Starting up after a few years
 

ok, i'm about to buy a 79 rx7 that hasn't been started in a few years. what should i do to it before its first fire up? i know i need to change all fluids and filters. a mechanic suggested oil down the carb to help lube the apex seals for start up.

ATF it for a day or two.

Nah, you dont need to ATF it, just pour a little bit a oil down the carb to lube the seals and you will be fine. Only do the ATF trick if its locked up. OH, bye the way it WILL smoke pretty bad at first but dont worry it will go away after about 15 minutes.

Yeah, two drops of oil will help all six apex seals that have been dormant for years just fine....

how about atf with the oil. did we lose power to the forum a bit ago?

fight! boston crab!

I would definately do the ATF treatment if I was you.

ATF isn't just for when you have a locked engine. It can also restore lost compression resulting from stuck seals which is very likely if the engine's been sitting for that long.

atf is really only for carbon buildup (is it not?). so i would say just go with the oil at first and see what happens. then, if you think necessary, disconnect the cats and try the atf treatment.

granted atf willnot hurt, but why bother right now if you donot have to. i would imagine that you just want to get the thing running.

how do you do the atf treatment effectively?

Pull the plugs, put some in the holes and hand turn the motor over. ler her sit over the weekend, put thte old plugs back in and fire her up. Stand back from all the smoke and once that clears put in fresh plugs, and filters, oil, air and fuel and you should be good.

exactly how do i hand turn the motor? i know i'm an idiot. not used to dealing with old cars.

just turn the main pully on the front :)

ATF is for carbon buildup, ATF is for locked engines, ATF is for engines that have been sitting a long time.

You should be able to hand-turn the engine with a socket on the alternator pulley nut (really! i turn mine by hand all the time) If the engine won't turn this way then you definitely need to ATF the sucker.

kudos guys.

by the way, how much atf needs to go into it?

So what is the best to do? ATF or just oil??

ATF. It helps clean, unlock, lube etc.
hanman

ok, i put in a quart of atf and a quart of mmo. i couldn't get the car on its side to put it through the lead plug hole so i pulled the air can and put it through the carbs. i used a breaker bar and turned the engine over a few times. turned, filled, turned, filled, etc. where and which fluids for the dif, transmission, whatever i left out.

TWO QUARTS OF OIL!!!?? That's almost twice the displacement of your engine...

oh well, its soaked right? since its a 79 i don't have to wrry about clogging the cat on startup do i?

No, probably just Hydro-locking it. (with ATF/MMO)

Pull the plugs and blow some of that shit out.

ok, next time define soak a little better.

www.mazspeed.com , ATF under the facts section.
hanman