8V71 Starting Info

[tpboj]

I am going to start my first bus, and it has been sitting for at least one and a half to two years. I want to be sure not to cause any unnecessary damage. Obviously I need to check fluids, clean fuel filters, and visually check everthing for any obstructed moving parts. Is there a way to prime the oil pump before cranking over the engine,(as with the gm small blocks we would pull the distributor to access the pump shaft). Should I try to start with a separate fuel tank with fresh fuel or is the old fuel OK to try. As I said this is my first bus , I am a novice though I do have many years experience in the automotive repair industry.
If someone may have a check list or procedure flow chart for starting a long sitting 8V71?
Any help or input would be appreciated.

Thanks
Tom

[luvrbus]

Pull the valve covers and check for stuck injectors as far a priming the oil pump no need to the DD never loses the prime it will always have oil in the pump and the galley because of the design.  good luck

[TomC]

Personally- I would check the oil level, pull one of the fuel filters to make sure fuel is in it, and try starting it!  Diesels are not like gasoline engines-even when the fuel gets a bit stale, a Diesel will still run.  I suggest you run the engine first, make sure the fuel is flowing well before changing the fuel filters.  You can loose the fuel prime when changing the fuel filters-which makes for a very hard restart of an engine.  Put in fresh batteries, start the bus from the rear, and before cranking, hold the stop lever on the governor in the stop position with your finger, crank the engine with the lever in no fuel position, and after 5 seconds of cranking, slowly release the stop lever, and the engine should start.  This is also a good trick to do when it is very cold, since it retards the timing and will many times get a hard starting cold engine started easily.  Good Luck, TomC

[Hi yo silver]

Hey, makes sense to me.  I like that trick, Tom!

Dennis

[HB of CJ]

We used to have an Old Seagrave Ladder Truck that had a "318" Detroit that was soosss tired it didn't always want to start and we did what TomC already recommended by pulling out the "pull to stop" lever and hitting both starter buttons for about 10 seconds.  Then while still cranking we pushed in the "stop" lever.

I think the tip came from one of the local (Bakersfield) Detroit Diesel shops.  Doing sosss also help build up some heat in the cyclinders while making suresss the old girl had  oil pressure also.  Seemed to work.  A long time ago.  As far as your bus, just make sure the fuel filtures are full and you have fuel in the tank.  HB of CJ

this board is still acting funny.