Rebuilt engine

R

rusted

Member
I have an engine that was rebuilt this summer. It is in the frame but not ready to run. My garage is cold and I will not be running this engine anytime soon. I would like to know just what to do with this engine so it will survive the winter. I know I should put oil in the cylinders but don't know how much. Anything else I should be doing? Thanks for the advice.
 
rusted said:
I have an engine that was rebuilt this summer. It is in the frame but not ready to run. My garage is cold and I will not be running this engine anytime soon. I would like to know just what to do with this engine so it will survive the winter. I know I should put oil in the cylinders but don't know how much. Anything else I should be doing? Thanks for the advice.
Click to expand...

Yea, i'd like to know this also. I'm in the same situation.
I just pulled the plugs and poured some engine oil in each cylinder. Then turned the engine over slowly. I also bought a can of engine fogger to spray on the valves. I'm more worried about the bottom end.
 
If this engine were mine, & I did not know if the insides were well lubricated prior to reassembly, I would:

1. Put recommended oil in crankcase through the distributor opening in the head .

2. Remove spark plugs & put about 1/4 cup oil in each combustion chamber.

3. Install spark plugs, (but loosely & just enough to prevent oil from splashing outwards, & enough to reduce compression), & then hit starter so the engine can rotate rapidly enough to allow oil pump to pump oil, & connecting rods to splash oil all over the insides of the engine, especially on the highly polished cam shaft lobes.

4. After dripping oil is gone, bottoms of highly polished camshaft lobes can develop rust quickly with the right temperature changes to promote condensation.

Better to be on the safe side with unoiled metal in an engine.
 
Last edited:
I can't speak for Mr. Rusted, but my builder did put some kind of lube on the cam lobes. Maybe I worry too much. After all, my engine had been sitting since 1958 and when I tore it down, the cylinder walls below the pistons were still shiny.
 
I don't know about putting that much oil in the cylinder , I understand that you said put the plug in only a few threads, however turn it over by hand not by the starter, if you feel way to much compression stop and wait for some of the oil to work it way down to the crankcase ! JMHO A hard hydro-logic lockup could damage your engine!
 
OK, I put about 2 table spoons of oil in each cylinder and rotated the engine over by hand(the crank) several revs. I have pluged all holes and the exhaust so no mice will get in! I will turn the engine over several times a month during the winter also. Hope this will be good. Thanks for all the info.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top