Hello all I am getting a lot of advice about starting the 235 after not being run for about 6 years. I heard it run when I bought it. Some say oil the cylinders down with this or that some say turn the key. The carb has been cleaned and rebuilt, fluids have all been changed cold valve adjustment will be done before turning the key, new wiring and a new battery. I know a lot of you all have done this what works the best? Thanks for the help! Papy
Hopefully Nate will chime in. If you're not patient, I would a) turn it over by hand to make sure it's free b) crank it with the starter until the oil is flowing good c) THEN give it ignition and gas I'd want it lubed up good before putting fire to it; and you don't want too much unburned gas washing the cylinder walls.
Rides I'm ten years into this project so patient, slow and don't have clue what I'm doing all fit. The motor is free and ran just don't want to screw up at this point. Thanks Papy
For one that has sat for six years there is a good chance the rod and main journals are dry and it shouldn't be turned at all till it's primed with a priming tool. It fits in place of the distributor and can be spun with a drill motor (clockwise) till oil comes out of the rocker arms. I googled "oil pump priming tool" and got 175,000 hits ranging from $7 and up. I like to prime with the crank turned in several positions but if you leave it where it's at and mark the rotor location it will be in time when the dizzy is put back in.
My two cents I recently started up a 235 engine that has been sitting at the ranch for probably 20 years...and who knows how many more before that. It turns out that my son long ago took the body and left me with the mechanical and frame. It has been sitting out in the rain and dirt...as a matter of fact, it even had some type of nasty nest in the carb/intake. Cleaned up everything....redid carb, starter, checked static settings, put in oil, took out plugs after checking that I was getting fire. Turned it with no fire to get it loose and oiled. Put in plugs. Now, for a side bar....I had actually taken the starter and carb out a couple of years ago....redid them then....went on a few 1000 and 2000 and 400 mile trips with those as spares. Carried them everywhere feeling secure...Ha, Ha....turns out both of them did not fit my truck. I checked them as I was doing the restart on the other engine. Ha, Ha on me! Carrying them all over Texas and the Southwest! And they would not have worked! Back to the story....I do not have a gas tank for it yet...and to avoid any problems with gas, tanks, lines, pump and stuff....I hooked up an oil quart bottle with gas (It also limits the amount of potential fire) put it above the engine to feed the carb. Next, I hooked up my battery booster....ran a ten inch hot wire....and tried it! It ran immediately, pretty strong, steady, smooth, and sounds nice! I ran it like that a few times making some adjustments. Actually, this engine is much, much better than the one I have in my truck...It turns out all of the ignition stuff was brand new...as of twenty years ago. I think I was lucky to have eliminated lots of problems by putting my own gas source and battery source. It was lots of work, but fun...especially when it ran so good after all those years it was out in the elements...had I known...I would have covered it up and taken better care of it all those years. My two cents. rod
starting Picked up my 235 from a hot rodder who pulled it and let it sit in his garage for 5 or so years. Brought it home, put an NOS carb on it, new fuel pump, pulled the plugs and shot a squirt of oil in each cylinder and spun it with the starter until I saw the oil pressure come up on the gauge. Put plugs in and it started right up and has been running great ever since about 8-9 years now.
