Long term storage of a motor

arrivederci · 11-12-2009, 04:30 PM

I pulled the original 2.4 motor from my '72 T and am taking the motor out of service. I'm replacing it with a 3.6L.

So what should I do to help preserve its condition in the event I want to reinstall it in 10 years and have it run well? It has MFI that runs well right now.

bavaria911 · bavaria911's Garage

Don't do what I did while deployed and stationed overseas for 6 years.
I'm rebuilding the motor now!
Storing for that long, you'll need to replace the seals for sure.
If at all possible fill the case with oil and find a way to turn it over every 3 months. My cylinders and piston rings formed a rusted layer in my 2.4E motor. And I still turned the motor over once a year.
Good luck,
Bavaria911

Arizona_928 · 11-12-2009, 07:47 PM

maybe you can do the same stuff that they put in the marine engines to purserve them?

effvee · 11-13-2009, 04:14 PM

Hi, if this engine has miles on it, there will be a taper of some kind. If you choose to store this engine, I really suggest removing the pistons from the cylinders. The reason for removing the cylinder, is to allow the pistons at bottom dead center; to not be effected by the cone/taper of the cylinder.

You could remove the spark plugs and oil the cylinder with oil, lots of oil and crank the engine over in order for the oil to fully cover the entire cylinder wall. Also use anti-seize the spark plug to head to prevent rust. Lastly remove all engine oil from the case, if it has ran at all.

Lastly install a very large tag warning of no engine oil in engine. I understand the engine is a dry sump, it a good reminder of if condition.

If you don't remove the cylinders from the pistons, some of the BDC pistons will have a memory on the rings and won't really seal once the engine is re-started again.

safe · safe's Garage

Depends on how/where you are going to store it. How moist free the air is.

Raceboy · Raceboy's Garage

Yes, moisture is the enemy of the engine, time also, but not that much.

Best place to store an engine is dry basement preferrably with a air drier in that room too. You can buy a gauge for metering moisture, that helps a lot.

Just for the record, I stored a freshly honed cast iron block in a sports car production facility where I keep my cars and it sat there for two years, never caught a stain of rust. And cylinders were bare, not even oiled. They had air driers there because of the needs for dry air, they definitely didn't want freshly manufactured expensive car parts to rust out waiting for dispatch.

304065 · 11-14-2009, 08:54 AM

Buy two five gallon jugs of the cheapest oil you can find.

Remove the breather cover and pour the oil in until the engine is full.

Wait 10 years.

Seriously, "pickling" the engine by completely filling it with oil is a well-known technique from the aviation industry. My 911E race car is sitting in dry storage at the moment with precisely the same storage technique. Sure, you have to make certain you seal up all the places the oil can leak out, and use some big drip pans on the bottom to catch the inevitable leaks, but it works.

effvee · 11-14-2009, 05:33 PM

Hi, there are many ways in which you can prevent rust. Using completely new oil (without being ran), will separate any moisture from the combustion process. However, the age of the engine must be considered, due to taper. Rust on the cylinder wall is very hard to prevent. Thus the new oil recommendation. Hibernating a engine for a season, is different than for a number of years. How may miles are on this engine? Do you believe there is less than a .006 cylinder taper? What area will the engine be stored? Dry(arid)? How deep do you want to consider this issue of hibernating your engine?

Shoepop · 11-14-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 304065

Buy two five gallon jugs of the cheapest oil you can find.

Remove the breather cover and pour the oil in until the engine is full.

Wait 10 years.

I wish I had a 911 engine that would hold 10 gallons for 10 weeks

arrivederci · 11-15-2009, 06:19 AM

Hmm, it looks like I might need to tear down the motor then and prepare the individual pieces for long term storage. Not quite what I wanted to do. This motor has some miles on it - probably 50K. 2.4T w/ 2.2S p's and c's. It was built on my car's numbers matching case and everything works pretty well right now (MFI, etc). i don't anticipate putting this motor back in unless I ever decide to sell the car (unlikely). Thx for the help.

safe · safe's Garage

I would not tear it down.
I would pull the plugs, pour in som oil in the cylinders and turn it over a few times, then fill up the crank case.
Try to store it as dry as possible.

safe · safe's Garage

Grady wrote about storage some time ago:
Storing and preserving an engine

effvee · 11-15-2009, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by safe

Grady wrote about storage some time ago:
Storing and preserving an engine

Hi, in Grady's recommendation, his subject was on a 200,000 mile engine. Man there should have been some taper there.

The oiling of everything is a good thing. If you use WD-40 added to oil, understand the WD-40 acts as a oil thinner, when added to the oil.

My ultimate concern is, when the time comes to wake up this hibernated engine. There will have been a piston having been hibernated at bottom dead center (BDC). This cylinder/piston is the one that will be harmed during the hibernation. The compression rings and oil control ring will have been compressed by the taper to most. This will cause a weak cylinder.

You will not need to do a total tare down. Just to the point of pulling the cylinders off of the pistons.

I can say for sure, do nothing and there will be a weak cylinder. That engine has merit, since it is VIN to your body. Like you have said, you won't use the engine again unless you re-insatll it for sell. Even with that in mind, you do want to think you sold a good engine/good car to the buyer. So it your choice, in choosing to what level you want to hibernate your engine.

Good luck