Hey All. I found a nice 1988 4wd justy in NC. I paid $500 for it. I was sitting for about 12 years. I did all the routine service to it. It started right up with no problems. However, I decided to let it run for a good while to burn off the old gas in the tank. Its not registed for the road yet. Anyways, after letting it run for a while i shut her down for the night.  The next day i went to start it, it turns over but i could feel any gusto to the engine. I did a compression test ZERO on all three cylinders. I pulled the valve cover and noticed 4 of the rear lifters were frozen solid. Im getting spark from all components. Is my enging toast or can i bring it back to life?

Thanks for any help

Not familiar with this engine having never even seen one but my guess is the valves are hanging up in the cylinder head. Had a similar  problem with a Dodge engine that sat for 20 years. After an hour or so running time, started to loose cylinders. Pulled the valve cover and the majority of the push rods had actually bent. The machinist I took the head to for a valve job told me varnish had built up on the valve stems from the years of sitting. Whatever, all I knew was the valves where frozen solid in place. 

 

Have someone crank the engine while you watch the valvetrain. Watching to see if the valves open and close. No compression to me suggests at least some of the valves are not fully closing. 

 

 

Edited March 10, 201412 yr by john in KY

Thanks John for your reply. Well, here's what i did. After calling around my local area, I came
across a guy who happens to be a Subaru Fanatic (like us all). He told
me exactly what my problem was. Since the car sat for 12 years... when i
let it run for a good while to burn off the old gas all the slug inside
the engine heated up and melted so to say. When the car sat overnight
it became hard as a rock and caked up around the valves. Since the car
would not start I had to figure out how to uncake this mess. Well, I
went to Home Depot and purchased a heat gun for 40.00 bucks. I headed
the cylinder head up for about 1/2 hour. Shish Boom Bah turn the key
vuala! all valves are back in business. This case is closed, file this
one in the search post rolodex. Thanks again.

 

However, I decided to let it run for a good while to burn off the old gas in the tank.

The old gas is what does it, not "sludge" left inside the engine. Until you flush out the fuel system it will keep sticking valves.

Great Thread, the 'newer' ethanol gas does all kinds of bad things.  I am always stuck with the question, dilemma, whether to add new fresh gas on top of a older gas or whether to try draining the old gas out and replacing it with some newer gas, only to have the new gas go bad as well after the next project becomes next year's project. ( a hillbilly here I think,by definition).

 

And then there's the add stabil to gas when it's in tank.....

 

Or: go to your local airport and get Aviation Gas for long time storage......

     Does av gas's 100LL low lead  does the lead in low lead harm the modern engines, fuel systems or catalytic converters?.....

 

By the way, what can one do to responsibility dispose of the old degraded gas.  I dilute a little into my lawnmower gas and hopefully get rid of it all that way but another solution would be ???????

 

Uh-oh, an I high-jacking a thread?  I don't know the correct protocal for this message board, so criticize me freely....... but offer a suggestion

I never would have thought to use heat to unstick the valves. Do know from my one and only experience that when the valves "seize" they really seize. Also amazed you were even able to get 12 year old gasoline to ignite. 

Great Thread, the 'newer' ethanol gas does all kinds of bad things.  I am always stuck with the question, dilemma, whether to add new fresh gas on top of a older gas or whether to try draining the old gas out and replacing it with some newer gas, only to have the new gas go bad as well after the next project becomes next year's project.

 

And then there's the add stabil to gas when it's in tank.....

     Does av gas's 100LL low lead  does the lead in low lead harm the modern engines, fuel systems or catalytic converters?.....

 

By the way, what can one do to responsibility dispose of the old degraded gas.  I dilute a little into my lawnmower gas and hopefully get rid of it all that way but another solution would be ?

It's not just ethanol gas, though that does some interesting things beyond going gummy. And it goes quick.

Store carbed engines with the system dry and completely empty. EFI just leave as little as possible in and use the pump to get as much out before pouring fresh in. Cycle the pump to clear out whats in the fuel rails before starting the engine.

Stabil can buy you time, but its not a cure.

Lead kills O2 sensors and cats.

Dead gas is a hazmat. You can get away with mixing it with used motor oil if you keep it under 10%. Or burn it. I've used a burn barrel with a vacuum cleaner blowing extra air in and disposed of a lot of gallons that way. Just don't light yourself on fire.