What's the best way to store a good engine?

[heinkeljb]

I now have a "spare" working engine. What is the best way to store it? Leave the oil in it? Take the oil out? Wrap it up in cling film? Wrap it up in cloth?

It could be sitting around for a long time before it gets used, or it might be used very soon - who knows! I am told that Haflinger engines are very strong, but if my experience is anything to go by, They are not that strong! They appear to need major work some where between 20 and 40 thousand miles!

I have seen very few Haflingers with "high" mileage, certainly not approaching 100,000. Given the speed and amount of servicing they require I am not really surprised, but still after 50 odd years you would have though more than a few would have done some serious miles if the engine were really strong.

Anyway, I await some suggestions on how to store my spare engine.

John

[AustHaflinger]

I honestly dont know - I have heard of people buying cheap supermarket engine oil and then completely filling the crank case up and the combustion chambers to just oiling the bores.

Whatever you do it does need to be stored in a dry environment (is that possible in the UK?) and away from where mice, rats and cockroaches can make it their home. I would wrap the entire engine in brown paper and then in plastic wrap - obviously plugging every orifice in the engine - do you have mud wasps in the UK - they cause problems here and caused me a lot of problems with my recently commissioned RV8 where they had build nests in the carb fuel intakes and in the fuel lines.

garry