This engine has been sitting for 8 years! I need some advice on what I should do and how to do it. Before I crank it over. It’s in a 1959 Biscayne Chevy wagon!! I have good mechanical skills but I know nothing really about this engine except that it was Built by Turnkey Engines in Oceanside. I have no specs but I was told it has a cam and pistons! It’s what they call a 5 wire engine! It is run by a Mefi 4 Delphi computer. I added some pics of the engine

I have some wiring to finish as you can see

 

First thing I would do before trying to turn it over with a starter would be to remove the plugs in case there's water sitting on the tops of the pistons and then I'd see see if it can turn over by hand. If that checks out then maybe throw some new plugs in it and squirt a little oil down into each cylinder before your fire it off. Water sitting on the tops of the pistons will eventually corrode the cylinder walls and it might run for a little while but it will soon be done in. Bore scope and compression test would be handy here.

Also be good idea to change the oil and filter if haven't done so already.

 

Pull the plugs, spray some fogging oil in the cylinders. Spin over by hand at first to make sure there aren’t any hard spots. Change engine oil and filter and run it.

 

Thanks😎

 

8 yrs with gas in the rails?

 

An inspection of the fuel system is a given with a car that's been sitting for a long time. The gas sitting in the 99 fuel tank was close to 5 yrs and it runs my lawn mower just fine.

 

"An inspection of the fuel system is a given with a car that's been sitting for a long time."

Thus the question.

 

Old Buzzard

That must of came across as me being a smart ***. That was not my intention as your point was duly noted and a valid one at that.

 

I plan on draining the tank and flush the old gas out of the lines going into the engine. Anything else you recommend?

 

Dump some Marvel Mystery Oil in the new gas to help clean out the lines

 

NP!

 

in my shop, the rails, injs, would be pulled, and cleaned.
In my case, I have an injection bench, so that part is at the top of my "to do" list.

 

I bought a 1953 Chevy Bel Air back in 2017 which had originally been in Carlsbad, and it's fitted with a Turnkey Engine supplied 375hp LQ4 with the Mefi-4 ecu. It seems to run ok, but I think the mefi-4 system isn't the best solution as it isn't as easily tuned as the GM original - especially here in Scotland (i.e. no one has a clue lol) - plus it's not the best on fuel. I think that just a general service as folk have already suggested will have it up and running, but how well will depend how it's been set up. I note that Turnkey no longer do the mefi- 4 set up - I wonder why. You're entire set up looks very similar to mine, so possibly it's had the whole Turnkey package.

Pete

 

That job is well over my expertise level. I would have to have it towed to a shop if I could find one nearby in Thousand Oaks, Ca in the suburbs north of LA

 

Put some good oil in it, prime it, check for oil pressure. Check fuel pressure at rail, make sure fuel lines are clean. Tank is clean. Injectors are clean and see what happens.

 

The worst part of the mefi-4 is that Turnkey locks it so it can only be tuned by them. This car ran strong when I put on axle stands in my garage. It was scary fast with stock brakes and the smallest master cylinder you have ever seen. I put on AIR RIDE, 4 wheel disc, hydroboost power brakes and, power steering. I have a 60 nomad with a turnkey in it and it needs a new ecu since even turnkey couldn't connect with the mefi4. It runs too rich and it isn't nearly as fast as the 59. Right now my focus is on the 59 to get it out of my garage. When I find a ECU and someone to tune it I will let you know!

 

Yes, my 53 chevy runs rich too, and isn't as quick as i think it should be. The mefi-4 seems very basic, but I suppose it is usually used in boats and sandrails, so I'd assume it's quite rugged. The wiring harness is quite tidy, and fortunately long enough for me to move the ecu and associated relays and fuses inside the car. This was due to water related issues with a fuse. I just didn't recognise the fuse holder as being one, so took a while to diagnose loss of power.
The engine does seem very healthy though, but I may have to bite the bullet and fit a package that I can get tuned properly.

Pete

 

Bite the bullet and buy the Holley Terminator X. Self learning and it’s easy to tune (so I’ve read). A lot of people tune Holley’s system.

 

So after much procrastination and reading here’s the handy little gadget I made to get Marvel mystery oil into the plug holes. squeeze bottle from ace hardware, 3 feet of quarter inch tubing I had a quick shut off valve. It worked great. I figured PB blaster would get on the cylinder walls so I bought the one with the long tube... it worked quite well too. It even works inverted! So I’m gonna let it soak and turn it over by hand tomorrow!

 

Thanks I’m going to look at that!