Long term engine storage
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 85
Likes: 9
From: Hamilton Ohio
Long term engine storage What is the best way to prevent a rebuilt engine from rusting internally while it is in long term storage?
I am thinking wiping the bores with engine oil before I put the heads on, leaving the rocker arms off so the valves are all closed and installing spark plugs to keep the cylinders somewhat air tight.
Would Auto Transmission Fluid be better than engine oil to wipe the cylinder walls with? I don't want to have to remove the heads before this engine is started for the first time, some time from now.
I am thinking wiping the bores with engine oil before I put the heads on, leaving the rocker arms off so the valves are all closed and installing spark plugs to keep the cylinders somewhat air tight.
Would Auto Transmission Fluid be better than engine oil to wipe the cylinder walls with? I don't want to have to remove the heads before this engine is started for the first time, some time from now.
Vacuum Seal engine Hi All, I have seen a method wherein a Vacuum Bag was used to reduce closet space.
This was a very large bag AND a Vacuum cleaner removed the air inside the bag.
This bag then became sealed as that fitted suction valve was a one way valve used only for air removal.
Lance
This was a very large bag AND a Vacuum cleaner removed the air inside the bag.
This bag then became sealed as that fitted suction valve was a one way valve used only for air removal.
Lance
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Actually THE most important part of storing anything you don't want to rust is keep it above dew point at all times. Storing it in a bedroom closet would be the best. You need it in a environment that the temp stays even all the time above 45F.
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TEll the wife its a new coffee table.
He was intending to do something with the heads on it, so he unwrapped it and pulled the valve covers off. Springs had a light coat of rust on them. He pulled the heads, and the cylinders were badly rusted. It was bad.
The bag wouldn’t let air in or out, and the changing temps of the engine itself, from hot daytime temps, to cool night temps caused condensation to build in the engine. He kept it in a dry outbuilding. This was a pretty high dollar small block...before he bagged it.
Engine Bag Methods. Hi All, yes I agree that their are poor "bag" methods.
I will state some methods of proven success :
1. My Vacuum Sealed Bag method will work fine.
2. The cost to add a moisture remover (desiccant) would be a great addition inside a Vacuum Bagged engine, cost would be low.
3. The "bagged" engine could also be filled with Argon (a welding gas) pressuring the bag.
This is done with the cameras we fit into the U-2/BlackBird needed to keep the optics clean.
4. I Vacuum Seal my wife's Silver Trays and include Anti Tarnish Paper with NO Oxidation after a years time.
I like this thread, good tech !
Lance
I will state some methods of proven success :
1. My Vacuum Sealed Bag method will work fine.
2. The cost to add a moisture remover (desiccant) would be a great addition inside a Vacuum Bagged engine, cost would be low.
3. The "bagged" engine could also be filled with Argon (a welding gas) pressuring the bag.
This is done with the cameras we fit into the U-2/BlackBird needed to keep the optics clean.
4. I Vacuum Seal my wife's Silver Trays and include Anti Tarnish Paper with NO Oxidation after a years time.
I like this thread, good tech !
Lance
What is the best way to prevent a rebuilt engine from rusting internally while it is in long term storage?
I am thinking wiping the bores with engine oil before I put the heads on, leaving the rocker arms off so the valves are all closed and installing spark plugs to keep the cylinders somewhat air tight.
Would Auto Transmission Fluid be better than engine oil to wipe the cylinder walls with? I don't want to have to remove the heads before this engine is started for the first time, some time from now.
I am thinking wiping the bores with engine oil before I put the heads on, leaving the rocker arms off so the valves are all closed and installing spark plugs to keep the cylinders somewhat air tight.
Would Auto Transmission Fluid be better than engine oil to wipe the cylinder walls with? I don't want to have to remove the heads before this engine is started for the first time, some time from now.
Not sure if anyone is aware but it's intended function is to displace water and prevent rust and corrosion. The name stands for water displacement, 40th revision of the product. It was designed to prevent things from rusting.
Fogging oil is good, you run it while spraying oil into the intake and kill it with the fogging oil. I do it when I winterize the boat.
I like Lance's idea with the sealed bag. If you are gonna have the heads off heavily oil everything and the cylinder walls. Put it in a vacuum sealable bag with desiccant bag (you could use desiccant bags made for a/c condensers in late mode vehicles, in late model cars you can get just the bag not the whole drier). Keep in temp controlled room if possible.
If not cover it to keep it from direct moisture and spray it with wd-40 here and there. If you aren't gonna have the heads off and gonna go the open route, leave the plugs out and spray inside the plug holes and turn it over every once in a while.
I have pickled a few engines in my day and a lot of the above recommendations are good...EXCEPT the WD40. It does a good job to temporarily "displace" water and that's IT!. It is not a lubricant or metal preservative. Don't believe me...spray your favorite gun with it and store it for a year. You will have a rusted mess.
The only thing I have ever used WD on is a motorcycle chain after a muddy race. It cleans and gets rid of the moisture. But I immediately come behind it with chain lube. I have other rust examples as well. Just MHO
The only thing I have ever used WD on is a motorcycle chain after a muddy race. It cleans and gets rid of the moisture. But I immediately come behind it with chain lube. I have other rust examples as well. Just MHO
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Yep WD40 is useless crap, I used it to try and preserve a set of rotors once. Soaked them with WD40 and put them in bags then boxed them. 1 year later I went to use them, they were so rusted and nasty I tossed them out for junk. I also used it on a good revolver once and it started rusting badly pitted, ruined it. At the time I didn't realize it was WD40 that did it. After the rotors I never used it again.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 85
Likes: 9
From: Hamilton Ohio
I wiped the cylinder bores down real good with Marvel Mystery Oil, some investigating I did told me it is basically a liquid version of the Stabil Fogging Oil.
