Donor Car Sitting for 10 Years

[Rojoryu]

I was able to pick up a 1987 325is for dirt cheap. The car is complete and I want to transplant the motor into my eta track car. The motor and trans were already out of the car as the PO was going to do an s50 swap but never got around to it. The motor has not been ran in 10 years. Assuming compression checks out, what should I do before installing it and attempting to fire it up after it has been sitting for so long? It has literally been sitting on a stand for a decade.

I was considering just taking the head and doing a 2.7i but I dont see the point in cracking open a potentially good engine just to build something thats not much (if any) better. At which point I am left with an eta head that isnt worth anything and a 2.5 block that isnt worth much more. Will new timing belt and fluids suffice?

[Kershaw]

You got it.

Replace the timing belt. Put some ATF in the cylinders. Rotate by hand. New fluids. Cross your fingers. Maybe get an endoscope like this one https://www.amazon.com/Fantronics-En...478456548&sr=1 and see if the cylinders look ok. You can feed in the camera through the spark plug holes.

[Rojoryu]

Thanks for the reply. That endoscope is pretty cool.

[e30fix]

my mechanic/friend is an older guy and he showed me the atf trick. when i bought my car it had not started in over 13 years. we drained the oil put cheap fresh oil did the timing belt water pump, checked the plugs and it started right up. hopefully that motor will start with that.

[ForcedFirebird]

Take the timing belt off and use a hand drill to rotate the oil pump to prime everything. You will want a new belt as they start to degrade at ~3-5yrs anyways, worse if it has been sitting in the same position that whole time. As mentioned, prime the cylinder walls to avoid scuffing, doesn't hurt to rotate it slowly by hand after oiling the cylinders (with the belt on, of course). The injectors will more than likely be gummed up with varnish, providing 12v intermittently and listen for the click (this will verify they are energizing, but may/may not spray). The fuel rail and FPR might also be varnished over, so examine them as well.

I recently fired up an m20 take out that's been sitting on my shop floor for about 4yrs using these methods. It started and ran like the day it was removed.

[dlmrun2002]

Take the valve cover off too and squirt some oil on the cam and other top head parts.

dlm ny country

[ForcedFirebird]

Take the valve cover off too and squirt some oil on the cam and other top head parts.

dlm ny country

Spinning the oil pump will prime the head as well (oil spray bar will soak the cam/rockers), but good call on the valve cover, the lash should be checked.

[Rojoryu]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to start cracking on it this weekend. I'll post up here with some pics when I start pulling stuff off.