Winterizing your engine

[philminotti]

I know this comes up periodically, and now is the appropriate time of year...

I have my aluminum FE in a run stand, but this question applies to all engines. If your engine isn't going to do anything for three to five months, how are folks preparing it?

I have new antifreeze and fancy-pants Joe Gibbs oil (supposed to stick to parts better), but what else?

Loosen all the rocker arms to decompress the valve springs? Then one has to reset the preload (in the case of hydraulics) or lash (in the case of solids) in the spring. Annoying, but is it really necessary? Also, non-essential removal of valve covers decreases the life of cork gaskets...they can only be re-compressed so many times before they start to leak. Trivial, yes, but a factor.

I have a couple of cans of fogging engine protectant that is used on big diesels for long term storage, but I'm not sure I want to spray it in my chambers.

In my case, I need to protect the motor from mice. I'm going to wrap it in plastic and surround it with mothballs...sort of a mouse force field, I hope.

Short of hermetically sealing it in an inert argon environment, I can't think of anything else. Maybe it's way overkill, but 5 years of assembly and many thousands of dollars, paranoia doesn't begin to describe my feelings about this motor!

phil

[FUNFER2]

What you have planned is great. Since it will be on a stand, put some steel wool in the head ports !

One year with our sprint car engine, we put it back in the sprint car & fired it up. Something blew out of one header, to our amazment,.....it was a frickin mouse.

Ever since we put steel wool in the ports, we've never shot a mouse out like a cannon !

They hate the taste and feel of it.
Do the same if headers are left bolted on.

[philminotti]

Yeah, steel wool is great for holes. I use it when I winterize my swimming pool filter, after I had mice make nests in virtually every hose end.

As far as the mothballs...last year, I found evidence of mice camping out on my intake manifold, under the throttle body....seeds and droppings! This year, no holds barred!!

[FUNFER2]

"This year, no holds barred" !!

[WildBill1965]

If you don't loosen the rockers turn it a couple of degrees once a month or sooner. I perfer to start the car and drive it if possible. 26* and no top!

Bill

[Barry_R]

Originally Posted by WildBill1965

If you don't loosen the rockers turn it a couple of degrees once a month or sooner. I perfer to start the car and drive it if possible. 26* and no top!

Bill

Make sure you circulate the anti-freeze. If you decide to drain water be certain you drain both sides on an FE - they are not connected and you can still have water freeze in one side after draining the other - don't ask how I know this....

My preference is to fire it up every couple weeks

[FUNFER2]

I agree, starting it up not only keeps everything lubricated, but it also helps my,........ winter time blue's to hear the engine roar.

(I won't ask Barry,...)

[Bartruff1]

Originally Posted by FUNFER2

I agree, starting it up not only keeps everything lubricated, but it also helps my,........ winter time blue's to hear the engine roar.

(I won't ask Barry,...)

This...I don't even disconnect the battery anymore...I do let it run for a hour or more to get the temps up and occasionally move it a foot or so...no problems as yet after 3 years

[FUNFER2]

Me too. Here in Nebraska, we generally have a few decent days where the temps are around 35-40 degrees. I've been know to put on a few hats, couple pairs of gloves, long underwear and my parka coat, (I look like the Michelin Tire Man) and head down the highway for several miles.

(then I sit in the whirlpool tub for a few hours)

[Bartruff1]

After some gas trouble with boats, I was told by the boat guy to never ever use gas with ethanol as it is hydrophobic...I guess that means that it attracts water and screws up the whole fuel system...I don't know if he is right or not, but in any case, I fill the SPF tank with non ethanol gas and treat it with some super duper stuff he sold me for $25 a quart...

[FUNFER2]

You're correct. Don't leave alcohol in the lines or tank for a period of time. We don't even leave the methanol in our sprint car. Also, put a fuel stabilizer in the tank and run the motor to disperse it. For a long sit, drain all the fuel from the entire system.