# Engine rebuilt - how best to store it?



## 64since65 (Dec 11, 2019)

I may have messed up. I rebuilt my engine ('64 389 Tripower) but it was the first thing I did and now it's going to have to sit for a couple years while everything else gets rebuilt. There is still LOTS of work to be done on the rest of the car. Basically everything on the car needs to be rebuilt and there's lots of sheet metal work to be done. So if I'm _really _lucky the car might be ready in a year but more likely 2 years. So the engine will need to sit somewhere for a couple years and I'm trying to figure out what's the best way to keep it in good shape during that time.

When I assembled it, everything I could touch got at least a thin coat of assembly lube. (Intake manifold and intake ports were thin. Other areas I didn't worry about.) As I recall, the only thing I couldn't get to was deep into some of the intake manifold and, since the valves were already installed, I could only reach part way into the intake and exhaust ports.

Here are the options as I see them. What do those of you with experience think is best.

Leave it as-is. (At this point it's stored in my barn - 30x40 insulated garage really - in Michigan which gets heated in the winter whenever I go out there to work on the car. In other words, the temperature varies a lot during the winter. Is it worth paying someone to store it in a temperature controlled environment?)
Leave it as it but use a drill to run the oil pump periodically.
Run it on a test stand at a local hot rod shop to break it in then store it in my barn. If I do that, should I do the "squirt some oil in and leave it" method or do something else? Someone mentioned running it on the engine stand periodically but I'm not sure running it on an engine stand is a safe thing to do.
Any combination of the above.

Your thoughts? Other ideas?


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## Old Man Taylor (May 9, 2011)

I would NOT run it and then store it. I would leave it as is and spray WD-40 on all the cast surfaces so they don't rust, and squirt engine oil into the cylinders. I would not prime the engine as it might was off the assembly lube. Then get a large plastic bag to seal it up. I know Summit used to sell them.


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## Mine'sa66 (Oct 30, 2019)

Old Man Taylor said:


> I would NOT run it and then store it. I would leave it as is and spray WD-40 on all the cast surfaces so they don't rust, and squirt engine oil into the cylinders. I would not prime the engine as it might was off the assembly lube. Then get a large plastic bag to seal it up. I know Summit used to sell them.


I would do exactly this except I would use a light lubricating oil rather than WD40.
Air tool oil is great for this purpose.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

I would not prime the engine and plan on periodically priming and turning over. Breaking it in on an engine stand does not sound good either - I would leave it as is.

Remove the rocker arms so all the valves are closed and no moisture can get into any one cylinder - this seals them all. Pull the spark plugs and I like to use Marvel Mystery Oil with an oil squirt can. Direct the nozzle towards the back wall (center of the engine) and give a couple squirts. Then re-install plugs. Cover/tape the exhaust ports as well as the intake manifold. You want to seal all opening as best you can.

Put the engine in a large bag if possible, and even double bag it. Put a couple pieces of corrugated cardboard from a box inside the bag, or over the engine before bagging. The cardboard will absorb moisture - my machinist told me to do this if parts are going to sit for a while.

If you already put cam break-in lube on the cam/lifters, some types can drip off in time. If me, I would pull the intake and check/re-lube if needed so you don't burn up the cam. When you are ready to prime the oil pump, prime and then rotate the crank 90 degrees and prime again - do this for a full crank rotation to ensure oil gets to all parts and air is forced out.

I used WD-40 to wet down my 455 block, set it on a piece of cardboard, and double bagged it. It has been sitting for a good 4 years or more and still looks fresh - I check it once in a while. It is sitting inside my house so that may help. However, I removed it from the bag as I am doing a little work involving the block and with the wicked humidity here in my area, I noticed that the machined areas were getting a little tint to them. I hit it with more WD-40 to be on the safe side as I am working on it. This only proves that the WD-40/cardboard/double bagging works and the minute it hit the air and high humidity for a week or so, moisture was taking hold of the fresh machining.

Like you, my project build has turned out to be way past my expected date and one reason I have not assembled my engine because I knew it was going to sit. I won't assemble it until my car is just about road ready and then I can install it, break it in, and go down the road to follow up on the break-in. I'm chomping at the bit to assemble my engine, but know in this southern climate that it may not be a wise thing if the engine is going to sit for years - so its still all in pieces and in cardboard boxes. So far, so good.

I have never had to actually prep a built engine for storage, so these are my suggestions thrown in the the other members suggestion.


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## 64since65 (Dec 11, 2019)

Thanks. Lots of good suggestions.

