Motor sitting for eight years..dry start or not?

[The_Big_Red_One]

I have a Suzuki motorcycle which has been sitting without being started for eight years. I wanted to ask the oil gurus if there will still be enough of an oil film on the engine parts to just start it up, or if I need to pull the valve cover and run some oil over the cams and down the spark plug holes before starting. Any feebback would be greatly appreciated

 

[Bill in Utah]

Pull the plugs and turn it over for 10 secs at a time about 3 times.

I'd also drain the oil and put in some fresh oil before this.

Then put the plugs back in and try to start it. Hopefully the jets are not clogged.

Take care, Bill

PS:

 

[Rickey]

What kind of storage conditions? Humidity and it's cousin condensation can be a factor.

Maybe pour a little MMO in the spark plug hole(s). Let it set a while then turn it over briskly with the plugs out. Changing the oil before and soon after its cranked is cheap insureance.

If there was fuel left in it it is almost certainly putrid by now. If there is evidence of this such as gooey mess in the fuel tank you might consider a carb refurbishment/cleaning before you even try to start it. This may eliminate some frustration. If someone drained the carb and tank before storage then disregard the other writing in this paragraph.

Good luck sir.

Rickey.

 

[TimVipond]

Be sure to check your tires. They may be cracked, dry rotted, hardened/brittle. Hate to see joyfully get the bike started, then crash going around the first corner! You might check the air filter area to. Mice like stored motorcycles!

Which Suzuki?

 

[mstrjon32]

Absolutely drain the fuel and replenish with fresh fuel. My dad's Corvette sat for only 2 years and barely ran with the fuel that was in there. I can't imagine how bad it would have been after 8!

 

[Sparkman]

I like to prime the cylinders with a little 2-cycle gas to give it some UCL.

 

[PT1]

1. Drain & refill gas with 1 gal premium
2. pull plugs and squirt in a small amount of marvel mystery oil in cylinders then run starter intermittently for a minute with plugs out.
3. Change oil & filter
4. re-install plugs and fire up the bike..EASY .do not gas it. Let it idle for 5-10 minutes before roling on the throttle
5. Shut off, check tires, steering, brakes, lights (especially stop lamps).
6. If all looks Ok....go for a 10-15 mile slow easy ride close to home with a cell phone in case you break down. Top off with fresh 91> octane fuel.
7. Bring back and go over bike in great detail. Add 2 oz of gumout complete fuel system cleaner to full tank of gas for the next 5 tankfuls

 

[PT1]

WARNING: When draining fuel.....inspect inside of fuel tank with flashlight. If you find ANY rust....STOP! Fuel tank must be removed cleaned or replaced if unable to be completely cleaned.

 

[Fordiesel69]

My method is to remove plugs, spray WD-40, PB blaster, MMO, or whatever you like down the cylinders and push the motorcycle a few times to get to oil flowing and the cylinders loose. Then you can start it up.

 

[Max_Wander]

i feel bad for that one fatigued valve spring that sat, squashed for 8 yrs!

 

[double vanos]

Don't forget the AutoRx!!!!

 

[WishIhadatruck]

Most importantly, good luck!

 

[Panzerman]

Dont worry so much about the Rust in the tank, I found a old 1977 DT175, the tank was rusty and still is I just cleaned it out and Ive been running it for a year now , its still rusty and no problems. I would use some premix gas(about a 70:1 ratio) to loosen it up, but I wouldnt worry about a dry start, I doubt it gonna fire up first try. It will get turned over plenty before it starts.

 

[Big Jim]

I would worry about a rusty tank. The shop I worked in had a 64 Thunderbird towed in about two years ago by someone willing to spend some money to get it running again. He had us replace the carburetor, replace the plugs, points, and plug wires, service the transmission, overhaul the brakes (caliper and wheel cylinder overhaul required), coolant flush, water pump, and much more that I don't remember now. It ran great. It was road tested before releasing it to the customer.

He left the shop and went straight to a gas station and filled the tank only to discover he had a fuel tank leak. He returned to us immediately. The tank had rusted through right above the line of where the fuel level was all the time it was in storage. The tank had to be replaced.

The old rule really still stands. Store any vehicle that holds gasoline with a full tank.

 

[Big Jim]

And on the original question. After that length of time I would not try to spin the engine until pulling the plugs and squirting some oil into the cylinders.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

Not sure I wouldn't pull the valve covers off, maybe mix a little moly assembly lube with PCMO and wet down the cam lobes, it COULDN't be good starting those up dry if you have the option. Me, I'd figure out a way to rig up a gravity flow from another container of gas to feed the bowls, that tank IS going to be nasty inside, and the carbs is not where you want that nasty to travel to.

GFL!

 

[Steve S]

Quote:

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I have a Suzuki motorcycle which has been sitting without being started for eight years. I wanted to ask the oil gurus if there will still be enough of an oil film on the engine parts to just start it up, or if I need to pull the valve cover and run some oil over the cams and down the spark plug holes before starting. Any feebback would be greatly appreciated

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Yes with new oil in the crankcase ,crank it with out sparkplugs for a bit.