Van Hasn't Run For 8 Years, Starting It

[Wandering Giraffe]

Hello,
I am glad I found this place and people.  I have a fixer upper that I want to move into asap but that isn't looking very soon.  Lots of work to do.

I have a 1991 Dodge B250 (77,000 miles) van that hasn't been started for 8 years and has some minor front end damage and a dislodged sliding cargo door.

The oil looks normal but will be changed along with all the other fluids after it starts.  The radiator is full.  I have a new battery.

I siphoned out the gas.  There wasn't much left.  But it was full of rust and had some crispy black chunks in it.  Wax I guess.

I would love to crank it up and drive it 20 or 30 feet before putting more money into it.

I would like feedback on my plan.  This weekend I am thinking about

1) Removing the spark plugs and spraying Kroll into the cylinders.
2) Putting in 5 gallons of gas, hoping the contaminants will be diluted and caught in the fuel filter
3) priming the carburetor by turning on the ignition repeatedly or manually if needed
4) Starting it up
5) Driving it 20-30 feet
6) Doing the happy dance

The original plan was to disconnect the fuel line and pour gas into the carburetor to get it started.  Then I started wanting to see if it would drive. 

I want to make sure it is working before putting a lot of time and money into it.  In fact it is pretty much all I have thought about for a while.  I want to know soon this is the right direction or switch to working on getting another van. 

So any advice on what to do now or in the process of getting it back on the road would be welcome.

Thanks for the help

 

[djkeev]

FYI...... this is NOT a carburetor to pour gas into. That puppy is fuel injected.

Pull the coil wire and crank it with the plugs removed to distribute oils and the oil you put in the cylinders around. Lay rags over the plug holes for that oil will come shooting out under pressure!
Actually I'd use a mix of 50% acetone and 50% ATF in the cylinders. A most excellent rust release product.
I would also let that mixture set in the cylinders for a week or so BEFORE operating the starter.

Rings can rust to the cylinder wall and actually break when suddenly moved.

Take your time, all should be good.

While the cylinders are soaking, pull down the fuel tank and flush it out well. Rust and crud in it will be nothing but a future highway breakdown headache for you.

Dave

 

[decodancer]

My motorhome had been sitting untouched for 4 years and with a new battery started right up. I did have to replace all 6 tires, a couple of dry rotted hoses and change oil and tranny fluid. After driving, a few other problems appeared. Power steering pump went (leak in hose leading to it), leak in rubber fuel line under motorhome, and power issues caused by leaks from the rubber donuts on the exhaust manifold. Be suspicious of anything rubber is my best advice. A tune up revealed a lot of rusty spark plugs as well but all is going good now. Good luck with your new van.

 

[GotSmart]

91 B250...  Sounds familiar.

what I had to do before I ran mine the first time.  .

Drop the gas tank (It is plastic) and thoroghly clean it.  (DO NOT JUST ADD GAS AND HOPE!) We had one member do just that, and never was able to make his van run right  You are looking at several hours of work.  
Replace every rubber hose (also clamps) on the top of the tank.  
djkeev gave the proper instructions to make sure the motor will work. 

Figure about $2,000 minimum to get that in traveling condition.

 

[caretaker]

i would pull the plugs and put diesel wilt extra oil added to it and put into each cylinder, go do something else like pulling the fuel lines off from the tank and the injector pump and blow air thru it to make sure nothing is in it, then get a socket and a breaker put it on the crank pulley turn SLOWLY a little,,maybe a half inch each way, if it turns relatively easily thats a good thing,,,MAKE SURE its in NEUTRAL, if it doesn't turn somethings wrong. if it does clean tank/fuel lines, since its injected i don't know what to do from there to the cyls. except the fuel needs to be fresh, put your new plugs wires ect. and DO NOT hookup the fuel lines yet, do every thing but that,,you DO NOT want it to start yet, turn the key, you want the engine to turn over but not start,watch your oil pressure gauge/light when the oil pressure goes up or light goes out stop cranking hook up fuel lines and you should be good to go.

 

[highdesertranger]

make sure that front end damage is repairable. the front ends on Dodges are a weak point. are the front frame horns rusted?

I thought it was a plastic tank. how do you get rust is a plastic tank? pull the tank thoroughly clean, find the part(s) where the rust is coming from and replace it. flush the fuel system without running the engine. filling the cylinders with diesel is a great idea then let it sit a few days then turn it over by hand several times, then use the starter to turn it over without the sparkplugs. change oil. after it's running flush the cooling system. change oil again in 500 miles. highdesertranger

 

[Ballenxj]

Cannot add much more advice to what djkeev, Got Smart, and HDR said. All good advice.

 

[jonsun]

Got smart nailed. Do not do any cranking before you clean everything cause it's going to ruin injectors. If you can try back flushing them by reversing polarity.

