Re: Starting a Long Sitting Rebuilt Motor
Go to Harbor Freight and get a chevy oil priming tool. They have them all day long. Pull the distributor, valve cover, and plugs. Prime the heck out of it untill you have oil coming out of every rocker. Put an ample amount of oil down each plug hole, and hand rotate the crank. (you may want to have an assistant run the priming drill while you turn it) When you think you have turned it enough turn it some more. Put your distributor back in. (properly timed of course) Now with the plugs out spin her over some with the starter for a bit. (could be messy so cover the plug holes with a rag or something) Put the plugs in and light her up. (don't forget your fresh water muffs) As long as it didn't sit with a lot of moisture in the cylinders you should be good to go.
...just to add a touch to Adirondack's comments:
If you suspect an accumulation of condensation in the pan, first add a quart or so of light engine oil to the 'empty' pan, allow a few minutes to float any moisture and then drain via the pan plug if accessible or, using the drive socket down the distributor hole, pump it out through the oil filter housing (plastic bag over the oil filter housing).
After any moisture is removed, install a new filter and pressurize the system as above. Cycle oil long enough to remove any residual moisture, rust or free-floating crud.
After starting, be observant of any fluid leaks from dried gaskets.
