Starting again

[Ozdavroz]

So my R32 GTST has been sitting around at my old mum and dad's place for a few years now...and it's time to bring it home.

Main issue I have is that she hasn't been started in about 5 years or so, so I'm not too keen on just kicking it over and hoping that RB20 reputation for being un-killlable extends to long periods of neglect.

My plan is to get it running there so I can move it around,  then get it towed back to my place where I can start working on it properly. The old folks driveway is a bad place to start a project like that. I'm getting old too and also haven't stuffed around with cars since forever, so kinda learning this stuff again.

So far I've siphoned out all the shitty old fuel and topped up the coolant (thought it was fully dry but took 2 litres to fill the radiator). Planning on hitting the rusty rotors with some brake cleaner in case the tow truck driver gets a bit gung ho loading it up. As far as oil, it's got plenty although it's now dark in colour and obviously needs a change sooner rather than later.

Was doing some YouTube research and was planning to hand-crank the motor from the harmonic balancer with a 37mm socket and breaker bar, removing the spark plugs and spraying some "fogging oil" in the holes but there's not much room to get in there with the radiator fan right up against it. Jacking the car up takes too long and I can't leave it half done between visits.

So now I'm was thinking of cranking a few times it using the starter (removing plugs and spraying oil first). Reckon there's any chance it will do more damage that way if something's stuck inside the motor? Should I really change all fluids completely before I go any further?

Grateful for any other advice you guys have to get her going safely too.

 

 

 

[Duncan]

You've put new fuel in, you'll need a healthy new battery too then just send it. Even the brakes won't be an issue, the surface rust wipes off straight away.

[GTSBoy]

15 minutes ago, Ozdavroz said:

thought it was fully dry but took 2 litres to fill the radiator

You may well find that there is a big air bubble in there and plenty more coolant will be swallowed once it starts. So keep the bottle handy.

17 minutes ago, Ozdavroz said:

Was doing some YouTube research and was planning to hand-crank the motor from the harmonic balancer with a 37mm socket and breaker bar, removing the spark plugs and spraying some "fogging oil" in the holes but there's not much room to get in there with the radiator fan right up against it. Jacking the car up takes too long and I can't leave it half done between visits.

If you can roll it back and forth, you can make the pistons go up and down a bit by putting it in 3rd or 4th and giving it a shove.

[Ozdavroz]

5 minutes ago, Duncan said:

just send it.

Reckon it'll be OK after 5 years? Running RB20s aren't $1k/free to good home like they used to be!

Some might say a blown RB20 is a good time to move onto RB25 though...

[GTSBoy]

There's no good RB25s lying around either.

A blown RB20 is a good time to build it to take 35psi and give it a twin-charge using a nice screw compressor and a big fat turbo.

Blower makes it act like a 3L and turbo makes that act like a 6L.

[Ozdavroz]

14 minutes ago, GTSBoy said:

If you can roll it back and forth, you can make the pistons go up and down a bit by putting it in 3rd or 4th and giving it a shove.

This sounds do-able except space is a little tight were it's currently sitting. How many metres you reckon it would need to go?

[Ozdavroz]

16 minutes ago, GTSBoy said:

Blower makes it act like a 3L and turbo makes that act like a 6L.

Excellent...maybe even instead of RB rebuild start with 6L LS and add boost for good measure!

[Duncan]

It's fine. Basically if it has seized (eg due to moisture/rust in the bores) it will either break free on the starter or it won't turn....then you'll know it is freed up

If it turns and doesn't start (reasonably likely) you will need to troubleshoot but most likely issue is a seized injector from moisture; same if it starts but missfires.

Anything else could have happened (eg mice nibbling electricals) but the only way to find out is to close your eyes and hit the key

I'd also change the fuel filter again after a few minutes of running as it may catch a heap of crap on first start

[GTSBoy]

4 minutes ago, Ozdavroz said:

Excellent...maybe even instead of RB rebuild start with 6L LS and add boost for good measure!

That's the spirit!

[GTSBoy]

19 minutes ago, Ozdavroz said:

This sounds do-able except space is a little tight were it's currently sitting. How many metres you reckon it would need to go?

Not far. If all you want to do is know that they will reciprocate and move oil around a tiny bit, then a metre or so is all you need. Half metre fore and aft is enough.

[MBS206]

I wouldn't even move it like gTSBoy is saying. I'd seriously do what Duncan is saying.

Unplug the injectors, and unplug the fuel pump. 

Pull the spark plugs out. Have a look in quickly with a bore scope if you want.

At most, you can't spray a bit of oil into the bores so there is lubricant in there while you crank it. (Don't fill it, as it's only going to enter the exhaust, or spit at you out the spark plugs holes.

Before cranking the engine on the starter, after a 5 year sit I'd probably prime the oil system manually.

Easiest way to do so is to look at buying an oil filter relocation block, fit it to the engine. The pressure line going into the engine on this block you can then shove into some sort of oil pump, or put it into a bottle, with that hose going to the bottom. Fill bottle up with oil. Now seal the bottle and add a compressed air line to the top of the bottle. Feed compressed air in, about 20psi will be PLENTY. This will pump oil through the motor. Be aware, it also means it will drain back to the sump, so make sure you don't end up over filling the motor

Now bolt the old oil setup back on (or fully install the remote filter system).

 

This way you've at least pushed fresh oil everywhere, then you're letting the motor crank to then do its own oiling.

Then I'd tap the key to make sure it can start to crank, if the motor free bumps, then I'd just hit the key and let it crank.

After letting it crank and seeing you can get real engine oil pressure, put new spark plugs in, reconnect the fuel system electrics, and send it.

 

Additionally, you can look to remove the fuel feed line to the rail, and divert it to a tank so you can get the bottom of the tank shit out, and just incase there's some crud sitting anywhere that gets passed the fuel filter (or is already ahead of it).

 

If fuel injection at the injectors ends up appearing to be a problem, you can dump the injectors into an ultrasonic cleaner for a quick flush clean out. Note this isn't as good as new injectors, or getting them pro cleaned and flowed