How to store a disassembled motor?

[baytonemus]

My 40302D parts motor is in pieces. The power head and exhaust tube are together but...

- the fuel pump is off and taken apart
- the carb is off and in one piece
- leaf plate assembly is off, also intake manifold
- lower unit is completely disassembled
- etc.

I would prefer to not reassemble it for winter storage but I'm aware that there may be issues relating to moisture/condensation and lack of lubrication in general. Can I get by just putting some oil on the gear assembly, LU bearings, and leaf plates, spraying some fogging oil in the spark plug holes and behind where the intake manifold mounts, then stuffing a rag in the opening? What about storing things in plastic bags? Good idea? Bad idea?

Thanks.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: How to store a disassembled motor?

Plastic bags = condensation! Not a good idea.

Grease anything that has a tendency to rust or corrode. Fogging oil in the spark plug holes and forward crankcase/crankshaft area is good. Store in boxes, heavy duty paper bags, burlap bags, that sort of storage.

Oil is good..... grease applied with a brush is better.

 

[Haffiman]

Re: How to store a disassembled motor?

Whenever dissembling something that needed to be 'stored', I usually put them in Zip-bags, sprayed the parts with fogging oil or anti corrosion oil.
Never had a corrosion problem, or dust.

 

[scanman]

Re: How to store a disassembled motor?

Are these parts subject to temperatures below freezing? That might make a difference in how I stored em, but I agree with NOT usin Zip bags. Anything that locks moisture out, also locks it in.

 

[Haffiman]

Re: How to store a disassembled motor?

Are these parts subject to temperatures below freezing? That might make a difference in how I stored em, but I agree with NOT usin Zip bags. Anything that locks moisture out, also locks it in.

The problem is not 'moisture' but oxygen.
By squeezing the bags before zipping, hardly anything left that may damage.
Leaving it in 'open air' with fresh supply of oxygen might be the worst.
If still afraid of 'moisture', throw in some anti-moisture 'bags' like you find in a lot of electronic packages.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: How to store a disassembled motor?

You also want to store them in a room that is warm and dry. I have an engine block sitting in a small shed with the heater running constantly. It's about 75 - 80 degrees in there and that keeps the moisture level down to a minimum. The heater is a low energy type and it's on the low setting, which is all my little shed needs. It's also best to fog everything with oil, so moisture can't touch it.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: How to store a disassembled motor?

You also want to store them in a room that is warm and dry. I have an engine block sitting in a small shed with the heater running constantly. It's about 75 - 80 degrees in there and that keeps the moisture level down to a minimum. The heater is a low energy type and it's on the low setting, which is all my little shed needs. It's also best to fog everything with oil, so moisture can't touch it.

It must not get too cold in Yamhill. Here you'd need a furnace in the insulated shed to keep it 80F in the winter!

 

[scanman]

Re: How to store a disassembled motor?

Good point Haffiman, I stand corrected. Thanks.

 

[baytonemus]

Re: How to store a disassembled motor?

It must not get too cold in Yamhill. Here you'd need a furnace in the insulated shed to keep it 80F in the winter!

Yeah, living in northern MN it's hard to even describe how long the list is of things that would be nice to keep in a heated space during the winter...starting with my automobiles...or how much it would cost to heat it. The average temperature in January where I live is just shy of 6?F. Boat motor parts are, how do you say, a low boarding priority.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: How to store a disassembled motor?

For small parts I use my wife's vacuum seal a meal bags, I fog them and then use the sealer to suck as much air out as possible, then seal, the bigger parts are a challenge, but they get a good coat of fogging oil, then a brown paper bag over them, zip tied at the bottom. In NW Montana, it does get real cold and real moist at times during the winter, but it has worked out for me, with little or no rust problems.

 

[baytonemus]

Re: How to store a disassembled motor?

Thanks for all of your replies!

The thing I am still considering bagging in plastic, though, is the gear assembly. I'm thinking that if I double bag it in a Zip-Loc and pour a good amount of gear oil in there, maybe throw in related parts like the pinion gear rollers, then squeeze out as much air as I can, it should be almost as happy as it would be inside the LU.

What else is made of steel? - The lower shift rod, water pump plate, and drive shaft are all stainless, right? Then there's fasteners...the flywheel is both aluminum and steel...what else?

Also, I've been trying to decide whether or not I should preemptively rebuild the extra fuel pump and carburetor. Is there any risk to them sitting dry, potentially for years, before they're needed?

Thanks again!