Tech Tip #69: How To Restart A Dormant Engine

How to safely wake a sleeping giant

Foley Engines, the oldest engine distributor in North America, takes tech support seriously which is why we publish a series of Tech Tips for the benefit of our customers and the industry.  This Tech Tip, deals with putting industrial engines back into service that has not been running for some time. Most of our suggestions apply to all engines regardless of the type of fuel used or the nature of their cooling system but we focus particularly on Deutz, Perkins and Ford Industrial.

1. Fresh Fuel. Drain out the old fuel and put in new fuel. Change both the primary and secondary filter elements. Check if your fuel lift pump has a screen that requires cleaning.  Add a fuel conditioner to the tank. If a diesel, don’t bleed the system just yet.
2. Remove the valve cover.  Squirt or pour a half quart of engine oil into the camshaft area. After this you will want to use a coat of light grease on the valve cover gasket to be able to reuse it or replace it entirely. Reinstall.
3. Remove spark plugs or fuel injectors. Using a turkey baster, squirt oil into the cylinders. Install new spark plugs or a set of remanufactured-exchange fuel injectors. If a diesel, bleed the system. For more helpful tips please read Foley Tech Tip #58: Bleeding Lucas, Stanadyne, and Diesel Kiki Fuel Systems as well as Foley Tech Tip #82: Bleeding Perkins, Deutz, and Deere Fuel systems (Part 2).
4. Remove the air cleaner or the wire mesh screen over the air intake (Perkins marine diesel engines don’t have air filters). Then dribble fresh fuel or WD40 into the intake area. Set the choke if a carbureted engine. Install a new air cleaner element as this is short money to avoid dusting the engine once you get it started!
5. Remove the old battery and install a new one. We strongly suggest a deep-cycle gel cell battery to absorb the vibration and pounding of off-road and marine applications. With a wire brush clean the battery tray and spray it with some penetrating oil. Install cloth or fiber battery terminal discs over the terminals to minimize corrosion. Check and install new battery cables as necessary. Poor electrical connections are a leading cause of engine problems.
6. Fire the engine up. Stand back and watch the accumulated carbon, mouse droppings and rust come out of the exhaust. Let it idle for about three minutes to get everything working then shut down the engine.
7. Filter, coolant and impellers. At this point, you should drain the now-warm old oil and change it and the oil filter. We suggest that you use either the engine manufacturer’s genuine oil filter or a quality aftermarket filter, and avoid the cheaper options. If you need a replacement fuel or oil filter, we have some of the most popular filters here on our website, but if you don’t see what you need feel free to call us at 866-821-2473 or e-mail us at info@foleyengines.com. Look for any oil leaks. Drain the coolant from the block or radiator and replace all of the soft hoses. If you have a marine engine, now is the time to change the impeller on the raw water pump.

While we can’t guarantee that following the above steps will eliminate the need for a visit from a field service technician, this is a good start to getting an engine back into service that has been laid up for a while. If you have any questions as you work your way through the process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.