As above, I'm gonna attempt to fire up the V8 soon.

It's been sitting in my garage for the last 4 years. What special steps do I need to take? Specifically, will I need to prime the oil pump as for a rebuilt engine?

Thanks.

I started my 6 pot TVR engine for the first time in 8 years last week...


New oil, filters, carbs checked and lubed... Valves checked, ignition timing checked...


Crank...Crank....Crank.... Fire!!


If you think it might be siezed or have no oil preventing rust inside then you might have to take a different couse of action

take the spark plugs off and turn the engine over on the starter, will be kinder on the starter if you push the clutch in while doing this. Keep turning till you hear the engine speed increase as the oil reaches the main bearings. Make sure the starter doesn't get too hot though. Give the battery a good charge before hand.



[Edited on 5/12/08 by Mr Whippy]

I'd take the plugs out and turn it over by hand a couple of times, using a ring spanner on the end of the crank - at least you'll know that it will turn over on the starter without breaking anything.

rover v8?

you may find the oil has draied from the pump so it may need priming.

number of ways of doing this:
1. fill gears with vaseline (need to take oil pump cover over)
2. fill oil pump via a take off like if you have an oil cooler
3. make took to whaz the oil pump gear

I have use .1 followed by 3. but 3. should work on its own. You need to remove the dizzy - mark it first at TDC for cyl 1 so you can ut it back in same location i.e. you won't lose timing.

You need to buy the tool or make one, I made one from a long M8 bolt and some tubing. Stick it in a cordless drill and whaz away on low speed - once the pump primes beware the drill as it will "grab" due to the resistance.

if you are local, you can pop over to borrow my tool - it is for the later SD1 pump even though I have early P6 distributor but I modified the drive in case some RV8 anorak points out the obvious!

here is the tool I made earlier, 's not pretty but works.

Yes, its a Rover V8.

I've been periodically turning the engine by hand over the years, so no worries about it being seized... if anything I've been over zealous at keeping the bores well oiled, so I expect lots of smoke!

It was info on priming the oil pump that I was after. Thanks O2GF74.

I was advised to lift the cam covers and liberally pour oil over the cam shaft and accociated bits before starting. Mine's only a 4 pot but it seams to make sense and I'm sure how much oil you'd get pumped to the top of the engine by turning over on the starter motor - even without the plugs.

Do you have a remote filter - I do and just filled both pipes and that seemed to work fine.

Might be worth doing that then spinning it over with plugs out to ensure you have good pressure. Then in with plugs and leads and burble burble.

ATB

Simon

With a rover V8 it is VITAL that you prime the oil pump. If not, even with the engine running, oil will not be pupmed around the engine and BY BY engine.

I use the same method as 02GF74 but my simple tool consists of a length of narrow steel pipe with a slot in the end. This fits in my drill on a very slow speed . You can feel the cange in the drill as oil starts to circulate and see it in the rocker gear..

Paul

Check the thermostat. I started an engine fairly readily after it had been standing for 8 years. It boiled up after only a few minutes. I thought it was the head gasket at first. It turned out to be a tennis ball sized ball of rust that sat where the thermostat used to be. There was no water flow whatsoever.
Geoff.

quote:

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Originally posted by Paul (Notts)
You can feel the change in the drill as oil starts to circulate and see it in the rocker gear..

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