HILLMAN CAR CLUB
OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC
Tech Tips:
Storing an Engine
HILLMAN CAR CLUB
OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC

From: lord_rootes [lord_rootes(at)yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 12:11 PM
To: HillmanCars@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [HillmanCars] Storing Engine

Hi All,
I seem to recall reading somewhere that if you are going to store an engine for awhile, as I am, that you should fill it up with oil.
Even though most of the oil will just sit in the pan the article said that it will still coat the interior bits, i.e. crankshaft etc. on the way down with clean oil and this will help to prevent any corrosion happening.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Alan
(maybe one day I'll be able to answer some questions instead of asking them all the time :–))

From: Graham Robinson 62 Husky [Leslie3008(at)bigpond.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 1:27 PM
To: HillmanCars@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [HillmanCars] Storing Engine

Alan,
Good idea, also is best to rotate a few times whilst in storage to move oil around rather than sitting in the sump and depends how long is storage!
Gr.

From: LINDEN M MALKI [importautosbdo(at)juno.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 4:59 AM
To: HillmanCars@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [HillmanCars] Storing Engine

I have also heard that, and recommended it on occasion.  If you fill it ALL the way up, everything will be sealed and lubricated.  You just have to remember to drain it before trying to start it....
Linden

From: Chuck Hillman [hillmanminx(at)hermon.net]
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 5:47 AM
To: HillmanCars@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [HillmanCars] Storing Engine

Hi Linden and all,
          I would not over fill an engine, even for long periods of storage.  I would put oil in the cylinders and crank it over by hand with the plugs out to insure everything is coated well, then put the plugs back in.
Trickling oil in the carb while idling before shutting down would coat the valves and cylinders.  That's my idea, and I'm in a wet climate, and have 8 Hillmans in a rather open barn.
Chuck

From: lord_rootes [lord_rootes(at)yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 1:33 AM
To: HillmanCars@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [HillmanCars] Re: Storing Engine

Thanks Graham,
I wondered about the rotating bit. As far as how long it'll be in storage, how ever long it takes me to get it in the car with all the other engine bay parts, rewire the car, re-do the brakes...could be awhile :–)
–Alan M.

From: Keith Johnson [keiths55(at)bigpond.net.au]
Sent: Saturday, December 04, 2004 12:28 PM
To: HillmanCars@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [HillmanCars] Re: Storing Engine

My sixpence worth on this one.

I squirt oil down the plug holes and turn over with the handle a few times.  If it is in the car you may as well leave oil in the sump.
Put the plugs back in to deter little vermin setting up house.
Now one that hasn't been mentioned, any water passages that have had water in there with higher mineral content develop scale.  If you leave a radiator or engine block dry for a long period (several years?) then this scale hardens and becomes virtually impossible to remove.  The scale prevents heat transfer from the block to the coolant and in the radiator from the coolant to the metal fins.  Result overheating.  Radiators can be recored but an engine is a little more difficult.  I don't have a solution.
So a stored engine in the car would best have the coolant kept topped up and with corrosion inhibitor to protect the disimilar metals in alloy heads, water pumps, top water outlet etc.

Before restarting a little lube on such forgottten things as the points pivot in the distributor always helps.

Keith


From: Laurence Davies [davies(at)123access.net]
Sent: Sunday, December 05, 2004 11:47 AM
To: HillmanCars@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [HillmanCars] Re: Storing Engine

I (hope) I solved the problem of cooling system corrosion in an engine that was removed from my car, by plugging all the coolant outlets, and filling the engine coolant passages with a 50-50 mix of a reputable anti-freeze.  Hopefully, as I turn the engine over to circulate oil I regularly squirt down the spark plug holes, the water pump will also "move" the coolant, at least a little.  I found a "expandable" plugs that did an excellent job, at our local boat dealer, I suspect you could find them also at a good hardware store.
Laurence
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