Starting a car thats been sitting for 5 years
 

So I'm picking up a 74 Triumph TR6 this weekend and I have a good idea of what to do with it over the next couple of days. Just wanted to see if anybody had in good ideas other than these to get it running. FYI, it was running when parked.

pull fuel lines off carbs and hit with carb cleaner 3-4 times

pull plugs and spray pb blaster/atf down holes 3-4 times

drain gas tank, check for rust

drain oil

drain coolant

fill with fresh cheap oil/filter/ plus some Marvel for sludge

hand crank engine

add fresh coolant

check air filter

change fuel filter

add fresh gas

install new plugs

fresh battery

start?

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Nah, it will never run. Just give it to me!

Yeah, that looks like a pretty good checklist for the engine. I would flush the brakes and grease up the slider pins too. Work the brakes a bit before you take that beast on the road and find out you can't stop. Don't those ZS carbs have oil in them? Not sure if you have to do something with them or not. If this is going to be your car a carb update (Webber) is the first thing I would do.

Oh, be wary of the rotted tires too. I would probably do this:

remove plugs and unplug coils
turn over by hand
turn over by starter
turn over by plugs/coils

make sure you build oil pressure before starting with the plugs

Oh for sure, I'm going to fill trans, flush brakes, and drain/fill diff.

May want to clean out all the jets in the carbs too, and possibly even rebuild it.
But I wouldnt do that unless you try to start it first, and it wont start/idle.

Don't forget your vacuum lines. Go over each one closely. I might even buy $10 worth of different sizes and just have it with you. You're bound to find something split/dry rotted.

awesome car...have fun working on it of course. Enjoy the Lucas electronics too, and be sure to always evoke the "British Car Flag" whenever anyone references the red/yellow striped flag.

Whenever I have a car that's sat a long time I like to put about a teaspoon full of ATF in the cylinders and let it sit for an hour or so before I try to roll it over.

I say ditch the carbs get another set of bike throttle bodies(i've already got a set of gixxer 750) and we can throw that MS2 I've got sitting in my room on it. Come one lets make this complicated!

lol no thanks Stubbs...I should have it by Sunday come over and look at it.

Is that a red Mini in the first picture?

My last (well kind of) Triumph. The picture should say 1986, not 1968. Anyone good with photoshop that can fix it for me?

Oh, if you laugh I will kill you!


http://www.lightweightmiata.com/misc/spitfire_miata.jpg

HAHAHAHA awesome wheels on the Miata.

VERY easy to clean but VERY heavy!

I've done a fairly significant amount of resto work on TR6's professionally (and owned it's little brother the GT6) and between your original post and Bob's you about have it covered.

Unless you're very lucky you will be rebuilding ALL the hydraulics (clutch and brakes) pretty shortly, Brit hydraulics from that era don't like sitting for extended periods so be sure to test the brakes before going out on the street and BE SURE the emergency brake works.

One thing I will disagree on is putting a Weber carb on it. I've seen and worked on a fair number of the downdraft 2 barrel conversions (DGV usually) and they almost never run well. IMHO the progression circuits in the carb just aren't right for that particular engine. If you're going to go Weber go DCOE, just be prepared for a LARGE check written.

The suggestion to EFI it is honestly your best bet. There is a guy making TBI units from the ZS carbs with a reprogrammed GM controller though I think an MS with TBIs would be a better idea. If you're interesetd I'll dig up his contact info for you. Another route to EFI would be to source a TR6 PI/2500PI intake manifold from the UK and adapt it to electronic injectors. TR6's came injected in Europe, but it's an oddball Lucas system that's sort of a cross between Bosch CIS and Kugelfischer mechanical. With the PI cam the TR6 was rated at 150hp vs the 117 or so the carbed cars had.

The electrics rarely give trouble on TR6's, Lucas has a much worse rep than my experience has shown to be reality. About the only thing I'd be inclined to change is the starter, mostly because the gear-reduction aftermarket starters spin the engine a little faster and draw less current which gets the car started a little easier. The other thing I'd change eletrically is to throw a Pertronix in to replace the points, they're much nicer and don't change timing since they don't wear.

I would also do this, but you can use motor oil too.

Make sure you get some oil pressure before putting the plugs back in to start. That is all. Your list looks pretty good.

Hahaha.

(That's ok. Any extant pictures of me from 1986 are likely to be just as period-specific.)

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Now that's funny. Looks like you were trying to duplicate the pose now that it's mirrored. Loving the gloves BTW. I mean even your foot is flipped up the same!

The gloves are period correct lol.

Thanks! I won't kill you since you fixed my picture!