Engine storage mid project.
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Teching In
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Engine storage mid project. Hello everyone,
As per usual, coming to you with a question that Im probably overthinking, but wanted to get everyones opinions. I have an assembled short block back from the machine shop. I am probably 3-5 months from having parts and assembly to the point of starting it in the car. Im wondering what my best bet for storage of the engine is. My machine shop said to add a small amount of oil to the cylinder walls and turn it a full turn every week or two. Its currently living on the stand in my closed, but not climate controlled garage. Coming into the NW summer months, temps wont get too cold. Would I be better off:
1.) keeping the heads off and continuing to oil the cylinder walls and turn it every week or two until I get closer to final assembly and first start or-
2.) Put the heads on, measure pushrod length and get the top end buttoned up and store it that way for a few months. If this option is better, how would I go about lubing the cylinder walls and turning the engine? At this point would it be beneficial to fill and prime the engine oil with a pump periodically and turn it like I plan to before first start?
Like I said, tiny stupid question but hoping the gurus can help me preserve my freshly restored block and internals.
From and engine rebuild newbie, thank you all!
Daniel.
As per usual, coming to you with a question that Im probably overthinking, but wanted to get everyones opinions. I have an assembled short block back from the machine shop. I am probably 3-5 months from having parts and assembly to the point of starting it in the car. Im wondering what my best bet for storage of the engine is. My machine shop said to add a small amount of oil to the cylinder walls and turn it a full turn every week or two. Its currently living on the stand in my closed, but not climate controlled garage. Coming into the NW summer months, temps wont get too cold. Would I be better off:
1.) keeping the heads off and continuing to oil the cylinder walls and turn it every week or two until I get closer to final assembly and first start or-
2.) Put the heads on, measure pushrod length and get the top end buttoned up and store it that way for a few months. If this option is better, how would I go about lubing the cylinder walls and turning the engine? At this point would it be beneficial to fill and prime the engine oil with a pump periodically and turn it like I plan to before first start?
Like I said, tiny stupid question but hoping the gurus can help me preserve my freshly restored block and internals.
From and engine rebuild newbie, thank you all!
Daniel.
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Joined: Jan 2022
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From: Seattle
I would do option 2, still turn it over every week or so, use some marvel mystery oil in the spark plug holes. Absolutely prime the oil pump and get as much oil in the places that need it as possible.
Thread Starter
Teching In
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Last edited by jettadude123; Jun 20, 2022 at 12:59 AM.
Thanks for the insight. Is it safe to turn it without the heads on like mentioned in option 1? Engine builder said he liberally applied assembly lube so the internals should be lubricated. Ive only hand turned it a couple times but would hate to have introduced issues by doing this.
Oil the cylinders, heads on, plugs in, rockers off/loose. Make sure the oil pan has an oil coating on it, not totally dry. Same w/ bottom end, make sure it's all wet and button it up. I am south Florida, we watch stuff rust right in front of us, no joke.
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Yeah oil the cylinders. Pull the plugs. Turn it over a few times. Reinstall the plugs. Then seal up the intake and exhaust ports with duct tape. Should be go to go for the long or short term. Cover it up it up with plastic or a large garbage bag to keep the dust off.
Oh and if the valley cover is off cut a piece of cardboard to fit and tape it down to keep stuff out.
Oh and if the valley cover is off cut a piece of cardboard to fit and tape it down to keep stuff out.
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It's really the cylinder walls, rings, and block deck that you need to take special care of to avoid corrosion. Everything else is already in pretty good shape.
The best thing you can do for the deck is to clean it, install gaskets, and torque down the heads once and for all. That will create an air tight seal and also protect it from scratches if something were to fall on engine (crap happens....).
Then protect the finely machined sealing surfaces of heads by resting the intake manifold on it. If no intake manifold, then lay down a few layers of easy to remove painters tape. The tape will be a cushion in case something lands on the engine by accident. Don't use duct tape as suggested below unless you have masochist tendencies.
As far as treating the cylinders, wipe the walls with oil. Then AFTER the heads are torqued down, add a little squirt of oil to each cylinder to wet the rings. If you do this before heads are installed, then oil can be pushed out of the hole when piston goes to TDC and it will contaminate your deck and gaskets.
Then bag the engine, kind of "squish" the air out, and tie it shut. All you need to do is just bump the engine over a bit once in a while. Just trying to keep the rings from bonding to the cylinder wall, no need to turn it a long ways. All the bearings have already been greased so no worries there.
The best thing you can do for the deck is to clean it, install gaskets, and torque down the heads once and for all. That will create an air tight seal and also protect it from scratches if something were to fall on engine (crap happens....).
Then protect the finely machined sealing surfaces of heads by resting the intake manifold on it. If no intake manifold, then lay down a few layers of easy to remove painters tape. The tape will be a cushion in case something lands on the engine by accident. Don't use duct tape as suggested below unless you have masochist tendencies.
As far as treating the cylinders, wipe the walls with oil. Then AFTER the heads are torqued down, add a little squirt of oil to each cylinder to wet the rings. If you do this before heads are installed, then oil can be pushed out of the hole when piston goes to TDC and it will contaminate your deck and gaskets.
Then bag the engine, kind of "squish" the air out, and tie it shut. All you need to do is just bump the engine over a bit once in a while. Just trying to keep the rings from bonding to the cylinder wall, no need to turn it a long ways. All the bearings have already been greased so no worries there.
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