Info needed: Engine Pre-Lube after storage

[Les Kovacs]

Thanks for the input Rob, David and Charlie....as per your combined suggestion(s) I will pull the plugs, lube each cylinder and crank with starter while watching PSI gauge....when PSI is up to 40-50 I will put the plugs back in and try for a first start.

Rob.....thanks for the warning!

Regards,

lesk

[rob love]

Are you talking about trying to get the oil pressure up to 40-50 by cranking? Not sure you will reach that and certainly not necessary. In fact, I don't think any of that is necessary but rather overkill for an engine that has been parked for less than 6 months.

[Mike Cecil]

Standard starting procedure for Leopard AS1 was to hold back the accelerator pedal and crank the engine until the oil pressure started to rise, then let go the pedal so the engine started.

But I agree with Rob about a jeep engine having been sitting for under 6 months. Nothing oily should have 'dried out' in that time, with oil retained in bearings and on journals. The long cranking time should be more than enough to raise a little oil pressure before starting anyway.

I'd think the more likely problem after 6 months would be the gunk from modern fuel left within the carbie after evaporation while in storage. That stuff sticks the needle and seat together and clogs inlets jets. It is why I have a notice in the workshop to 'start engines monthly', and that includes mowers, generator, jeeps, tractor.

Mike

[rob love]

Batter yet, and I have said it more than a few times on this forum, don't use the craptastic ethanol blended fuel in anything with a carburator. Stick to premium fuel and sitting over the winter won't be an issue.

Don't fall victim to the corn lobby, or politicians that want to pass this off as some kind of a green initiative, which it most certainly is not.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

During winter time when I don't drive the Ford, I regularly crank over the engine using the hand crank.

H.

[Lynn Eades]

As Hanno has mentioned his Ford, I think the time is right to bring up this aspect. I would suggest the first thing that could be a problem in an older type engine is that an exhaust valve MIGHT stick, due to rust forming on the dry stem. Not uncommon in flathead Fords and Jeeps.
If things like oil pumps are "in tolerance" then enough oil will usually hang up in there to form a good "seal". the effect being that oil pressure will come up immediately.
More damage (wear) will come from how that engine is warmed up to operating temperature, by which time the clearances in that engine will be correct and minimal wear takes place. Hence the need for a good functioning thermostat for a quick warm up. This also applies in every day use.
Crank journals (main and big ends) will hold oil for ages however gudgeon (crank)pins are more inclined to dry out by comparison. The advice here is a fast idle after start up to get the oil thrown up there.
I hope this helps.

[Phil Waterman]

Lynn

Brings up a very good point on valve stem rust on older engines that are store for long periods. Back in my teens (late 60s) I worked at a summer camp in New Hampshire that stored a number of vehicles for nine months out of the year. Every thing from a 1941 Chris Craft, 48 F3 Ford truck with 337 engine, couple of Covair Greenbrier vans, 53 Chev Station wagon with 216, to couple of Chevy vans with 6 cylinder engines.

From the age of the equipment they must have figure out the storage process. Other than the normal winteriseing. One step sticks in my mind, each engine was fogged out. Once the vehicle was in position for storage up on blocks the engine was started airfilter removed and with the engine running at a fast idle oil was squirted in until the engine stop. Yes there was a lot of smoke. Once they stopped we would pull the battery replace the air filters.

Must have worked pretty good because when I visited in late 80s many of the same vehicles were still in use.

I suspect that oil must have coated everything top end of the engines pretty.

A personal view I hate it when I see or hear people gun the engine once it starts to get the oil pressure up. My approach is to start the engine and let it run under 400-1000 RPM just fast enough to keep running. I like electric fuel pumps for priming the carb.

Having said that I try to run and hopefully drive all my trucks at least one a month during the winter.

Cheers Phil