Any thoughts/advice on reviving a B18 that has not turned over for at least 26 years ?
I am planing to squirt some oils down each sparkplug hole to start with.
Planning to drain what ever is left in the crankcase, then fill with fresh oil.
Then remove the distributor and figure out a way to spin the oil plump to circulate fresh oil through out the motor.
Anything else ??

Thanks
Peter

Thanks for all the info guys.
I still want to try and pump fresh oil through out the engine using the oil pump. Would like to get some oil pressure on the bearings before hand turning the motor. If I remember, the distributor drive shaft just pulls right out and them I can spin the oil pump.
I'll let you know how it turns out.

Make that MARVEL MYSTERY OIL, squirt it in, turn the engine by hand, let it sit, repeat every few days for two weeks more or less. This is an old family reciepe that has worked out well. It will help free a stuck ring if there is one. Expect some white smoke when the engine first starts.

My father had me "rinse" out an old engine with straight diesel fuel. Actually ran it briefly to get the diesel fuel running thru the lines, then let it sit in the oil pan for a few days before draining it out. Probably didn't hurt anything but there might be a better way to clean out the crud now. I'd probably add some engine oil to the diesel if I were going to try that now.

Whenever I attempt to start any engine that has been sitting for years, I always use the "I-V bottle" system for gas. Putting fresh gas into an old tank is just asking for trouble. A good way to rig up an I-V bottle is to use a plastic gas tank off of an old riding lawn mower. Being plastic, you can tell at a glance how much gas is in it. Add a rubber hose, with a shut-off valve, and hang it to the under side of the hood with a small chain or piece of wire. Let gravity do the work. After you get it running good, then you can tackle the old gas tank, & fuel pump. Solve one problem at a time. Hope this is helpful.

Was it a low or high mileage motor before you let it sit?

If it is a low mileage motor, I would strip it, clean and inspect it, hone the bores, polish the crank, install a k cam and reassemble it. A look inside the oil pump wouldn't hurt either.
--
69 142S Overdrive + 69 164S Manual

My two cents,

30 years ago I went to buy a '62 Amazon that had been, without any prep, been rolled into a dry garage and sat covered and unmoved for 15 years.

I drained the old "gas", put in a battery, squirted Marvel Mystery in the cylinders, cranked for 30 seconds with coil disconnected, and started her right up...
Brake fluid infusion, some modern air in the (unworn original) tires, and I drove it 5 hours home without incident.
Today, 63K miles on that motor, zero work, it runs as well as any B18/20 I've had...

All my other experiences with these motors say if it will turn reasonably easily at the crank, most all the above is just ritualized gesticulation...

And I think olive oil would have worked just as well as MMO

Good luck,
Michael

Squirt ATF in the cylinders rather than regular oil. It seems to get into places oil won't go. Do this a few days before you plan to do anything else. Change the oil and filter. Adjust the valves. Replace the points and set the static timing. Replace the plugs. Fresh gas. With the spark plugs out, turn the engine over a few turns with a breaker bar on the crankshaft pulley nut. Crank the engine with the starter ( ground the plugs if you have electronic ignition) until the oil light goes out. Put the plugs in and see what happens.

Good luck

Greg

Greg has hit all the items to fire it up. I just started a 444 that sat for 6 years under a carport. We put a fresh 6-volt Battery in, checked points for fire, turned over w/ starter 8-10 times, plugged in coil, poured 4 oz. gas into single downdraft carb and it fired on the 6th revolution. Drove it 15 minutes later.

Fresh Gas: Here' the trick on this. We sat a 2 gallon can on left fender, w/bungee ( for no-spill)and removed the "IN" hose to stock fuel pump and stuck in gas can. Stock pump was OK, or I would have had to use my 12V electric pump on 2nd battery. You will need to steam clean that stock gas tank. Look at Fifth AvenueGarage.com for a professional tank coating liquid and DIY instructions. Cost about 40$....professionally here is about 300$.

Never had a Volvo that would not fire off. Regards, Kayo in Sunny FLA

Hi Peter,


FYI. -21 years. . .

https://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/1591023/220/240/260/280/b230f_appears_locked.html