I knew the C3 guys know what they are doin
Mothballing an engine
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: NY
Mothballing an engine
I would assume the C3 guys would be able to help me with this one...
Does anyone know how to mothball an engine. I am taking the original motor out of my vette and want to keep it just in case i sell it for any reason down the road. Does the motor have to be in running condition to mothball it?
Thanks
Does anyone know how to mothball an engine. I am taking the original motor out of my vette and want to keep it just in case i sell it for any reason down the road. Does the motor have to be in running condition to mothball it?
Thanks
Drifting
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,480
Likes: 2
From: Circleville Ohio
Vader Vette
Moth ball is just A saying) for anythhing that is going to be stored for A long time. take the plugs out squirt high grade 5w 30w in each cyl (then put them back in not tight just snug ,take the carb off and spray it with some type lube bag it tag it keep the bolts in the bag ,cover the hole where the carb was after spraying a light but good quailyt lube down in all the directions.Take off the ehx. manifolds clean up and paint bag and tag and keep the bolts in the bag. same with the fuel pump take it off drain it bag it and tag it I might put a cover plate over where the fuel pimp was also stuff olie rags down all the exhaust ports.I would also take off the distributator and fill that cavity with oil .and stuff a rag down in that whole also. I have one and I tore it all the way down to the block and everything is taggged and oiled and bagged.I check the engine about every year to make sure nothing is starting to re-rust been stored 5 yrs and no problems yet.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
depends on what you want to do with it......make sure you change the oil and filter and use a light weight oil in it......if you do not intend on turning it over "by hand" every so often you may want to loosen the rockers. or you can buy a "bracket" for lack of better terminology from jegs or summit that bolts to the harmonic balancer that lets you turn the engine with a 1/2" drive.....and if you really want to get fancy you can pull the distributor and put the oil pump priming tool in place every so often and spin the oil pump. this is what i did on one of my motors so it didnt decide to get stuck in place so i would hand crank the engine and have my son man the prining tool i sould do this for several rotations of the engine so all valves got exercised.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
taking care of an engine that you want to keep is only a wasted effort when it gets frozen......other then that its overkill......i bought a pristine 1954 MG TF that was parked in a garage when the brakes went bad and wound up sitting there for years......and then the engine froze......broke the crank bolt trying to turn it.....the car would just drag the wheels when you pushed it in gear....so this guys poor judgement on storing it was my windfall....i got it real cheap .
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,897
Likes: 1,353
From: Santa Ana CA
Yes, if you put a few mothballs in your gasoline, you will increase the octane. Only use a few as too many will run dirty and/or harm the engine.
http://www.cartalk.com/content/colum...bruary/09.html
http://www.cartalk.com/content/colum...bruary/09.html