starting race motor during winter storage

[redliner]

Hi,my car with a (solid roller cammed,forged pistons, sbc) is in a heated garage (Illinois winters) 40 - 50 degrees minimum radiant heat( so I think motor/oil etc. should be 40-50 degrees as well),I want to start this motor every couple of weeks to keep it lubed up and to generally keep engine in good shape. Should I purchase a Moroso stickon heating pad to preheat oil in pan and block heater to preheat water,or would I be ok just preheating oil? This motor has .006 piston to cyl. clearance...I just don't want motor to sit all winter,prefer not to back off rockers etc just wanna fire it up every couple weeks bring it up to 195 degrees and shut it down.All thoughts on this subject would be appreciated! p.s. I also have 3qt. oil accumulator plumbed into side of block above oil filter I use to prelube motor,this oil( in accumulator) wouldn't be preheated... Thanks to all who take time to answer! R~R

[barnym17]

My preference is to let it be, maybe rotate it occasionally because everytime you start it if you don't get the oil up to 220 or so you end up with a lot of moisture in the oil. This combined with blowby creates acids which can do harm.

[dirtdemon59]

I would back off the rockers and reprime it before racing season. IMO
X2 on the other comment on moisture and combustion contamination.

[nascarfan7]

On the marine engines I store I use an engine fogger from Amsoil. You're doing more harm than good I think starting it because of the above comments with regards to condensation issues and acid build up. Even getting the water temp up you're never going to get the oil up to temp without a load on it. Plus it's stored indoors with a fairly constant temp and the accumulator is a big bonus as you won't be doing a dry start upon fire up in the spring. I do back off the rockers though, just a personal preference.

Plus it's a race engine, you'll be doing all that pre-checking and will under the valve cover come spring time anyway.

http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/o ... gging-oil/

[toolmakeron]

As I understand it, backing off the rockers are a waste of time. The valve springs aren't being hurt sitting there. The only concern is when they are running. Heat & cycles are the real concern.

[cv67]

Was told the same thing on rockers. If anything rotate the motor occasionally

Unless youre going to drive the car and get some real heat into it you may do more harm than good. Nothing lasts forever anyway

[treyrags]

As I understand it, backing off the rockers are a waste of time. The valve springs aren't being hurt sitting there. The only concern is when they are running. Heat & cycles are the real concern.

Yep, think about the percentage of time your engine is running versus not even when you are using it regularly. Compression doesn't hurt the springs, heat and harmonics does.

[user-3597028]

I agree with the above posts on backing off valve springs. I don't do it either. I roll the engine over now and then. Think of all the springs in tension...hood, valve body, suspension, etc. they're fine.

I recently checked springs on an engine that was stored since 1997 and never touched. All were fine, not a single problem with the engine. Everything was still damp with oil too.

[ssdoug]

What about no windage means you just wiped the oil off the cyl walls and cam lobes ? Interested in other opinions. Thanks.

[user-3597028]

What about no windage means you just wiped the oil off the cyl walls and cam lobes ? Interested in other opinions. Thanks.

When you spin the engine over, there is oil flying everywhere. By the time you see pressure on the gauge, it's already splashed oil wherever it needs to be.

[crazyman]

As I understand it, backing off the rockers are a waste of time. The valve springs aren't being hurt sitting there. The only concern is when they are running. Heat & cycles are the real concern.

The way I see it, closed valves let nothing into or out of the cylinder. Fuggetabout the springs.

[redliner]

Thanks for the info guys! I will just roll it over and not start it.

[2.2=8]

One storage problem I see is nasty corrosion on the exhaust valves and exhaust seat inserts, also corrosion of the turbo-turbine housing from running both C16 or Q16. fogging does not stop it! Just cost me another set of exhaust valves.
there was a thread about this phenomenon a few years back having to do with lead scavangers in the fuel. Anyone have a preventive trick for that problem??

[JoePorting]

In terms of preheating the motor, I'd just use a $20 Walmart cheap electric space heater and put it under or near the oil pan for about an hour before I started it up. Your motor will start up like it's the summer.

[redliner42]

One storage problem I see is nasty corrosion on the exhaust valves and exhaust seat inserts, also corrosion of the turbo-turbine housing from running both C16 or Q16. fogging does not stop it! Just cost me another set of exhaust valves.
there was a thread about this phenomenon a few years back having to do with lead scavangers in the fuel. Anyone have a preventive trick for that problem??

Spray a nonmoisture attracting penetrant directly ontop of closed valve? I have had this problem as well inna shop that was kept 50* min.all northern Illinois winter,however I had been running e-85.