I left the pushrods out so valves stay closed and put in an old set of plugs to seal the plug holes.
I wrapped the engine in a bag and will find some desiccant packs here at work to put in the bag.
Every so often I will pull the plugs spray in some more fogging oil and turn the engine over a couple of revolutions.
I think I will also pour a little oil down the push rod holes in the heads to keep the lifter bores oiled, and cam bearings to some degree.
I left the pushrods out so valves stay closed and put in an old set of plugs to seal the plug holes.
I wrapped the engine in a bag and will find some desiccant packs here at work to put in the bag.
Every so often I will pull the plugs spray in some more fogging oil and turn the engine over a couple of revolutions.
I think I will also pour a little oil down the push rod holes in the heads to keep the lifter bores oiled, and cam bearings to some degree.
I have pickled a few engines in my day and a lot of the above recommendations are good...EXCEPT the WD40. It does a good job to temporarily "displace" water and that's IT!. It is not a lubricant or metal preservative. Don't believe me...spray your favorite gun with it and store it for a year. You will have a rusted mess.
The only thing I have ever used WD on is a motorcycle chain after a muddy race. It cleans and gets rid of the moisture. But I immediately come behind it with chain lube. I have other rust examples as well. Just MHO
The only thing I have ever used WD on is a motorcycle chain after a muddy race. It cleans and gets rid of the moisture. But I immediately come behind it with chain lube. I have other rust examples as well. Just MHO
Yep WD40 is useless crap, I used it to try and preserve a set of rotors once. Soaked them with WD40 and put them in bags then boxed them. 1 year later I went to use them, they were so rusted and nasty I tossed them out for junk. I also used it on a good revolver once and it started rusting badly pitted, ruined it. At the time I didn't realize it was WD40 that did it. After the rotors I never used it again.
WD-40 wasn't the issue, leaving it for a year and expecting it to work out was.
So apparently through our collective experience the wd-40 or motor oilwould need to be done periodically, either will work if so, neither will work if it isn't.
I wiped the cylinder bores down real good with Marvel Mystery Oil, some investigating I did told me it is basically a liquid version of the Stabil Fogging Oil.
I left the pushrods out so valves stay closed and put in an old set of plugs to seal the plug holes.
I wrapped the engine in a bag and will find some desiccant packs here at work to put in the bag.
Every so often I will pull the plugs spray in some more fogging oil and turn the engine over a couple of revolutions.
I think I will also pour a little oil down the push rod holes in the heads to keep the lifter bores oiled, and cam bearings to some degree.
I left the pushrods out so valves stay closed and put in an old set of plugs to seal the plug holes.
I wrapped the engine in a bag and will find some desiccant packs here at work to put in the bag.
Every so often I will pull the plugs spray in some more fogging oil and turn the engine over a couple of revolutions.
I think I will also pour a little oil down the push rod holes in the heads to keep the lifter bores oiled, and cam bearings to some degree.
WD40 is the absolute worst thing to use on something that you don't want to rust. It is complete garbage! You may as well hose it down with water. About the only thing it's good for is as a lubricant/coolant for machining aluminum or cleaning adhesive off of something. It's more of a solvent than a lubricant. Garbage!
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From: PDX-OR-USA
If you've seen those little hand heater gadgets that you tear the bag open and they heat up, they also work pretty good to keep water and oxygen under control, They will react and bind with the water in the air as well as using up some oxygen.
You can also get the packages of desiccant crystals used and put them in a oven at 200 for 4 to 8 hours to drive the moisture out of them and re-use them. (I use my outdoor oven to keep the wife happy.. )
FWIW Marvel Mystery oil came out way back in the olden days when the Marvel Carburetor was introduced on tractors, they used to have a steam pipe for the radiator to the carb and the old Marvel carbs had a small cup you filled with the oil, when you were plowing with the tractor you'd open the steam valve and it would start pulling hard, (All 21 rpm's) injecting steam in to the intake, the stem also sucked a small amount of the oil to help lubricate the iron pistons and rings and internal bits so they wouldn't rust. So as a rust preventative its better than many products.. IMHO.. YMMV..
I've actually driven a tractor plowing fields that had this system.. Surprising the torque jump you get when the steam comes in.. And how much less fuel you burn to get the same work out of the tractor..
You can also get the packages of desiccant crystals used and put them in a oven at 200 for 4 to 8 hours to drive the moisture out of them and re-use them. (I use my outdoor oven to keep the wife happy.. )
FWIW Marvel Mystery oil came out way back in the olden days when the Marvel Carburetor was introduced on tractors, they used to have a steam pipe for the radiator to the carb and the old Marvel carbs had a small cup you filled with the oil, when you were plowing with the tractor you'd open the steam valve and it would start pulling hard, (All 21 rpm's) injecting steam in to the intake, the stem also sucked a small amount of the oil to help lubricate the iron pistons and rings and internal bits so they wouldn't rust. So as a rust preventative its better than many products.. IMHO.. YMMV..
I've actually driven a tractor plowing fields that had this system.. Surprising the torque jump you get when the steam comes in.. And how much less fuel you burn to get the same work out of the tractor.. This stuff is killer. I use it on the bare metal surfaces of my milling machines and it really does work well. They claim that it offers 2 years worth of protection indoors. I don't know what effect it might have on cylinder walls/rings when you finally fire up the engine, though.
http://www.lpslabs.com/product-details/612
http://www.lpslabs.com/product-details/612