Storing Diesel Engine

[Freerider]

I finally pulled the engine out of the boat today, a milestone, hey oh!

Whats the proper way to store an engine w/ the saildrive off of it? Is there anything special I need to do?

Do i need to seal up the end? All of the engine oil leaked out because i had to unbolt it from the saildrive for removal; so i guess I should add some more?

Thanks

[Cheechako]

You can buy engine fogger, you spray it in the intake as you crank the engine... it coats the cylinder walls etc. You should keep oil in it. I've heard some people say to completely fill the engine with oil! (put a tag on it saying it is! dont try to crank it!)

[bobconnie]

As Cheechako said above, Fog it. And seal the open end,add oil to the normal marks, and turn over by hand with a proper wrench once a week or so just to keep free. always worked for us !

[Freerider]

Will fogging still be effective if i can only turn the engine over by hand?

[Ex-Calif]

Yes - fogging should be ok by hand. You should also seal the intake and exhaust, breather and oil dipstick tube and if in a humid area place desiccant bags in the inlet and exhaust.

I would also remove the injectors and spray directly and lightly into the cylinders.

I would spray again at 2-3 month intervals and rotate the engine by hand. If you go past a year I would pull the valve covers and relubricate the top end manually.

At some point the fuel system and rubber parts become a concern. Front and rear seals and raw water impeller for example.

For the water system I would fill with a 50/50 mix of fresh glycol. You could also consider filling the raw water system with glycol mix as well - Remove the hose at the mixer, open the hose upstream of the water pump">raw water pump - Hold mixer hose above engine level and pour mix in until you are sure it is through the system evidence by coming out of intake side of raw pump - plug inlet of raw pump. Plug exit of exhaust mixer hose.

[shakey doug]

How long do you need to put your machinery in storage????

[Freerider]

Not sure at the moment, at least 1 year. I know that its not worth rebuilding a Volvo md11c, but I want to leave in the fall of '13 and its all about the $$ right now. My neighbour rebuilds old diesel tractor engines for a living and i can get cheap labour from him.

.....I want a new engine, but that might make me miss my departure date and cost me a year.

Ideally i find a cheap but good used engine, and I can sell the md11.

[gjordan]

All major oil companies sell what is called PRESERVATIVE OIL. You wont find it at the average auto parts store, but truck or diesel repair shops or a major oil outlet should be able to locate it for you. What it does is outgas a vapor that permiates the inside of the engine and prevents rust. I agree with all of the previous suggestions on fogging, sealing, antifreeze in all water passages, and remove the impellor from the raw water pump. Rotating the engine is a good idea, so that valve springs dont take a SET from being compressed too long. When you rotate the engine dont stop at the same point each time, so that the same valve springs wont be compressed. One of the nice things about preservative oil is that you can start up and run the engine until the next regular oil change if and when you put the same engine back in.____Good Luck.____Grant.

[gjordan]

I just reread your original post and I dont understand why engine oil would have drained out just from removing the saildrive. I may be wrong, but I think that the saildrive oil and the engine oil are seperate. In any case just adding oil to the engine is not a good idea unless you put fresh oil in just before you stopped running the engine. You dont want it to sit with old oil in it. I think it would be best to drain any old oil out and put in preservative oil and then turn the engine over a dozen times or so. Change filter also. ____Good Luck.____Grant.

[shakey doug]

G'day.

12months is not along time to store a engine.We quite often have motors in storage for for that time plus, awaiting damaged hulls to be repaired.I would do the following.

1. Flush all waterways with freshwater.
2.Remove pump impeller then crc area & replace faceplate making sure to grease screws.
3.Oil change engine & leg and replentish
4.Remove air cleaners then squirt a teaspoon of clean oil into each cyl while turning engine over.
5.Remove prop from leg &saturate seal area with crc.
6.remove valve covers & cover rocker,valve area with clean oil.
7.oil & crc leg input shaft area and tape up spline.
8.loosen of alt belt
9.crc all externals & clean engine mount rubbers.
10. Seal up air intakes & exhaust openings & cover leg input shaft & output shafts & seals.
11. exercise & gease leg inlet valve.

[Freerider]

Originally Posted by gjordan

I just reread your original post and I dont understand why engine oil would have drained out just from removing the saildrive. I may be wrong, but I think that the saildrive oil and the engine oil are seperate. In any case just adding oil to the engine is not a good idea unless you put fresh oil in just before you stopped running the engine. You dont want it to sit with old oil in it. I think it would be best to drain any old oil out and put in preservative oil and then turn the engine over a dozen times or so. Change filter also. ____Good Luck.____Grant.

I didn't have to drain the engine oil, it just poured out as I was winching the engine out of the compartment. The saildrive is still sealed when the engine is removed.

Thanks for the help guys it's appreciated.

[Cheechako]

Hmmm... wouldnt rotating the engine just wipe away the protective oils in the cyl walls?

[shakey doug]

I would be oil changing the leg oil before prolonged storage,there is always a little bit water ingress via the output shaft seal in old Vp 120 legs.