 

[jonsun]

Nevermind they're only $25....might go ahead and get new ones then

 

[eDJ_]

I've always put Diesel fuel in the cylinders if it has sit for a long time.  Then by hand rocked the crank back and forth to assure it is free.  If it acts like it wants to stop,  add another ounce or so of Diesel and allow it to sit.  Then come back and rock the crank back and forth gently.  If there "is" rust in the bore you don't want to force the piston/rings through it.  Just gently play with rocking the crank until the crank turns all the way through.

I agree with dropping the tank and cleaning it out and clearing the fuel line.  Check it for cracks that may leak air into the fuel as you would drive.  If it has a bad miss it may trace back to that.  New neoprene fuel line will cure
a lot of engine missing problems.  If there is a lift pump in the fuel thank you may as well replace it.  I've mounted
auxiliary fuel pumps outside the tank which draw fuel through the internal fuel pump. (should it be burnt out or stuck) 

Like this one:

I just took the power/ground wires to the internal pump back to the front of the tank and spliced them into
the auxiliary.  Then fitted up fuel line.   These I mount firmly to the frame and use rubber of some kind to sound insulate it.  It's a lot easier to replace one of these on the road mounted as an external than it is to have to drop a tank on the road side.

There are all kinds of prices on these too.  So shop around.  I've seen places selling them for $50 dollars where you can purchase them for as little as $15 at the right places. 

Beyond that,  with new fuel and fuel injector cleaner,  fresh fuel filters,  etc you may try to start it.  If it runs up fine.  But I wouldn't try to drive it until inspecting the brakes and making sure of them being dependable.  Crud can build up on those brake cylinder pistons and cause them to jam.  You should really check that out.
Also the hydraulic hoses at the spindles.  It may be worth replacing the wheel cylinders and disc caliper pistons if the brakes act like they are sticking.  Otherwise drive it around the block or neighborhood at low speed for a few hours to  loosen everything up before inspecting it again.

If you feel comfortable going on the road with it,  find a slow time of the day/week and start out at 35 mph for a half hour and then move it up 10 mph every half an hour there after. 

Pay close attention to your tires.  If they have dried out from sitting where the sun beats on them all the time
it's been sitting,  they should really be replaced.  They could blow.  Do this evaluation before going on the road even at low speeds. 

But this is the way "I" would go about resurrecting an old timer like this one.

Also.....make sure all of your turn signals are working and back up/ brake lights.  Have a friend help you check that out.  When something has been sitting that long and is powered up,  often elements burn out fairly quickly.

 

[user 37446]

Thanks to all who have responded. You are addressing both the engine's needs and the safety of the O/P when he eventually gets it running. People forget about frozen brake calipers, rotten fuel lines, dry-rotted tires until they are up to speed and BOOM, something lets go, or burns up, or you need to stop and you cannot.

I had an old Buick that was "resurrected" incorrectly, a barn find. Just poured in fresh gas, used starting fluid down the carburetor... when it finally got running (it wasn't locked/frozen thankfully) I happily and foolishly got out on the road, going 35-45 and had to hit the brakes for a stop sign.  Only the RR brake worked, it locked up, nothing else was helping, I nearly rear ended the car in front of me.  I limped into a garage and $400 later (this was in the 70's) had brakes that worked, plus a lecture from the mechanic about me imperiling other drivers...  :-/

 

[highdesertranger]

very true Twih. highdesertranger

 

[Wandering Giraffe]

WOW, I am blown away by the number and quality of the posts.  Thank you very much!
 
I feel hopeful because of what I did not hear.  No one said that this was a bad idea.  In fact, I am thinking I can do this.  It won’t be as fast as I like.  I have the patience of a gnat, but I can do it.

I should have mentioned that I know nothing about auto mechanics.  I am learning as I go.  I am a refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technician so I do have hand tools and meters.

I think the advice I got from this thread is better than what I have gotten from a full time mechanic.  He owns a one man business that does repairs at peoples houses.  He said the way to proceed was to put in 5 gallons of gas and try to crank it and go from there.  That sounded like a bad idea to me.

At Harbor Freight I bought 3 Ton aluminum jack stands and a 3 Ton Aluminum jack. 


I sprayed Kroll on the bolts on the gas tank.  I hope I can find that Kobalt pass through socket set I bought years ago and never used.  I was mistaken.  The gas tank is plastic.  So hopefully that stuff in it was not rust.


I noticed oil in two areas.  I will try to post pictures.  I do not know what they are called.  One maybe the oil pan and the other the universal joint (round in the middle of the rear axle), maybe not. Is this serious?

My new plan is to slow down.  I had wanted to start it right now to know if it was going to work out.  But now I am thinking it will.  So now I will slow down and do it right.

I will drop the gas tank and clean it.  Any ideas on how?  I will replace the fuel lines.  Maybe replace the fuel pump, but I kind of like the idea of adding a second one.  Lubricate the cylinders and do anything else it seems to need and give it a try.

