I've been buying old cars for years (never restored vehicles, I'm talking
"been sitting in the barn since the 60's" old car)

I have never obtained a vehicle and not been able to get it to run within
two days, AS LONG AS I FOLLOW SET RULES!!!!

I've been meaning to write these down for years - I just got done getting my
new 53 dodge stepvan running, after it sat since 1970 without being started.

PLEASE, I know there are those out there that have items to add to this
list - please do so.

So, when you find that 1948 whatevermobile in the barn, you get it for a
good deal, and you drag it home, FOLLOW THESE RULES!!!

1. No matter what, no matter how tempting, NEVER put in a battery & try &
turn over the engine.   WAY too many things to be done first.

2. Pull the oil pan.  If the car has been sitting, all the gunk, goo, and
metal dust (yes, metal dust) has settled to the bottom of the pan.  Just
changing the oil won't get rid of it.  You turn that engine over, start it
up, and that goo goes right to the bearings, and you will be able to watch
an engine just die.  Pull the pan, clean thoroughly, re-install.

3. Drain the oil, change the oil filter, fill with 10W40.

4. Every time I bring a vehicle back to life, THE weak link is always the
water pump. It has been sitting, in its own water for years.  If you are
lucky, it has a grease fitting.  Grease it to death.  Otherwise, WD40 it to
death.

5. Drain the coolant, fill with WATER only.  BecAUSE AFTER YOU GET THE
ENGINE RUNNING, THE WATER PUMP HAS A 50/50 CHANCE OF BLOWING, AND YOU WILL
HAVE WASTED $$$ ON ANTIFREEZE.  aND IF THE PUMP DOESN'T BLOW  (damn caps
lock), you need to flush the coolant out anyway.

6. KNOW WHAT THE ORIGINAL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS!!!  If it was a 6volt
Positive ground system, you don't want to jump start it with your 2004 Chevy
Suburban.

7. NO MATTER WHAT - change all the wires, plugs, point(s) cap rotor,
condenser, even the coil (they are cheap).  Nothing is more frustrating than
chasing major problems for your whole weekend, only to find a $1.00
condenser is bad.

8. While the plugs are out, WD40 the crap down the plug whole.  Many people
swear by Marvels Mystery Oil.  I don't care for it, and I like WD40 since it
burns up quicker & is less likely to foul your new plugs.

9 Did I say DON'T TURN THE KEY YET???  DON'T TURN THAT ENGINE OVER!!

10. I can get any engine, any condition to run.  It breaks down to Fire &
fuel.  The above fixed the fire, now fix the fuel.  DO NOT PUT FUEL IN THE
GAS TANK!!!!!

11. Drop the tank.  You PROBABLY don't have to, you could PROBABLY get away
without it.  Trust me, however, nothing is more of a pain in the a.s,
nothing makes you kick yourself more,  than trying to get all of that tank
glop out of the lines, feul pump, carb, after you pumped it all thru the
system in your haste.  Drop the tank, clean it (soap & water & 1 inch
gravel, 20-30 pieces, shake like crazy) keep rinsing & repeating till the
water runs out clean.  Remove the tank sender first!!

12. "hot wire" the fuel - pipe a can of gas to just before the fuel pump
(temporary, just to see if things will work.

13. Now, the fun part.Get a nice, charged, 12 volt battery.  Put the
positive on the battery, ground the negative.  PULL THE COIL WIRE (As you DO
NOT want the car to start)  Jump the solenoid to the positive, and the
engine will spin.  Do it for two seconds (one thousand one, one thousand
two) then stop.  Anything smoking or on fire?  No?  Go to next step.

14. Do as in step 13, just for 5-6 seconds.  You are pumping the new, fresh
oil thruout the engine.

15. Fill your "hot wire" fuel tank with hi-test, connect the coil wire.
Jump the positive to the coil to power the beast, then jump the starter
solenoid.  Listen to that engine run (no more than 15 seconds first run, no
gunning it, and try to avoid either)

I avoid using the factory wiring until I have had a chance to inspect for
mice damage.

Did this today to my 53 Dodge stepvan.  Only hitch was I could not see the
condenser I was replacing, so I had to pull the didtributer to do it.  When
I reinstalled, I put it in 180 degress out of phase (I always do that)  I
also changed everything from a 6V positive ground to a 12v negative ground.

Sorry so long, this has worked for me for years, thought I'd share it.