Part 1. Preparation and safety
Objective
- Conduct the pre-start engine check.
Personal safety
Whenever you perform a task in the workshop you must use personal protective clothing and equipment that is appropriate for the task and which conforms to your local safety regulations and policies. Among other items, this may include:
- Work clothing - such as coveralls and steel-capped footwear
- Eye protection - such as safety glasses and face masks
- Ear protection - such as earmuffs and earplugs
- Hand protection - such as rubber gloves and barrier cream
- Respiratory equipment - such as face masks and valved respirators
If you are not certain what is appropriate or required, ask your supervisor.
Safety check
- Ensure the battery is reconnected in the correct sequence.
- Make sure that you understand and observe all legislative and personal safety procedures when carrying out the following tasks. If you are unsure of what these are, ask your supervisor.
Points to note
- If your engine has been sitting for longer than a week, you should remove the distributor and repeat the pre-oil process.
- Double check all nuts bolts accessories hosed and fittings.
- Make sure the radiator is full and oil levels are correct.
Part 2: Step-by-step instruction
- Check all hoses and lines
Starting the engine and breaking in a new camshaft is a critical procedure. If your engine has been sitting for longer than a week, you should remove the distributor and repeat the pre-oil process, to make sure that oil has been circulated though your engine shortly before starting it up.
Double check all the gauge connections, linkages and hoses. Make sure all the hose clamps are on straight and tight.
- Fill radiator
When you're sure your cooling system is sealed off, top off the radiator with fresh water. It's a good idea not to put coolant in at this stage, in case you have a problem and need to drain the radiator again. Just remember to replace the water with coolant after you know everything is fine.
When the radiator is full, leave the cap off so the engine can purge any air pockets that are still trapped in the block and the hoses when it starts up.
- Check oil level
Check the dipstick and make sure the oil level is correct. Add some oil if necessary.
- Check fuel system
Double-check the fuel lines along the frame, at the pump and on the top side. Make sure they're not near any exhaust pipes, pulleys, or belts.
If you have a carburetor, squirt a little fuel into the front fuel bowl vent to prime the carburetor and make sure there is enough gas in it to run the engine until the fuel pump takes over.
There are many different designs for fuel delivery systems. Check the repair manual for suggestions on proper adjustment of the carburetor or fuel injection system. The manual should have a list of procedures that will set the fuel system to a beginning point, ready for engine start-up.
- Check battery and ignition system
Check that the battery is fully charged, then reconnect it and refer to the manual once more. The ignition section should have a procedure that will tell you how to test your ignition for proper voltage or computer codes before attempting to crank the engine.
- Check ignition wiring
If your engine has a distributor, double check the wiring sequence of the plug wires. This particular distributor rotates clockwise, so starting from the number one tower that we labeled earlier, we count the firing order in a clockwise direction and then follow each of the wires to the corresponding spark plug to make sure everything is in order. Go through the firing order a few times to make absolutely sure that you don't have any crossed wires. Incorrect wiring is one of the most common start-up problems.
