Storing a fresh built engine???
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,404
Likes: 45
From: Arlington Tx
St. Jude Donor '08
Storing a fresh built engine???
I just bought a rebuilt 283 for my car and wanted to know if there is anything I should do to prep it for long term storage. Its going to sit anywhere from 6 months to 20 years........
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
Short block or long?
If the heads are on it, I'd remove the rocker arms, pushrods, and lifters in order to keep the valves closed.
I'd coat the bare surfaces in a long term protectant.
If the heads are on it, I'd remove the rocker arms, pushrods, and lifters in order to keep the valves closed.
I'd coat the bare surfaces in a long term protectant.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,404
Likes: 45
From: Arlington Tx
St. Jude Donor '08
Long long. It needs a carb, dist, fuel pump, water pump and oil. Its very complete. I wanna wrap it up to keep dust and junk out of it, but prepare it first if there is anything I should do.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,345
Likes: 87
From: Northern MN
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Buy large, heavy plastic bags. May find some at your local machine shop that will cover the complete engine. Pull the plugs, if they are in the heads and put oil down the cylinders. Just enough to coat them, don't drown the cylinders. Turn the motor over by hand a few revolutions and put plugs in the heads. Would also open the valve covers and relieve the valve springs by loosening up the rocker arms. Any bare areas can be covered with Marvel Mystery Oil. Works great. I have a bare block that I had cooked out a couple of years ago and that was what they recommended I use on it to store it until I decide to rebuild it. Then just put the plastic bag over the block and seal it up with good tape.
Steve
Steve
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,918
Likes: 13
From: NE Illinois IL
Buy large, heavy plastic bags. May find some at your local machine shop that will cover the complete engine. Pull the plugs, if they are in the heads and put oil down the cylinders. Just enough to coat them, don't drown the cylinders. Turn the motor over by hand a few revolutions and put plugs in the heads. Would also open the valve covers and relieve the valve springs by loosening up the rocker arms. Any bare areas can be covered with Marvel Mystery Oil. Works great. I have a bare block that I had cooked out a couple of years ago and that was what they recommended I use on it to store it until I decide to rebuild it. Then just put the plastic bag over the block and seal it up with good tape.
Steve
Steve
I'd also throw a bag or two of desiccant inside the plastic bag to absorb any moisture that is present. If you do that and seal the bag, it should be fairly moisture proof.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,401
Likes: 9
From: Holly Springs, Nort Cackalacky / Jupiter, Florida
I hear what y'all are saying, BUT...please help un-confuse me.
If the Block or even a short block is correctly and 'completely' sealed in a heavy plastic bag, etc....
How does one move it around?
Are we suggesting placing it on an engine stand??? How is that accomplished without breaking platic barrier?
Are we suggesting just placing flat on the garage floor, wood supports ???
Thanks in advance....
If the Block or even a short block is correctly and 'completely' sealed in a heavy plastic bag, etc....
How does one move it around?
Are we suggesting placing it on an engine stand??? How is that accomplished without breaking platic barrier?
Are we suggesting just placing flat on the garage floor, wood supports ???
Thanks in advance....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,246
Likes: 21
From: Going too fast over the hill. Iowa
You should be able to attach ears to the intake bolts or threaded holes in the heads after bagging it. the ears will seal the holes though the bag when the bolts are tightened (you may want rubber washers there to keep the metal from squeezing through the bag). I pull ears for chain hooks from GM engines in junk yards.
I built two wood jigs from 4x4 lumber to support engines not on a hoist. I don't trust engine stands. The front jig has a triangle shape that reaches to the motor mount pads. in the case of a c1 engine you need to pick support surfaces. The rear supports at the rear block surface at the clutch housing.
I have stored my 66 427 engine for 20 years, but I gutted it and sprayed all surfaces with lithium before draping a plastic cover over it, so I have not encountered your problem.
I built two wood jigs from 4x4 lumber to support engines not on a hoist. I don't trust engine stands. The front jig has a triangle shape that reaches to the motor mount pads. in the case of a c1 engine you need to pick support surfaces. The rear supports at the rear block surface at the clutch housing.
I have stored my 66 427 engine for 20 years, but I gutted it and sprayed all surfaces with lithium before draping a plastic cover over it, so I have not encountered your problem.
Last edited by magicv8; May 8, 2008 at 02:33 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 8,913
Likes: 283
Will the engine assembly lube harden or coke up over time??
There is an engine stand, on wheels, the supports engine at mounts and at the rear. Sits about 4 inches off the floor, and casters.
I would turn it over by hand at least every year, and add a table spoon of oil in the plug holes, or run a pre-oiler, and turn it over.
There is an engine stand, on wheels, the supports engine at mounts and at the rear. Sits about 4 inches off the floor, and casters.
I would turn it over by hand at least every year, and add a table spoon of oil in the plug holes, or run a pre-oiler, and turn it over.
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Pro
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: scotts mi
I would back off the rockers, spray the innards you can get to with Wynns engine fogger, then seal all openings with duct tape. Wrap in a heavy duty plastic engine bag, and put some desicant packets in it. Then using a vacuum cleaner, suck all the air out of it, and keep it in a low humidity cool, but not frozen environment.