Mine'sa66 - Why do you prefer air tool oil instead of WD-40? My experience with engine oil on my heads was that it ran off after a few months and I ended up with rust starting in some places. Wouldn't air tool oil do the same? I do know that WD-40 works best if sprayed on and not touched because there is some kind of 'gel' like substance that can get wiped off if you try to spread it around.

I love the idea of the cardboard. I've never heard that before but it makes sense.

Jim, do you think it's worth putting Marvel Mystery Oil in even though I spread a light coat of assembly lube on the combustion chamber surfaces before assembling? I would think the Mystery Oil would just wash off the assembly lube. I knew it was going to sit for at least a few weeks before everything was ready to run so, as I said, I coated _everything_ I could with assembly lube including the interior cast surfaces. My fingers were a real mess by the time I was done! My one concern is that I did need to rotate the engine to adjust the rocker arms (which will now need to be loosened!) and that probably removed most of the assembly lube from the cylinder walls. But I know the cylinder walls still have _some_ assembly lube on them because I noticed they still felt oily after rotating the crank while installing the pistons.

The block and heads came back to me with plastic bags on them and they still rusted. That was partly because the bags got small rips in them even though I tried to be careful. I also covered the rips with electrical tape once I found them. I was thinking about removing the carbs and storing them in my house then covering the openings with electrical tape and wrapping the engine with plenty of stretch wrap. (And now some cardboard as well!) What do you think?

As for the WD-40, your 4 years with it makes you a piker by comparison. I disassembled my engine about 30 years ago and coated it in WD-40. Everything was removed except the crank and camshaft. I think I added a second coat a few years later. But it basically sat in my barn for all those 30 years and was in amazingly good condition when I finally started working on it. Take a look at the first two videos on this web page - http://www.aimsdc.net/gto/jan_2020.a5w - to see the condition of the crank and camshaft after all those years. They were still in the block but were not covered with anything other than WD-40. I was originally thinking about just cleaning it up and reassembling it but I did finally get smart and had it machined and balanced (but not assembled) by a pro. I became a believer in WD-40 for long term storage nonetheless.

As for protecting the exterior, it's already been painted. If you go to the last page (the August page) of the website I listed above you can see it in its current condition.


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## Mine'sa66 (Oct 30, 2019)

I don't use WD40 in places where I want an oil product. WD40 isn't oil. It is what it's named for. Water Displacing formula 40. Water Displacing is good here of course, but it's original use was to displace water right then, not keep water away for long periods. Now, coating something in WD40 then completely sealing it up is a different story. You could coat it thoroughly in just about anything oily and have decent results as the sealing process is what's doing most of the work.
I like air tool oil as similar to bar and chain oil it has additives that make it cling to surfaces. It's highly refined with extremely low impurities.
As far as coating everything in assembly lube, well, I guess that's probably about the best you can do.
You're getting marvel/motor oil in the cylinders as a storage method as that's the usual way to go....but usually you didn't have opportunity to coat the entire inside surface with assembly lube!
If I buy a running car and I know I'm not starting it for a very long time, I'll pull the plugs, pour Marvel down the throat, turn it over by hand a few times, then pour more into each cylinder.
If you like the gel effect then buy some Castle products Muscle Grease or similar. It literally makes a coat that sets up.
Many firearms protectant products are perfect for this although pricey, Ballistol is a good one.


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## 64since65 (Dec 11, 2019)

Thanks for the info. I had no idea air tool oil had additives that would help it cling to surfaces.

Did you look at those videos I linked to previously. They show the condition of my crankshaft and camshaft after 30+ years coated with WD-40 and exposed to the air in the barn. The only 'cover' was that the engine was upright on the engine stand and the valley cover was still resting on top but not attached. This kept most dirt/dust from falling directly on them. I was astounded at how well they cleaned up. I'm not saying air tool oil wouldn't work as well but I probably won't get another 30 years to find out!


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## Mine'sa66 (Oct 30, 2019)

64since65 said:


> Thanks for the info. I had no idea air tool oil had additives that would help it cling to surfaces.
> 
> Did you look at those videos I linked to previously. They show the condition of my crankshaft and camshaft after 30+ years coated with WD-40 and exposed to the air in the barn. The only 'cover' was that the engine was upright on the engine stand and the valley cover was still resting on top but not attached. This kept most dirt/dust from falling directly on them. I was astounded at how well they cleaned up. I'm not saying air tool oil wouldn't work as well but I probably won't get another 30 years to find out!


