Storing An Engine?

[33drifta]

hey guys i crashed my r33 drift car. im stripping it but i have decided to keep the engine and gear box to put in a 180sx. funds are low so it wont be till mid next year before i get the new car up and running. the motor and gear box are out of the car sitting on my garage floor covered up and have been for about 3 months now. MY question is what should i do to protect the engine while it sits for so long to make sure its all good when i finally get it going again? thanx guys

[The Dan]

Put the engine on an engine stand.

Leave oil in the sump. Turn it on it's side once a week to get the oil to soak up to the pistons and pins, straighten it up. Spray 2 seconds of WD40 into each spark plug hole and replace the spark plug. Rotate the engine 3 times, once a week after you have done that.

Cover up the intake pipe when done. Glad wrap and electrical tape will do. Don't shove rags in there as they tend to get forgotten about and can get sucked in later.

The WD40 will stop the rings from binding and rotating it will keep them from sitting in the one position in the bore

None of this is necessary but will ensure it stays lubed and internally rust free and smoothly operating for a long time.

[TRB-001]

method above will work, probably abit overkill but definately will prevent any damage.

main thing is to cover up ANY breathers/openings with gladwrap or tape

[ali-turko]

if you dont have an engine stand just crank the motor manually, every couple of weeks, obviously with oil left in

[old mate]

how do you crank it over??

[The Dan]

how do you crank it over??

Are you being serious?

[Birds]

Yer I don't know how you plan to do an RB25 conversion in a 180sx if you can't crank an engine over by hand...

1. Go get a nice torquey ratchet

2. Stick it on the bottom crank pulley

3. Elbow grease

[old mate]

sorry i have not had to crank a motor over by hand before. thanks for your answer though. may aswell look stupid and ask a question than trying to do some half brained thing to my motor.

[arep3]

Steves got a point. good way to find out the answer to a question is to ask.. The bolt through the centre of the balancer, turn that sucka. this turns the crank around which will turn everything else connected to it. Had your weetbixs?

[TRB-001]

wait, lol good thing u asked.... TURN IT CLOCKWISE!!!!!! if u turn it anticlockwise u may have the timing belt skip a tooh

[The Dan]

wait, lol good thing u asked.... TURN IT CLOCKWISE!!!!!! if u turn it anticlockwise u may have the timing belt skip a tooh

If that were to happen, then there is another problem. There shouldn't be enough slack to do that

[33drifta]

Thanx everyone for the info. BIRD, im the one who started the post not "old mate" lol. I know how to hand crank a motor lol. Ill manage with the conversion just fine cheers (as soon as i have the $$$)

[TRB-001]

If that were to happen, then there is another problem. There shouldn't be enough slack to do that

no not necessarily, iv seen it happen on cars that havnt even done there 100000kms timing belt change. its one of the main rules your taught when becoming a qualified mechanic. the engine is designed to turn one way, not both.

Edited November 15, 2009 by TRB-001

[The Dan]

no not necessarily, iv seen it happen on cars that havnt even done there 100000kms timing belt change. its one of the main rules your taught when becoming a qualified mechanic. the engine is designed to turn one way, not both.

If it has slack to slip on the crank when turning anti clockwise, then what do you think happens when you turn the belt clockwise? The slack moves to the other side. Therefore, it would be far too loose.

Yes the 'engine' is designed to rotate one way but no the belt is not. The belt has a rounded tooth design and it doesn't matter which way you rotate it, it will have equal possibility of slipping either way.

Also the tension on the belt does not change, if you rotate it clockwise, the tension is on the idler side, if you rotate it anti-clockwise, the exact same tension is on the tensioner side.