Engine Storage

[Ghoste]

Question came up today talking with a couple of buddies, how long would you store a dry engine?  Me, I kind of like to see them primed with oil if they are going to be sitting for too long.  Am I wrong?

[lukedukem]

That's odd you ask that. I just got a short block Oldsmobile 455 back from the machine shop and was wondering the same. I just had my first kid on Friday and might be awhile before I start installing stuff. Not a dry engine like your talking about, but still would like to know. I have it wrapped in plastic right now

Luke

[ws23rt]

I've worked with a lot of machinery over the years that at one time or the other needed to be stored for long periods of time. The two things to protect it from are moisture and oxygen (air).

Oil on metal is good to help keep moisture off the metal but keeping oxygen away is best.  Let' say an engine is put away in sealed plastic for example. It will last as long as the seal is good.

Rust comes from the burning/oxidizing of iron/steel. When the oxygen supply is cut off rust can't happen.

The only time I have seen rusted or corroded machinery that has been sealed is when the seal was broken and moisture and air got in.

A short and tragic story.----A large gear case was being cleaned by a crew that had all the proper gear to enter the enclosure. It was cleaned and dried out. The next day two people entered the space for an inspection. They died quickly. Another died going in after them.
This story comes from some time back when safety was not as high as it is today.
The investigation concluded that flash rusting of clean metal had consumed all the oxygen over night.

This story stuck with me for various reasons but here it illustrates how important oxygen is for rusting. Moisture is water which has a supply of oxygen with it and of course less is better.

OOps--I can sometimes carry on a bit    So seal it with desiccant inside and it will last for the great grand children.

[68charger440]

I bought a Blazer from my brother in law many years ago that had been sitting for 8 years, but ran when it was parked.  I disconnected the coil so I coul crank it for a few minutes to get the oil circulating.  Drained the gas and put in some fresh gas and it started with some coaxing after 1/2 hour.  Once it was running it cleared out any smoke in a few minutes and I drove it home that day.  I changed the fluids and gave it to my son who drove it for another 5 years before selling it still running great.

[ws23rt]

I bought a Blazer from my brother in law many years ago that had been sitting for 8 years, but ran when it was parked.  I disconnected the coil so I coul crank it for a few minutes to get the oil circulating.  Drained the gas and put in some fresh gas and it started with some coaxing after 1/2 hour.  Once it was running it cleared out any smoke in a few minutes and I drove it home that day.  I changed the fluids and gave it to my son who drove it for another 5 years before selling it still running great.

This is common. --An engine that is sealed will last a very long time. If the heads were off for those eight years it could be enough time to require boring the block for the next size pistons as well as other stuff.

[Dmichels]

I live in the north east so I have some experience with this from a hands on standpoint. You want to store your engine at a constant temperature. An unheated garage is asking for trouble as you can and will get condensation from temperature extremes. I would drain all fluids I would fog the inside of the cylinders with a fogging oil. There are many products on the market. WD40 and regular engine oil DO NOT protect against rust. The film brakes down and moisture gets in. I would not plug everything up it could trap something in there. I would bag the engine if possible and put in several large desiccant packages. And take a look at it every few months and address any issues that may come up. If you were talking about an un-assembled engine there is a great product called COSMOLINE. it comes in spray cans. It leaves a wax on the surface of the metal, great stuff.
Dave

[Chargen69]

I live in the north east so I have some experience with this from a hands on standpoint. You want to store your engine at a constant temperature. An unheated garage is asking for trouble as you can and will get condensation from temperature extremes. I would drain all fluids I would fog the inside of the cylinders with a fogging oil. There are many products on the market. WD40 and regular engine oil DO NOT protect against rust. The film brakes down and moisture gets in. I would not plug everything up it could trap something in there. I would bag the engine if possible and put in several large desiccant packages. And take a look at it every few months and address any issues that may come up. If you were talking about an un-assembled engine there is a great product called COSMOLINE. it comes in spray cans. It leaves a wax on the surface of the metal, great stuff.
Dave

guess i was lucky then, took my 383 out expecting a 2 year restoration, then my friend had to go get a real job and the resto turned into 7 years worth of work on saturdays and maybe one or two nights a week every once in a while.

I didnt do anything, never even released the pressure on the valves.  engine was completely assembled, on a stand in my unheated garage.  All we did was clean it, pulled all the covers off and put new gaskets on everything, paint it and put it in the car.  I fully expected it to have to come out and have work done on it. but it fired right up(MSD makes a difference) and runs as good as it did before, which is AWESOME.  especially because it has full headers and 3" pipes and mufflers, where before it had manifolds and stock pipes