I see I'm late to the party, but maybe somebody's still checking this thread? To be safe, I also joined Brett's Diesel Club.
Anyway, I've got an 8V-71 in my converted bus. It had fresh oil approximately 3000 miles ago but, sadly, has not been driven - or even started - for more than a year. The old oil still looks, feels and smells fine but should obviously be changed. Problem: The bus is parked in an extremely confined space, and needs to be moved to change the oil - or at least started, aired up and blocked.
My Question: Am I safe to fire it up the way it is, or should I add some sort of oil treatment? Should I pour some oil into the filler to lubricate the upper engine components? Or, in an abundance of caution, should I have it towed to a better work area (or repair facility)?
It's a beautiful engine (recent out-of frame rebuild by Harper Diesel) and I don't want to risk messing it up. I've never had to add more than two liters between changes... and that was after some tough mountain driving. Unlike most diesels, the oil remains clear hundreds of miles after a change.
Any advice appreciated.
Tony
