[V8Vairs] Re: Long term engine storage - to rotate or not

[Thomas Robert R Civ OC-ALC/MAEAPF]

 Many, many engines, including Corvair and various SBC, have survived 10-20
years just sitting. If you think about it, all of the oil isn't going to
drain away or evaporate from the surfaces.  How many times has anyone
touched a previously oily part and found it bone dry?  

Since the rings are designed to scrape oil from the cylinder walls, rotating
the engine without it running is probably not a good idea. I doubt
externally pressurizing the oil system is going to get enough oil on the
cylinder walls either.

Maybe do the squirt a fine oil into the cylinders and rotate the engine
without spark plugs to keep the rings from sticking and add fuel
preservative to keep the carbs from gumming up, and wrap the whole thing in
plastic to keep out vermin and moisture. 

The Air Force lets hundreds of aircraft sit in the desert and doesn't do
anything to them once they're preserved. I've seen jets come out of
Davis-Monthan that flew fine once they were cleaned and serviced.  Not an
exact analogy but Mach 2.5 fighters are somewhat more delicate than cars.

Bob Thomas