Opinions please.

[mooG60 11]

I wanted to try and gain some sort of idea as to what state my engine could be in after sitting in a garage for 16 years.

 

The engine was fine and I believe that the super charger or some other auxiliary part failed before I garaged it.

 

So, I was wondering is there any chance that it won't be rusted up internally due to having a coating of oil and could run again with the correct fettling, or am I dreaming and it will most definitely be a rusted hulk of iron ore? The one thing that concerns me most is the cylinders.

 

If any one with past experiences could give me their opinion it would be great.

[Gti_Jamo 10]

Getting it turning by hand via the crank pulley would be the best starting point. Take the plugs out and drop a little oil down them. If no moisture has got into the bores then it should be fine. It may be worth pulling the cam cover off and removing camshaft to make sure none of the hydraulic tappets are stuck down. New timing belt would also be advisable.

 

Or you could just hook up a battery with some new fuel and chance your luck lol.

[mooG60 11]

Back in "the day" your second suggestion would have been my first option. I have since matured and must now to take the sensible approach. To many years spent bashing myself over my reckless nature and fool hardy beliefs :lol:

 

 

Manually turning the crank was my first thought with a little WD40 down the tubes. I'm reluctant to do anything at all because once I've done that I will be no nearer to fixing it as I am lacking certain knowledge and facilities sadly. A micro camera would be a good idea, obtaining one is another matter.

 

Am I correct in assuming that if the tappets are stuck the valves will hit the piston at TDC when I turn it over?

 

Thanks for the reply!

Edited July 4, 2017 by mooG60

[Yandards 0]

A lot of this will come down to money, as in how much do you want to spend coupled with what you want out of the car.

 

Use engine oil not WD40 as it will strip the oil in the bores.

 

If you are hand turning then you won't have enough strength to cause any piston damage by turning it over if the valve train is playing up, you should be able to get all the way around on the bottom end twice to check - TDC mark of '0' should be visible on the flywheel.

 

As for the rest of the rebuild stuff - anything with a bit of rubber on it/in it needs replacing, notably rubber fuel lines in the engine bay prior to even considering an engine start, the coolant hoses will be ok but some of the plastic connections may not, ie the radiator neck, cylinder head coolant flange etc.

 

Also worth an injector refurb (plenty of eBay options there), brake caliper overhaul/seal replacement (those rubber things again), new master cylinder (that'll be a mess internally) and all the suspension bushes, top mounts, dampers etc.

 

I'd also swap the oil and filter prior to engine starting and assuming you get it running again drop the coolant the first time you get it warmed up as well.

 

Then onto heater matrix change (it'll probably be a bit of a state again) and oil and coolant swap a couple of times over the first 1000 miles to make sure anything that else kicking around in there doesn't cause an issue.

[VEEDUBBED 0]

Hmm, I'm in the same boat as you mate..

Mine's been idle for 8+ years now, not as many years as yours but quite a bit regardless.

What kind of garage is your Corrado in? Damp or dry? Heated? Is the car sitting on its original tyres?

First thing, drain ancient fuel and change fuel filter, remove injectors and get them ultrasonically cleaned. Check fuel pump(s) if they actually run and aren't seized.

Change all oils, especially brake fluid, got abs? Prey that the pump or valves aren't stuck or damaged.

Change all rubber belts regardless, change the antifreeze and check the water pump hasn't seized, also flush out the Power steering system and pipes.

[STU175 0]

if the "super charger or some other auxiliary part failed" the last thing I would do is try turning it by hand with the aux belt still on!

 

I would remove the supercharger belt to make sure when turning the engine over more damage isn't caused if something has failed on the charger.

the supercharger will need rebuilding or at the very least a new belt on it.(the small one under the black cover that keeps the 2 halfs of the charger in sync)

check that hasn't snapped.

[mooG60 11]

There is quite a lot to consider. A lot more than I had imagined.

 

I have had some success turning the engine over but it seems I have one stuck valve.

 

Slightly late reply but I forgot about making this post.

 

Thanks for the helpful info :thumbleft:

[Dox 23]

Take the cam cover off and remove the cam, a stuck Valve will be easy to spot. You can do a proper compression test without risking Valve damage as all valves will be closed and there's no chance of shredding teeth on the aging belt.

[mooG60 11]

Take the cam cover off and remove the ............

 

 

This seems like the best course of action. Is there anything important to consider when removing the cam shaft for refitting?

 

It's been 35 years since I tinkered with engines so my mind is a little cloudy.

 

Thanks for you help Dox!

[VEEDUBBED 0]

Loosen the can caps slowly, do one at a time starting with the center one.

The caps are numbered so take note before of all the positions.

After a 16+ year sleep I reckon your gonna need to change ALL the tappers regardless..

Tap the caps to remove them using a plastic mallet.

I'd change the oil stem seals too as they will be probably rock hard now, also measure the lengths of the valve springs as well.

[Gti_Jamo 10]

Make sure you mark the timing belt on the camshaft pulley before you remove that or you will need to re-time the engine. You will need to slacken the belt tensioner bolt to get the belt off. Make sure the belt doesn't slip an the auxiliary shaft as it's easily done. Check how the hydraulic tappets are sitting and see if any are lower down as this would indicate a stuck open valve. You'll not be able to remove the valve springs and you can't get to the valve stem seals with the head fitted without special tools and equipment. You don't want to touch the valve springs anyway as their position is critical for proper valve seating - you move them then they won't shut the valves properly. If a valve is stuck. Some gentle taps with a small hammer should get it moving again. Not much more you can do with it. In all fairness though, your best course of action is to strip the head off and get it all done properly.

[Dox 23]

Sooner or later you're going to have to spend money. What are you trying to achieve, get it running then sell or a resto for yourself?

[mooG60 11]

Sooner or later you're going to have to spend money. What are you trying to achieve, get it running then sell or a resto for yourself?

 

The car was in good order when it broke down, so in my mind I was hoping that it would work again with out serious issue. My plan was to get the car running first and then I could attend to the other jobs over time as a project. This involved getting the charger rebuilt and then hopefully get it started, or diagnose the initial fault. If it looked like I had to spend thousands more £'s I would stop and re-garage for the future.

 

I hadn't considered the amount of other work that may be neededto get it started. At the prices garages charge it will become an expensive project very quickly.

 

I think I have watched to many episodes of Desert Car Kings :lol:

 

Thanks for the helpful info guys.

[Dox 23]

The car was in good order when it broke down, so in my mind I was hoping that it would work again with out serious issue. My plan was to get the car running first and then I could attend to the other jobs over time as a project. This involved getting the charger rebuilt and then hopefully get it started, or diagnose the initial fault. If it looked like I had to spend thousands more £'s I would stop and re-garage for the future.

 

I hadn't considered the amount of other work that may be neededto get it started. At the prices garages charge it will become an expensive project very quickly.

 

I think I have watched to many episodes of Desert Car Kings :lol:

 

Thanks for the helpful info guys.

Whereabouts are you? Maybe someone local could take a look for you and advise you better?

[mooG60 11]

Whereabouts are you? Maybe someone local could take a look for you and advise you better?

 

I'm based in Leamington. I was kind of hoping there would be someone out there but was reluctant to ask. I figured people are busy with their own lives and would strike a blank.

 

If I could find some one competent who has spare time and the knowledge I would be happy to pay. I just can't afford the hourly charges that the specialists would charge for any extensive work.

 

A lot of jobs I am capable of doing myself which would bring down the bill a large amount, but I am lacking ramps and equipment needed sadly.