Engine start after a year.

[Jimbo Bob 1]

I feel like an ass. I haven't started the old girl in over a year. I had some trouble with the brake switch - almost got hit from behind. Then I pulled out some of the interior to check the wiring. That lead me to pull out all the carpeting. Found an issue with the heating/cooling. Removed the '80's alarm system.  I also did a complete fluid change. And then winter hit and we had COVID and .......I havent started the car since.

I pulled the spark plugs a couple of months ago and put about a tablespoon of oil in each cylinder.

I think I've read about pulling the distributor on cars before and attaching a drill to the shaft and that pumps oil throughout the engine. Would that work with an Esprit? Any other advice?

[Escape 820]

Make sure the engine is turning freely, either with a spanner on the crank pulley or put it in 5th and push it.

Starting without ignition (disconnect coild for example) or fuel pump (pull the fuse) will allow oil pressure to build before it fires.
Unless you take off the cambelt, you can't just drive the oil pump with a drill. Not on a 9xx engine anyway. What you've read was probably for a (old) Rover V8, where the cam drives the distributor and that in turn drives the oil pump, common practise to use a drill to drive the pump directly after a rebuild or sitting for a long time.

But you're probably overthinking this. If it was in good shape when stored, no reason it won't fire easily enough after a year.

Filip

[Lotusfab 3,220]

As above you can't remove the distributor and turn the oil pump because of the timing belt stopping the pulley on the other end rotating. I would leave the spark plugs out and crank. I think it took 2 mins and 30 secs for oil pressure to build from dry on my Turbo( check my blog figures are on there). Once you have some pressure start as normal. If you don't get pressure just by cranking, you could take the oil pump off, pack with graphogen and try again. In my experience no oil pressure just from cranking points to an oil pump rebuild. I know some on here will disagree. Because of the issues I had with mine I am very pedantic on oil pump performance. But I don’t think you will have any problems if all was well before. My S1 sits for months and builds pressure really quickly when started. I don’t bother cranking. Make sure the battery is charged so you get a good crank speed.

   

[910Esprit 550]

You could also use a 'squirty' oil can to 'pre-oil' the engine bearings via the oil pressure switch orifice, but as Filip says, I wouldn't worry too much.  Just make sure oil pressure returns in, say, max 10 seconds of first start.

[lotus-62 58]

2 hours ago, 910Esprit said:

You could also use a 'squirty' oil can to 'pre-oil' the engine bearings via the oil pressure switch orifice, but as Filip says, I wouldn't worry too much.  Just make sure oil pressure returns in, say, max 10 seconds of first start.

my engine has not run in 7 years so I am going to pre-oil first, thanks for the tip to use the oil pressure switch as I was thinking to make an adaptor to the oil filter but this wil work as well , I am going to fil up an big air cylinder and put compressed air on the other side so oil will be forced under light pressure into the engine.