Built or Bits, how best to store an engine?

[Dearg1275]

I’m interested in your thoughts on this one. I have an engine ready to build but won’t need it for some time. Which way to go? Full build, half engine and head or just bits on the shelf? Climate affects the decision I suppose. I stay in Scotland and close to the sea. The air can be salt laden.

D

[Spider]

In bits for sure.

You can spray or coat machined and all other surfaces in an anti-rust preservative, many of which are very good at that, but usually no good as a lubricant, so it would need to be washed off for assembly.

If assembled, you'll have most parts in there with a lick of assembly oil or lube, which will run off and is usually hygroscopic in any case. Then when you did want to use it, you'd be wise to partly disassemble it to be sure it remained clean and was still rust free.

Fresh machined surfaces don't usually store well, this is why when building up a car, I leave the engine and power unit until dead last, I can never understand why so many have them done first, only to often have it out warranty even before it's first start.

[Dearg1275]

Spider,

That makes sense. Can you recommend an anti rust preservative?

D

[Hipwell]

This is excellent on machined parts....

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/lubrica ... MB7011135H

[Spider]

For General use and what I put on my Machine tables, slideways etc if I know I won't be using them for a few weeks, I use this one;-

https://crcindustries.com.au/products/c ... -3415.html

I'm not sure if it's available in the UK, despite it saying it lubricates and cleans, I'd take that with a pinch of salt. On my machines, I always clean it off and use proper slideway oil on them before using them and likewise for engines and gearbox parts, you'll notice right away, any lubricity it might have is very light.

Another place to look is a Gunsmith's store, the products available from them are excellent I'm told.

[850man]

I use this on all our engines parts fresh from machining, and on firearms in storage. It works extremely well.
https://crcindustries.com.au/products/c ... -3005.html

As others have said, leave the engine build until you are ready to fit it to the car. I have build plenty of engines that sit around for 12 months before they get fitted to cars using only assembly lube on the crank & oil in the bores without any issues, but it is much easier to keep component parts wrapped & sprayed with the product listed above.

Having had a small amount of experience with WW2 Warbird restoration and display, there are lubricant coatings available that can be used in reconditioned engines that last indefinitely until the engine is run, that allow the engine to be turned without wiping away and causing corrosion on machined surfaces, ie the bore.

[MiNiKiN]

I got a roll of "oilpaper" to wrap and store uncoated steel bits. Old but gold.
Just found this german link, as I don't know the correct English term for it:
https://www.ratioform.de/Warensicherung ... Oelpapier/

[Costafortune]

Build it up. Clean oil in the sump, a squirt down the bores and spin it on the starter now and then with the plugs out. A complete engine only needs 12v for the starter and coil and it'll run.