Crate Engine Storage?

[StephenB]

I have a few questions for those of you with some experience...

I have an RX8 engine that was re-built and is now crated. The crate is wrapped with stretch film. Each "opening" on the engine itself is also sealed off from animals that I am sure will try to get in! The engine has accesories already mounted, basically a quick pull and drop in and I am back in business if needed!

SOOOO.... what else should I do to protect it? It has been sitting for a year now and I don't want it ruined!

I also have a stock engine with all accesories sitting beside it on a pallet with the tranny still attached and all accesories. This was pulled from a running car but never rebuilt or put on a dyno. This one is NOT in a crate nor is it stretch wrapped. I suppose I should build a crate for that as well.?.

Stephen

[Greg Amy]

Moisture is your enemy. If possible, seal it all up in plastic contractor leaf bags and toss in there some kind of desiccant. Best stored in a constant warm temperature (basement?) so that condensation doesn't form.

Keep it dry, you're golden. Let condensation form, you're toast. - GA

[seckerich]

Mazda rotary super secret magic storage oil. Also known as ATF. Displaces moisture, inhibits rust, and keeps the seals from sticking. Put a little in the spark plug holes and turn it by hand. Good for years. I use 50/50 mix of ATF and Marvel Mystery oil. I have a motor from 98 that goes in every new car we get for shake down and sits for years sometimes with no problem.

[joeg]

Put it under your bed!!

[Matt93SE]

All the ones I see stored in race shops have all their openings sealed with shiny silver tape. I suppose that stuff works better (and longer) than duct tape or blue tape..

so yeah, dribble a bit of ATF in there, turn it over a few times, then tape over all openings. a couple of desiccant bags shoved where you can remove them (and a note tied to an obvious place for a reminder) certainly wouldn't hurt either.

[lateapex911]

What Steve says. Also, turn it over every so often by hand a few revs, just to make yourself feel useful

[Greg Amy]

Also, turn it over every so often by hand a few revs, just to make yourself feel useful

Actually...in the small-aircraft aviation industry, that practice is frowned upon, as some feel it allows the rings to scrape oil away from the cylinders (read: apex seals=rings and housing=cylinders...).

[lateapex911]

Interesting...I was thinking it would redistribute oil to areas that had drained and/or were possibly not coated originally. (Also, if i were to do that i might shoot a few extra drops in, )
But, no matter what, beware upon startup that any significant quantity of ATf and MMO in there will kill mosquitoes for miles around and just might...cause your neighbors to call you an asshole and call the cops ignoring your repeated apologies ....
(not that I've had personal experience or anything)

[seckerich]

True story here.

A friend blew his motor and needed to borrow one to run a race. I had a stock take out sitting around that was all but carbon locked. We sprayed it full of oven cleaner and pressure washed it out through the exhaust ports on all the rotor faces a few times. Spun it over to shoot all the water out and then filled it with ATF to dissipate the water and keep it from rusting. Sat for a week before install in his car. Ran 8 races with no problem and looked good after we tore it apart. It is just cast iron and aluminum.

[Chip42]

It is just metal and aluminum.

and the skid you stored it on was wood and pine?

[seckerich]

Fixed for you. Long day.

[lateapex911]

Steve, tell me that didn't smoke *a bit* when first started?

[Matt93SE]

Dude... It's a rotary.. they all smoke!
:P