Expert: jack bahm - 10/13/2008

Question
Good evening Jack,

I am working on a 1930 model a ford that has not ran since 1949.  The car has been in storage for all of these years.  The owner poured kerosine in the engine (through the spark plug holes to keep the engine from seizing up.  I have been cranking the engine with a hand crank for the past 2 weeks, and I just drained the kerosine from the plug in the oil pan.  I just wanted to get some advice on a few questions that I have:

Is there anything else that I should do to flush out engine further since I have now drained out the kerosine?

What type of oil should I pour back in?  I currently have 5 quarts of 5W30 oil (detergent).  I realize that we cannot run detergent oil for a lengthy period of time due to the soft bearings, however I thought detergent oil would probably be better to clean the engine for the short term.  Do you agree with my reasoning?  If yes, how long would you leave the oil in the engine?  If no, what would you recommend?

When putting the oil into the engine, how many quarts would you recommend (the standard 5 quarts)?  Should I pour all of the oil into the main pour tube on the left side of the engine, or should I pour a small amount into the spark plug holes?

Any other recommendations that you would make?

Thanks in advance for your response to my questions.

Regards,

Don

Answer
Don, you can get a lot of different answers to your questions, but this is how I feel, and I think I an correct.  The A engine is very tough and does not care what oil you use.  
Pour in more kerosene and flush out some of the junk in the pan.  Drain it all out.  Since you can turn the engine over, just put a little oil in each plug hole and give it a few turns.  Put the plugs back in.  Put in 4 quarts of the oil you have and try to start it.  When you get it started, run it until it gets hot and check the oil.  Add more oil to get it to the proper level on the dip stick.  Make sure the stick is seated all the way down.  Run it a while with this oil and then change it.  The detergent oil will not hurt the engine.  It may loosen snme junk in there, but you just drain it out.  If the oil gets really dirty with just a few miles (50) then drain it out.  It should start and run.
Get yourself les andrew's mechanics handbook for the model A.  Great book that we all have and use.  Get the red one, about $35.
Good luck and have fun with that car.
jack