If WD40 has worked for you then there's really no reason to do differently. There's about a zillion ways to skin a cat!
Air tool oil is some versitile stuff. Pour a little out onto a metal surface and watch it "walk" all over.
Where do you live?
I live in the corrosion capitol of America, so preventing rust is a 15 round title fight.
In my shop we've gone through every penetrating oil and lubricant that can be found. 
Probably overkill for the bulk of the rest of the country.
If you left a metal part out for 30 years here, whatever you coated it in, it would be toast!
The key is to get it really clean before hand and thoroughly and evenly coat it with whatever product you choose to go with.
You might take a look at Castle products Endura. It's a commercial product, but I think if you searched around, you could source some.
That being said, your experience with WD40 can't be overstated, so I'd feel some awful if you used something I suggested and it didn't work out!


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## 64since65 (Dec 11, 2019)

I live just north of Ann Arbor in Michigan. And just in case you thought otherwise, I have no argument with you at all. Just looking to learn and share info. I'll take all the info I can get.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

I think you did the right thing by having the engine rebuilt. However, I have rebuilt engines in a similar manner - doing my own honing, re-using cast pistons & rods, and doing what i could to save money as I had to do things on the cheap in my youth. LOL

If you have already lubed up the cylinders, then you should not need to add any Marvel Mystery Oil. But, I will warn you that too much oil on the cylinder walls can inhibit good ring seating. I have read that some will dunk the pistons/rings in oil and then insert into the cylinders while others just a very light coating. So this is a question to ask your engine builder because if you glaze the cylinder walls, the rings won't seat as best they could which can mean you may burn a little oil. If you read a lot of the older engine break-in procedures (following your initial cam break-in procedure), they always say to keep the speeds below X for X miles, then run it up to X miles per hour for X miles, then you should be good to go. Does not seem to be true today and it may be because the rings are a different material and seat better faster. The rule today is break it in like you plan on driving it. It is best to do several accelerations and deceleration so the rings are subjected to pressure & suction which seats them best.

I really don't know the best way to store the engine for long hiberantions or the best oil to use to protect it. I suppose each of us has our own way that works. Humidity here in the south can rust things up fast, but I have seen engine parts rust up when I lived up north, so it is just a property of metal. I've had/bought cars that sat for years and it wasn't anything to throw a battery in it, pour gas down the carb, and fire it up with the gas that was still in the tank. LOL Knowing what I know now, I probably would not do that - I'd at least put fresh gas in it. 

I don't think you need to go crazy on the carbs, just put them in bags and tie them off. Same with the engine. Just use the good trash bags, maybe 55 gallon?, and double bag it and tie them off. Seeing the engine is painted, once you have the exhaust ports sealed (might even put a rolled up piece of cardboard inside the port) and the intake, I'd spray the outside surface with WD-40 (my preference), throw in some cardboard over the engine, and double bag it and tie it off. I don't think you will have any issues with the cylinders sealed off and the intake/exhaust ports sealed.


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## 64since65 (Dec 11, 2019)

Jim you sound as old as me. In today's world, "put them in bags and tie them off" would be "just put them in a 2 gallon zip lock bag."  And they're probably more air tight!

The ports are sealed, I have more WD-40 than I need (found 2 _old _cans of it in the back of a storage shelf in the garage the other day - no idea how long they've been there), and plenty of cardboard. So now all I need is the bags.

Thanks everybody. I'll try to remember to update this with the results when it finally gets unwrapped.


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## Mine'sa66 (Oct 30, 2019)

64since65 said:


> I live just north of Ann Arbor in Michigan. *And just in case you thought otherwise, I have no argument with you at all.* Just looking to learn and share info. I'll take all the info I can get.


Absolutely not!
As PontiacJim is living right now with the PY people, this forum is a little different! It's hard sometimes to respond to a post with a different opinion without giving the OP the feeling that you're criticizing or trying to make them look stupid. That's the hard part of only words on a page. You get no voice inflection, no facial expression, no context. 
What I've seen here in my limited time, is that most of the folks here take what other's are saying in a positive tone rather than looking to be offended, as so much of the world is.
I come here to learn. Since twisting wrenches is my livelihood, I like to share what I've learned.
One thing you learn right away in that field is just when you think you got it figured out, you go to work the next day and see something entirely new!
The point isn't to be upset at the bearer of the news, but to absorb the lesson.
If I got upset everytime someone walked over and said "hey do this instead of that" I wouldn't get far.
I do this in coastal Maine. My whole world revolves around corrosion. I can't express enough how over the top it is.
I was trying to share what we've learned, not in any way denigrate anybody's process.


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