[T2] Proud new owner

[david raistrick]

On Wed, Jan 7, 2015 at 1:17 PM, ka1dza <ka1dza at verizon.net> wrote:
> Hi all. I'm the proud new owner of a 1971 bus. It has been sitting for about 4 years. I checked the oil and its so clean I can see the dipstick through the oil.

fired up vs driving more than down the block are two different things...

as others have said - inspect fuel lines, drain the tank, replace the
filters, check to see if the fuel pump is working, probably have junk
in the carb, so at the very least drain the bowl and blow some carb
cleaner down the overflow tube to flush the bowl a bit.  plug the
bowl, put some more carb cleaner down it, and pump the accel a few
times to work the accel pump - see if you're getting spray.  (if you
are, the cleaner should help flush the junk more).

check the valves, pull and clean the plugs, put a squirt of oil in
each hole, crank it over a few times (no plugs) to get it lubed - and
to see if there are any expensive noises.   install cleaned and gapped
plugs, check the points - probably need to clean them - set dwell, set
static timing, put fuel in it....see if it fires!


now, to -drive- it...  brakes brakes brakes.  the number of times I've
gotten a sitting bus running, drove it down the road only to have a
wheel or master cyl blow (at least yours is dual circuit!), or had a
brake shoe come off the backer (so now you can't touch the brakes at
all, because that wheel locks instantly..)....  of course the obvious
of having fluid and pressure and hoses that don't burst.    don't be
afraid to (in fact, DO) throw some full on panic stop pressure on that
brake pedal before you drive it off.  you'd rather blow something
sitting still  (and if you can apply enough force to blow something
without bending the pedal, there was a problem..)

not to mention a good electrical once over to look for mice work or PO
hacks that are ready to set things on fire.

dont forget lights, and cleaning the front/rear/mirror glass!