Hercules IXK Engine casting '46 rebuilt in '73 how to proceed?

[outbackrider]

Bought a Hercules 4 cylinder IXK engine casting date '46 that was rebuilt in '73.

Machine shop tags are still attached, pistons still have factory inventory numbers printed
on the piston heads. Everything inside still looks newly machined. 
Was never reinstalled.
I sprayed some pblaster in the cylinders and put a little force on the crank and it turns over.
I would say it was mildly stuck from sitting for 43 years. 
I have only turned it a few times by hand crank. I am planning to drop the pan and and oil up the bearings, etc. maybe
drop some 2 stroke oil into the cylinders, someone advised to prime the
oil pump, any other suggestions on what else to do before putting it to the test?

Stuffed in top of the manifold was a paper dated April '73
"Hank Aaron drove in 3 runs with his 674th career home run"[/left]

[Robert Barbour]

Five years ago I got new never run IXB made in 54.  It was clean and shiny inside but stuck.  I took the pan and head off.  Put a little heat with a propane torch on the pistons and they slid right out.  All the rings were stuck as the old oil had turned to tar. I clean the rings and bearings and pistons with solvent to remove the old oil.
Put it back together with the original parts and new oil and it run great today.  So I would take it apart and clean everything up and you should have a real good engine.

[Blake Malkamaki]

I don't think I would pull the pistons on the engine rebuilt in '73. I would lube it up good and put the head back on and spin it over and check the compression. A lot of times you can put some oil around the pistons, turn it over and see the pattern the rings leave on the cylinders. Are the rings scraping the oil off?

Once you get it back together, if you find it doesn't have compression, or it's burning oil, it's not that hard to pull the pistons out.

[outbackrider]

Interesting to hear the two different perspectives.

Sounds like you all would recommend assembly lube, which,
I didn't give much thought to...I was thinking more of a good
oiling, etc. 

[Robert Barbour]

With the engine out of the tractor it is a lot easier to pull the pistons and check things out.  Once it is in the tractor and you find an issue it will be a lot more work to fix!!

[Blake Malkamaki]

He said it was rebuilt in 1973 and never run. As long as the cylinders aren't rusty or the rings stuck it should be like new. That is if they did a reputable job.