storing an engine what to do

[gingerbreadman]

i have a 429 in a 79 f250 the truck is for parts but the engine is for my next project. i want to strip the truck and will be pulling the motor. is there anything i can do to keep it from rusting or seizing up while it sits for who knows how long? iv heard of pouring atf down the carb slowly while its running untill it stalls out, i dont know how much faith id put into that, i have used a fogger spray for snowmobiles to store over the winter, i am going to store it on a engine stand and honestly it wouldnt take much to hook a rad and ignition up to it to fire it up every few months and keep the boundry lubrication there.

what ya'll recomend?


-gbm-

 

[bnickel]

just pull the plugs and pour in about 1/4 cup of oil into each cylinderand reinstall the plugs, change the oil in the crankcase and new filter. plug any open holes, like exhaust, carb, etc. you can also spray the motor down with wd-40 or something and wrap it in a trash bag if you feel the need to, other than that not much else you really need to do

 

[GOvert]

If it were me I would take off the valve covers and back off of the valves until all of them are closed. I have found "evidence" of mice getting in the cylinders through an open valve. (Reinstall covers). Also if you wad up some aluminum foil and stuff in the end of the exhaust manifolds this will keep the mice from converting it to a "habitat" while it is sitting.

 

[coolblue65]

I have always just coated everything down with oil, then put the block in in two large heavy duty trash bags and tied off the top.

 

[ForceFed70]

I'd do the same as what BNickle reccomended:
- Pour some oil into each cylinder (replace plugs after but make sure to remove them again before cranking the engine).
- Spray the engine down with WD40 and wrap the whole thing up with some large heavy-duty garbage bags.

 

[Fast63]

IMO, using lubricants before you store it won't do anything, because the engine gets lubricated normally through running anyway. I suggest first to drain the coolant and oil from the engine, do things to close up any and all ports, wrap the engine in plastic and then a sheet or something. When it is time to use the engine again, take off the valve covers, pour oil on all the rockers, take the spark plugs out and give a shot of WD-40 in all the cylinders, and then fire it up again. Also prime the oil pump.

 

[bnickel]

IMO, using lubricants before you store it won't do anything, because the engine gets lubricated normally through running anyway. I suggest first to drain the coolant and oil from the engine, do things to close up any and all ports, wrap the engine in plastic and then a sheet or something. When it is time to use the engine again, take off the valve covers, pour oil on all the rockers, take the spark plugs out and give a shot of WD-40 in all the cylinders, and then fire it up again. Also prime the oil pump.

i always do it just to prevent any sort of surface rust. even in dry old west texas i've seen surface rust form on stored engines that had no lube and were wrapped up in a bag just like i do. i even went so far as to spread bearing grease on the machined surfaces of my bare block before i stored it untill i got around to building the motor after the winter.

if we can surface rust on stored engines in here the high plains desert it'll damn sure happen up in canada where their winter is at least 3 times longer than what we have here in west texas.

 

[ForceFed70]

Again, I agree the Bnickle. The lubricants suggested are there to prevent corrosion, not as a friction modifier.

 

[01ragtop]

You can remove the Dist and buy a shaft to turn the oil pump with a drill. This will get the pressure up. On top of that you can turn the engine ( at the crank) a turn and a half about every month or so to keep the rings from getting stuck.