Engine preservation during construction

avi8tor50 · #1 03-21-2008, 07:20 PM

OK-this may seem like a dumb question.
So you get your engine and it comes all wrapped up in plastic with a gazillion warnings about not opening the plastic until you are ready to "use" the engine and changing the desicator plugs when they turn pink, etc.
Once you have hung the engine, it would seem that most builders will require greater than 6 mos to complete the project, thus exceeding the limit of the engine preservation protocol.
Sooooo.....
Is anyone doing anything to preserve the engine (other than what was done at the factory) once they have hung it? I figure on at least another year once the engine has been hung. Seems to me that most folks probably hang the engine and go about the business of finishing the project but then what do I know??!!!

Let me know what you think.
Thanks.

Peter K
9A

jsharkey · #2 03-22-2008, 06:24 AM

It's been just over a year since I received and mounted a new Lycoming experimental O360-A1A from Van's and it will probably be another three months before first start. The preservation oil and covers are intact, I haven't turned the crank per the "pain of death" instructions attached to the ring gear and it has been in an unheated New England garage all this time. I too would be interested in other peoples experience with this probably not untypical scenario. I'd hate to have ruined a brand new engine!

Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Wiring

JonJay · #3 03-22-2008, 08:23 AM

Yes, this is a common scenerio. Mine sat about 18 months. Once, at the advice of an AP, I pulled the d plugs out, pulled them apart, dried out the beads in the oven unitl they where dark purple again, put them back together and reinstalled them. I only did this once in the interim time as it seemed like a waste of time as they where pink again in less than a week.

I found it completely impractical to keep the plastic bag on the engine as I was installing it and all of the systems.

I did tape up the intake, exhaust, and breather so air could not freely flow into and out of whatever valves would be open or the case.

The engine builders can speak up, but I believe things like bearings and cam lobes are greased with a special assembly lube that is pretty sticky and I can not imagine it runs off the parts very readily when sitting.

You do not want to turn the engine because there is a lot of preservation oil in the cylinders that can cause hydraulic lock and break things quick.

IowaRV9Dreamer · #4 03-22-2008, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonJay

You do not want to turn the engine because there is a lot of preservation oil in the cylinders that can cause hydraulic lock and break things quick.

This post has great info, thanks.... but I have a (probably dumb) question. How do you eventually get to where it is OK to turn the engine? Remove the sparks plugs and drain out the preservation oil?

Allen Barrett · #5 03-22-2008, 08:49 AM

It depends on where you got your engine. Lycoming almost fills the cylinders with preservative oil. The only issue that I have personally with this is no5t all valves are on their seats and when you remove the dust covers from the exhaust ports, you can end up with a pond of oil on your nice clean floor. Use a catch can. This believe is why they ask that you not rotate the engine. I don't know how long Lycoming's preservative is good for, but the preservative we use is good for 6 months. We recommend if you go over this time period that you remove the plugs (top) bring 2 opposing cyls up to TDC, re-fog the remaining 2 or 4 whichever the case my be, rotate 180 degrees, fog the 2 cylinders that were previously on TDC, rotate 180 AGAIN and re-fog the first 2 or 4 again. LPS 2 or 3 works well and is less expensive than than pickling oil. It also doesn't need heating as the carrying agent dissipates and leaves a light coating on the barrells.

This brings up another point: When preparing for first start up, take a moment to clean the bottom spark plugs. Most often they get oil fouled. Many times it has caused some lumpy throats when a person starts the engine and all this smoke comes pouring out of the exhaust

Lacquer thinner does the trick

Allen
BPE, Inc

Mel · #6 03-22-2008, 08:55 AM

You don't want to turn the engine until you have to. Turning the crankshaft wipes off the preservative and leaves the metal exposed; especially on the cam and cylinder walls.
As far as keeping the crystals blue; yes, you want to do that. If they turn pink or white, they are absorbing moisture. Once they turn, they no longer have the ability to absorb. At this point they need to be dried out. If they turn quickly, that's just a sign that you need to do it even more frequently.