long term engine storage .what is done?

robkamm · **Posted:** Tue Sep 18, 2012 7:43 am

Hello, Im looking for info on how to store one of my ground runner radials. (p&w r4360). what kind of preservative oil do you use if any? what did they use to use in the old canned engines? the real sticky stuff? what do you do to the carb? i am blocking off the exhaust and carb inlet. 1-2 year outside storage in a wood enclosure. I would keep in the shop but need the space right now. thanks for any help.

51fixer · **Posted:** Tue Sep 18, 2012 8:45 am

robkamm wrote:

Hello, Im looking for info on how to store one of my ground runner radials. (p&w r4360). what kind of preservative oil do you use if any? what did they use to use in the old canned engines? the real sticky stuff? what do you do to the carb? i am blocking off the exhaust and carb inlet. 1-2 year outside storage in a wood enclosure. I would keep in the shop but need the space right now. thanks for any help.

Shell makes an aviation preservative oil. Drain oil and run of the 6F (I think) oil for a short period of time.
Spray in the cylinders after removing the spark plugs.
Some spray in the carb as the engine is running as well. Spray in the carb with throttle open after shutdown.
There is also a preservative for the carb where the fuel would sit.
Otherwise just pull it out once a month, put it in a warm garage overnight, pre oil and run it.

Cherrybomber13 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:10 am

Or you could possibly store it at a museum up in Connecticut, maybe run it up now and then for a crowd... :-)

Airlift48 · **Joined:** Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 744

Better yet, if its a -59B, you could bring it to NY/NJ and we have an excellent place to store it. nudge nudge....wink wink....

all at your cost of course..... :shock:

robkamm · **Posted:** Tue Sep 18, 2012 5:26 pm

sorry its a 4360-20wa. its is a canned engine and I mounted up on a trailer. runs real good. the container is now a fish pond in my folks back yard. thats another story. thanks for the info on storage. ill get some of the oil. it was a fun project to get it up and running. it scares the neighbors when it fires up

send me your email and ill send a video of a short runup.

andyman64 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 18, 2012 6:15 pm

the motorcycle and snow mobile industrie makes a fogging oil for just such an ocasion snow mobiles are stored for long periods of time and it may work for your application!!!

shrike · **Posted:** Tue Sep 18, 2012 6:19 pm

TCM has a service letter that calls out much of the procedure
http://www.tcmlink.com/pdf2/SIL99-1.pdf

This is similar to, and interchangeable with Lycoming's procedure as well.

At least one old Air Corps manual recommended switching from gas to kerosene and letting the idle til it dies, thereby filling the fuel system to keep everything lubricated and prevent corrosion.

seaknight15 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 18, 2012 7:33 pm

get a few cans of Sea Foam for the fuel Get a can of fogging oil for marine engines maybe 2 cans , Run the engine enough to get the sea foam into the carb and fuel system and fog the engine with fogging oil till it smokes real good and kill engine. disconnect Neg cable.

51fixer · **Posted:** Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:14 pm

seaknight15 wrote:

get a few cans of Sea Foam for the fuel Get a can of fogging oil for marine engines maybe 2 cans , Run the engine enough to get the sea foam into the carb and fuel system and fog the engine with fogging oil till it smokes real good and kill engine. disconnect Neg cable.

Its 28 cylinders and 4360 cubic inches.
Might take more than 2 cans. The carb is bigger than the an outboard engine. :wink:

51fixer · **Posted:** Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:20 pm

Some current info-
http://www.shell.com/home/content/aviat ... 71425.html
I've used this in the past but it is discontinued so use the link above. It looks like you blend your own now.
http://www.skygeek.com/421-035.html

John Dupre · **Posted:** Tue Sep 18, 2012 10:37 pm

Along with preservative oils at A&P school they recommended dehydrator plugs. Plastic spark plugs with a screen vent into the cylinder and filled with silica jell crystals. Install one in every cylinder. So long as the crystals are blue they are good. When they turn pink they are saturated with moisture. Stuff bags of silica gell in the exhaust stacks when you seal them.

robkamm · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:23 am

I have a full set of dehyd. plugs. I read somewere you can "cook" them to get the moisture out and reuse?

shrike · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2012 8:15 am

robkamm wrote:

I have a full set of dehyd. plugs. I read somewere you can "cook" them to get the moisture out and reuse?

Put them on a cookie sheet an bake them at 250F until then turn blue again.

T-28mike · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2012 3:02 pm

Store them like the NAVY does:

For type I short term preservation, submerge in salt water
For Type II long term preservation, submerge in cold fresh water

Seriously though, the military engine service and overhaul manuals give a detailed process for preservation of large engines for long term storage. (manual doesn't even have to be for that specific engine, procedure is basically same for all).

robkamm · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2012 6:33 pm

thats a good one t-28mike. maybe ill stick it in the great lakes for a while. should be worth more in a few years

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long term engine storage .what is done?

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