There is no pavement in my yard and the van pretty much can’t be moved.  The ground under it is low and often wet.  Does anyone have any tips for using the jack stands on dirt?  I was thinking about maybe using some cinder blocks just in case.  I did get two sets of jack stands but if it falls off one set it may fall off the other too.  I forgot the wheel chocks but will get some tomorrow.

The $2,000 estimate for the repair project sounds fine to me.  It will just have to be across a months.  I will be stealth so that will be about another $1,000.  Then there is the solar and ventilation.  It will have two MaxxFans and still be stealth. 
 
I have put many hours of thought into the exterior design and ventilation.  I figured out a super stealth way of using window visors, the vans factory vent/AC system, floor vents and possibly a vent behind the tire mounted on the rear door.  The idea was to increase the capacity of smaller openings and small fans by pressurizing the van.  It’s just easier to hide two MaxxFans.

It is ironic that if I was living in the van full time I could easily afford to repair it and build it out so that I could live in it. 
Thanks again for all the great advice and support.
 
 

 

[Wandering Giraffe]

 

[highdesertranger]

no, no, no cinder blocks, cinder blocks are very weak under compression loads. much better is oak dunnage. or any large wood beams, cut up to make your own dunnage. as far as the jack stands, sometimes you can place them right on the dirt sometimes you can't. I am not there you will have to make the call on that. if the soil is to soft get some 3/4-1inch plywood and make some bases for the stands. be very careful if the ground is uneven. having a dunnage back up is always a good idea under these circumstances. highdesertranger

 

[user 37446]

Ideas:

From: Cheatsheet.com
[font=Montserrat, 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]8 Things You Can Do to Revive an Older Car[/font]

[font=Montserrat, 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]From: Poweronemedia.com[/font]
[font=Montserrat, 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][font=Lato, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][font=Oswald, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Getting a “Barn Find” Up and Running[/font][/font]
[/font]
[font=Montserrat, 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]From: Thoughtco.com[/font]
[font=Montserrat, 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][font=Lato, HelveticaNeueBold, HelveticaNeue-Bold, 'Helvetica Neue Bold', HelveticaBold, Helvetica-Bold, 'Helvetica Bold', HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][size=medium]How to Start a Car That Has Been Kept in Storage[/font][/size][/font]

[font=Montserrat, 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][font=Lato, HelveticaNeueBold, HelveticaNeue-Bold, 'Helvetica Neue Bold', HelveticaBold, Helvetica-Bold, 'Helvetica Bold', HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][size=medium]From: Auto.howstuffworks.com[/font][/size][/font]
[font=Montserrat, 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][font=Lato, HelveticaNeueBold, HelveticaNeue-Bold, 'Helvetica Neue Bold', HelveticaBold, Helvetica-Bold, 'Helvetica Bold', HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][size=medium][font='Source Sans Pro', sans-serif][size=medium]5 Tips for Starting an Old Engine[/font][/size][/font][/size][/font]

[font=Montserrat, 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Sorry for the differing bold and whatall, I couldn't make it all the same...[/font]
[font=Montserrat, 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Plus there are YouTube vids you can watch that go step by step.[/font]

[font=Montserrat, 'PT Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]The "dunnage" (don't hear that term much anymore) is blocks of wood, thick, like beams, 4x4, 6x6, scabbed together 2x4's, etc.  Brace the frame either in a criss cross manner or whatever doesnt look "tippy".  Steel works as well, as do sawn up green tree chunks. Use whatever you have around, and like was stated, wet ground can cause the jack and the blocking to sink, so spread the load.[/font]

 

[Gary68]

i use 6x6 wood blocks positioned on the frame,then try to push it off,there should be little to no movement

for jackstands use some 2x6 on the ground then the stands

 

[GotSmart]

Thee is a leak from the rear main gears.  Replaceing that seal should be way down on the list.  Make sure it runs first!

 

[Wandering Giraffe]

I am grateful for all the responses.

I am overwhelmed by all the things to be done when I don't know how to do any of them.

It would really help with doing all the steps to get it running right if I could tell now if it would run.

With it being fuel injected is there a way to start it without it using the gas in the gas lines.

Could the gas line be disconnected and gas or other fuel be added to the bowl of the carburetor bowl?

I do not understand how it being fuel injected comes into play.

Thank again for the help

 

[user 37446]

After 8 years not likely any gas is left in the lines... Varnish now. Doesn't mean they are completely blocked though...

YouTube some videos:

From Chris Fix (noted YT mechanic): [font='YouTube Noto', Roboto, HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]How to Start a Car That's Been Sitting for Years[/font]
[font='YouTube Noto', Roboto, HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif](Watch the whole 11 minutes)[/font]

[font='YouTube Noto', Roboto, HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Another one here:[/font]

[font='YouTube Noto', Roboto, HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Van Live - Starting a Fuel Injected Engine After Sitting - Learnt Something New.. (Listen to first 1:30 of this one)[/font]