I have a 71 Olds 442 with a 350 motor that has sat inside a garage since 1992. The owner got it running briefly but shut it down after noticing a backfire. I opened up both valve covers and did notice oil on passenger side but none in the drivers. I then turned over motor by hand and found that both center cylinders drivers side, the intake and exhaust rockers not moving and seemed to be stuck open?. I pulled rockers and valves did close . Whats my next step? Do I try to prime motor, are lifters the issue, could cam be bad or lifters?. I did pull the pushrods and they did have some sledge the lifter end. Just trying to get car to yard drive if possible to move around, so any tricks I could try would be great.

 

It could be the lifters are stuck open. This is where engine flush might free them up, maybe dribble some down the push rods. You could lighty tap the ends of pushrods on the affected cylinders. Any sign of mice in the car?

 

I know this isn't what you want to hear but if the lifters are stuck as badly as you say then any more attempts to run the engine are just going to cause more damage, possible to the point of ruining the camshaft or possibly even the block. At the very least I would pull the intake and see if you can work the lifters free with some penetrating oil or maybe some carb cleaner. Shooting it down the pushrods is not going to accomplish anything if the lifters are stuck in their bores.

Personally I would not run it any longer.

 

Sounds like the engine was run on varnished old fuel. You need to free up all those stuck parts by soaking in penetrating oil.