Next Step - Starting - Advice needed.

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OK folks

On the 78 Westy - had a good chance to take a look at it - talk with owner - and test things out.

Brakes - Hold pressure - need adjustment only.

Electrical - everything works - MINUS turn signals. (Lights - horn - dome light - everything).

Engine - Put in a battery - and "bumped" it over to make certain it's free (not stuck) and that the starter worked.


Now for some questions. I wanna start it up. I'm going to drain and replace oil, drain the Gas Tank and blow out the line, put an in line filter - maybe injector cleaner as well. So -

My question is - where is the fuel pump located - engine compartment? In Tank? IN line before compartment? What oil filter should I use (is there one? - have to roll the bus over flatter land to take a look under) and what oil?

I'm familiar with TypeI but not Type IV engines.

Any sugestions on what I should do before I try a full fledged start? Purchase hinges on the buss running. (we're talking 250 bucks here - not a BIG deal - but a dent in my budget nonetheless). Should I *shudder* take it to a shop and let them do it? Or is that TOO cost prohibitive.

Anything I should watch for on the injection system? Any hints?

*shrug*

Thanks ya-all on yer advice!

Ryan

[keifernet]

The fuel pump is on the drivers side of the frame in front of the rear wheel. there is a square plastic filter there.... it has 2 different sized ends so it must be specific not any ol generic filter....
Drain the tank completely and add some ATF or marvel mystery oil to the gas you fill it with.... you really don't need injector cleaner yet...

Drain the oil, drop the plate and clean it and the screen (also a good indicator of what shape the engine is, study the drainplate and gook in sunlight and with your fingers to see what types of engine wear metals (if any) are present. Filter of course..

I would add 1 quart of ATF to some 10w30 oil and disconnect the coil to distributor cap wire or unplug the hot to the coil and pull the plugs... squirt a bit of oil or ATF in the cylinders.... crank the engine several times over a period of a half and hour or more to allow the starter to cool down... this will allow the oil to begin to pump up the hydrolic lifters which have probably "bled down" considerably from sitting...
Probably would not hurt to go ahead and replace the valve cover gaskets and see how "brown stained" the heads are.... and make sure you won't have a leak when you get it driving, if your driving it to it's new home.
(I would do the pushrod tube seals after you seal the deal and get the bus to where you can do further major type maintenance.)

Fresh plugs if you need them (or later if your not sure of the deal...)
A set of points ( you said the other stuff looks recent... check to see if it is genuine bosch not cheezedick auto parts stuff....
Thats what I do (have done alot) in the past and look over everything else while your tinkering around.... Expect a cloud of smokle when you run it and maybe some clattering of the lifters for up to as much as 20 minutes of running... If your lucky and it's in good shape they will pump right up quick as priming them as decribed above is alot better than dry starting them....

Probably get some other tips from the crowd here as well....
You will have to sink about 50 bucks and 2-3 hours into doing it right... but it could save you some trouble down the road...

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Ok - I had also checked the ignition system when I 'bumped' the engine (quick turnover)- spark was good - bosch coil, cap and points - all look new (dunno if cap is bosch or not).

Any advice particular to injectors? Will they need anything? I'd hate to fry the injection system without knowing what I'm doing lol.

Oh - is there going to be any EASY way to tell if the car is getting gas to the cylinders or FI system (other than waiting to see if the fuel pump blows gas all over the place).

thanks again!
Ryan

[keifernet]

The fresh super unleaded gas and the ATF (atf is a good cleaning agent) mix will clean the injectors and help loosen and blow out carbon on the valves and on the tops of the pistons....
I wouldn't worry about frying anything injection wise... The thing should get fuel pressure right away ( within a second or two of cranking).... If you do the fuel system drain and fill and dcrank on the engine to get the pressure up and all, it will have plenty of fuel.... that's another reason to pull the plugs... not only so it will spin over faster to get the oil circulated but so as not to foul the plugs by building up unburnt fuel....

Hopefully you won't see fuel blowing out of anywhere! you will be able to hear the pump running if you get down near that side...
I think after you put the plugs back in and the wires back on the coil it should fire right up... Rev it up and blow all the crap out of it!!!!!
Oh yeah and after the deal is done, change the oil and filter again and run the super to continue cleaning out the fuel system....