Long term motor storage??

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:36 pm

I'm trying to think of the best way to store a good motor I just took out. I drained the oil and the filter is off.

I am going to:

pull the plugs, squirt oil in each cylinder

turn it over and squirt oil in each intake and exhaust

reinstall plugs.

Anything else? I have no idea how long it's going to sit. It could be years.

Toddk

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:19 pm

I made intake and exhaust plugs to keep dust out in addition to squirting oil in the cylinders.

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:54 pm

Do what most people do on ebay.

Leave it outside in the weather.

Sounds like thats about it. Build a nice stand so moving it around is easy, to prevent fins from breaking.

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 12:21 am

You could also put it in a large garbage bag and store it in a decent climate. Another trick may be to turn it over every once in a while to keep thing lubricated.

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:08 am

Bandit65 made a good point about plugging all the ports, there's always going to be some valves open for debri, bugs, or humidity to get into. Where I live we have these nasty little wasps that like to build their nests in such places. If your going to cover it with a plastic bag, I'd spray the whole thing down with LPS or maybe PB Blaster to help ward off corrosion.

David

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:31 am

What's LPS, I have PB blaster.

Any opinion about pulling the cams to help close it up? That will seal it up better than any plugs I could make.

Larry,

We don't have a decent climate. Temperatures range from about 20 below to 100 during the year. The garage goes from bone dry at times to very damp. The snowblower shares the garage during the winter and after you use it, a lot of snow melts off. It takes day for the place to dry out afterwards.

Thanks for the help.

Toddk
Toddk

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:55 am

LPS=WD40 copy.

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 2:34 am

I would'nt go to the extreme of pulling the cams. Just jabbing the ports tightly with rags should do the trick. Spraying everything down with PB Blaster and covering it should do the trick. That is unless your wife does'nt mind it in the house, that'd be best Laughing

David

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:39 am

toddk wrote:

What's LPS, I have PB blaster.

Any opinion about pulling the cams to help close it up? That will seal it up better than any plugs I could make.

Larry,

We don't have a decent climate. Temperatures range from about 20 below to 100 during the year. The garage goes from bone dry at times to very damp. The snowblower shares the garage during the winter and after you use it, a lot of snow melts off. It takes day for the place to dry out afterwards.

Thanks for the help.

Toddk
Toddk

You don't want to seal it up with temperatures that far apart--you're just asking for moisture to develop inside the bag. I'd squirt oil in the chambers and cover the intake and exhaust as well as you can, then wrap the whole thing in something that breathes. You want the humidity to equalize inside and outside the engine. The cover is just to keep the critters out. I wouldn't worry too much about it after that. How many bikes have we seen that were sitting for ten years and started right up?

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 12:27 pm

Good points guys, thanks for the input

Toddk

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 2:51 pm

Plug oil cooler outlets. Remove the spark plugs and valve cover, poor lots of oil over the cams and in each cylinder, fresh oil in the sump, rotate the engine, plug the ports, leave the valve cover and spark plugs loose, and spray the outside with WD40. Every 6-10 months, remove the valve cover and spark plugs, poor oil over cams and in cylinders, rotate the engine making sure to stop at a new degree, loose install spark plugs and valve cover, spray the outside with WD40.

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 4:10 pm

another thing worth trying would be to use one of those "space bags" you know the big zip lock bag looking thing that you use your vacuum to suck all the air out.

Hawk Joined: Aug 18, 2006 Posts: 272 Location: Alsip, Ill

Another thing you might try, they make a "fogging" spray that they use on marine engines, its an oil that solidifys on the cylinder walls. I have only used it once, but the motor was only stored for a year.

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:58 pm

I saw Spider put golf balls in the intake rubbers (great fit) so I did it too. I also sprayed PB in the cylinders. I then stuck the air hose into the spark plug holes to move the piston around. Beware. Those golf balls can come shooting off at a remarkable velocity! I was lucky and the garage door was open and they simply shot out until I couldnt see them anymore. Razz

I also made some exhaust covers out of vinyl siding. You could use any flat plastic.

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:20 pm

toddk wrote:

What's LPS, I have PB blaster.

Keep PB Blaster away from plastics--it eats some varieties (sorry--can't remember whcich kind but it says on the can)
Jim

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:51 pm

I like the golf ball story, you guys always make me laugh. Very Happy

Toddk

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 8:07 pm

I know that this goes against all normal convention,..but I'd not go near the motor with WD-40. Yes,..it is a "Water Displacer" a.k.a WD, formula #40 (at least I think that's how the naming of it went?),..but it is not a protectant as most might think. At least I for one am no longer convinced that this is the case. War story time, and one I've told before here (sorry about the repeat).

Once upon a time I pulled apart a couple of my model aircraft motors. They are of aluminum and steel construction. I cleaned them in a hot glycol bath which removed all the old castor oil and fuel residue and air blew them dry, placed them in GLAD containers with air tight lids after totally soaking them down with WD40 inside and out. I did not attempt to spare the WD40. Well I came back about two weeks later and peeked into the GLAD containers and was shocked to see what I saw, to say the least. The aluminum was coated with I don't know what, and the steel cylinders and crankshafts were rusting. The protection I thought the WD would provide was simply not there. I did manage to clean them up again but only just. The second storage attempt was done with Air Tool oil soaked in clean cotton rags around each motor piece and placed back in the same GLAD containers,..and there they remain. I've never trusted WD as a long term storage medium again.

Tony "the squeaky wheel doesn't get WD around here" Bagley

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:30 am

WD40 is mostly fish oil.

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:41 am

I stay away from aerosol WD40 and use the pump type. I'm sure there is better stuff out there. Kerosene mixed with cheap motor oil in a spray bottle would be a better choice.

I just use WD40 because it is available.

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:09 pm

After you have changed the oil and filter, with the ignition turned OFF turn the engine over with the electric start. This will ensure that any remaining contaminates are diluted and moved into the oil filter.

Do Not START the engine, if you start it any time during the storage period you will cause condensation to form and will contaminate the oil. You can turn the engine over by hand, turning it ALWAYS in the direction of rotation, or with the electric starter if you turn it over with the ignition turned off.

Next step is to oil the pistons and cylinders. Before removing the spark plugs use a bit of compressed air to remove any dirt or debris from around the spark plug holes. Remove the spark plugs and spray a bit of "fogging oil" into each cylinder. DO NOT use WD 40 it will evaporate AND will remove any oil that is on the cylinder walls! When you have about a tablespoon of oil in each cylinder with the plugs OUT turn the engine over by hand 4 or 5 revolutions.

Re-install the spark plugs putting a little silicone grease on the threads.
If your storing the exhaust, take a little of the "fogging oil" and spray it into the exhaust pipes. Then cover the pipe ends with a rag or canvas cover secured by an elastic band or tie wrap. The addition of some moth balls in the cover will keep your friendly neighborhood mice from taking up residence.

Once your ready to store your motor you can use LPS 3 for a light film treatment on metal surfaces http://www.lpslabs.com/Products/CorrosionInh/Lps3.asp.
For those folks that want to bag it you can check out this link http://www.carbag.com/