3 years)? Before I parked it, it ran absolutely fine. I really want to get my Rover going again!

[Sputnicker]

Your list sounds good. You might also consider cranking the engine (with spark plugs removed) long enough to fill the filter and get some oil pressure. This will make sure that everything is lubricated before it sees high revs (on dry bearing surfaces). It also gets the fuel pumped into the carb so it won't have to crank so long (with compression).

Starting fluid can also be helpful if it's reluctant to fire.

[laurenceholden]

I later thought - rather than squirting a little oil in the spark plug holes (which will foul the plugs) better to taking the valve cover off and pour some of the oil up there that I'll use to refill the engine oil?

Thanks for the suggestion to remove the plugs and turn the engine over a few times to help get some oil pumped thru gently - just barely hitting the starter switch several times to gradually turn it over several times - I'm imagining those bearings and piston rod inserts around the crank shaft.

[LRMAN]

Remove the spark plugs, squirt enough MMO in there to cover the top of the piston, turn the engine over a couple of times with a breaker bar. Then run the starter to blow the excess MMO out the spark plug holes. Squirt a little(couple of drops) gas in each cylinder and replace the spark plugs with new. Check your points. They are likely corroded but you should be able to sand them a little with some emory paper to liven them up. Start the engine. Run until warm and change the oil again.

Drive it!

This assumes all other mechanical systems are working properly...like the brakes!

[Nium]

The clutch disk may have rusted to the flywheel as well. Once you get the engine all pre-lubed. Start the rover in second to break the clutch loose. It'll jerk like heck when you try and start it in gear. I'm not really sure how else to break a clutch loose. Maybe put it in gear, set the parking brake or chock the back wheels, have someone depress the clutch pedal and rotate the engine with a big wrench, ignition off and plugs out (to make it easier). Or maybe you got lucky and the clutch disk isn't rusted to the flywheel. Someone else on here may know a better way too.

Happy Rovering,
Walker
"Ronnie"
1968 Series IIA, 2.25 Petrol

[laurenceholden]

Remove the spark plugs, squirt enough MMO in there to cover the top of the piston, turn the engine over a couple of times with a breaker bar. Then run the starter to blow the excess MMO out the spark plug holes. Squirt a little(couple of drops) gas in each cylinder and replace the spark plugs with new. Check your points. They are likely corroded but you should be able to sand them a little with some emory paper to liven them up. Start the engine. Run until warm and change the oil again.

Drive it!
What is MMO?

[Nium]

MMO=Marvel Mystery Oil

[JimCT]

Check the fluids, jump start the battery and drive the thing.

[laurenceholden]

did most of what y'all recommended. I changed the oil, checked all the fluids, drained gas tank and refilled with fresh, squirted a little Marvel Mystery oil in plug holes, poured a little oil in valve cover, turned the engine gently over with crank. new plugs, fresh battery. Turned the ignition and the engine turned over smartly but wouldn't catch. No fuel yet reaching filter right just before line goes into carb. didn't want to waist more battery power pumping gas up, so removed line and filled fuel line with gas. Still wouldn't start. Removed distributor cap, ran some fine emery cloth between the points, checked the gap (right one). lubricated everything in distributor and put it all back together. Then she started right up first turn of the ignition! Looking in my log I see the last time I started her was in September of 2005. Almost 4 years. Pretty amazing.

thanks for all the advice - it helps in thinking thru these things.

[graniterover]

Laurence, bad manners to not post a pic! Especially after all the help you got. ;-)

[laurenceholden]

Me and my Rover doing what we like best - wandering and flyfishing in the mountains of the Southern Appalachians: