O.K., you engine gurus. Tomorrow I'm picking up a '73 Jeep J4000, for cheap, w/360/PS/PB/T18wide/D20/D44/D60 that has not run for 9 or 10 years. It has been garaged the whole time. The engine has 800 miles on a rebuild. It needs a battery. The engine oil is clear and clean. The radiator needs some coolant.
So, my question is, what kind of prepping should I do before start up? I guess I should drain the gas tank and put some new gas in, shoot some carb cleaner down the intake, fill radiator to top, remove spark plugs and pump some oil or anti-sieze into each cyl., turn engine over without plugs (or dist wire) to free pistons. Any other suggestions? Anything I can do before starting to save the seals, or spare the camshaft?
I just want the best for an engine that has not run since Bush the elder was running for re-election.
regards, as always, jefe

I think I would still dump the oil and spin on a new filter. Also, pulling the distributor and priming the oil system would be best. Pull the plugs and put some oil or spray some wd-40 like you said, along with the new gas. That should give you the best chance. When it lights, I would hold the rpm up like you are breaking in a new cam to splash oil everywhere. Good Luck,

I'm not a guru by any means, but this is what I would suggest...

Hold off on the carb cleaner for a bit...
Marvel's Mystery Oil in the plugs holes... DON'T drench it!!
Engine oil & Marvel's directly on the valve train(remove covers:) )
Wait for a bit so it can soak in and do its job
Key off, coil wire off... turn MOTOR over with socket and breaker bar on crank
Does it move freely? ... YES - good to proceed, NO - A little more Marvels in plug holes and let it set a bit.
As long as the engine turns over by hand you should be okay to continue on and get ready to use 'key' start
I would disconnect the fuel line from the carb and purge the old gas out(I had a manual fuel pump so I used a siphon pump from a portable boat tank to pull it through the line- minor adaptation was done)
Also squirt the carb cleaner into the carb's fuel inlet(shield eyes-backspray)
Does engine move by hand now? ... No, GGGRRR Yes, proceed
Reattach fuel line, coil wire, and plugs
With a fully charged battery, fresh fuel(91 is :) ), and a spotter, 'tap' the key
Does the starter engage and the crank pulley turn? Yes - good for a full start... No - :mad3: rethink time and diagnosis
Is fresh fuel squirting into the carb?
How did the full start go? Don't crank for more than 10-15 seconds and then wait same amount of time before trying again
It will probably stutter on whatever has been sitting in it and the Marvels on the piston heads. A little carb cleaner or starting fluid should help push it along. Not too much cuz you don't wanna flood or backfire. Fireballs coming at your face SUCK! Little taps on the gas pedal
Too much gas or carb cleaner/starting fluid is not good and neither is cranking too long... you don't wanna flood it or kill the battery. Some times having jumper cables attached to the 'new' Jeep and another vehicle with same or higher CCA battery rating will help out with extra juice to get the plugs to ignite the funky mixture its getting.

Just my .02 ... Good Luck

Light oil down the plug holes.
Give a twist by hand on the motor. Listen for grinding with plugs out. That's rust on the cylinder walls. You hear it your probably going t have ring problems.
Change oil
Do the oil pump thing so you don't dry start the bearings.
Might want to slowly turn the motor over as you pump oil. This will make sure oil comes up the push rods and oils the rocker arms as well as gets freash oil into all the lifters.
Freash gas and filter
Now be very carefull when you first start. Carbs that sit a long time have the fuel dry up. The float may be stuck so watch very close to make sure it doesn't over flow and dump gas all over the engine and catch fire..
Crank it and see what happens.
There have been vehicles that has sat longer. I may try to fire off a 327 this weekend that hasn't been run since 83.