Question for Rifledriver and any other engine Guru

Cars age, even when they're not being used. Moisture can and does make its way into the engine and fluids (e.g., brake fluid). Introduce moisture to metal parts and you get rust.

I believe that what he told you is likely true. Storage or light use seems to be a smart way to preserve a car, but dangers lurk.

 

I'm no guru, but I say use it or lose it.

 

I had a Jag Etype here a couple of months back that had spent 15 years in dry storage.

The engine was froze up from surface rust on cylinder walls.

 

Guess the storage wasn't as dry as it was supposed to be, eh?

Edit: I live by the ocean - can't store anything, everything gets eaten by the salt.

 

This is true for all cars but especially for the 300SL; The happiest cars are the daily drivers. They seem to never need much in the way of work. I have had fresh restorations that were parked for several years and the owners cant fiure out why the car wont start, run good and smokes even though there is less than 300 miles on the car.

 

Totally believeable.

I received a Ford 351 Cleveland from my old boss many years ago for free that was freshly machined, that we both put back together. (I was doing my 1st year of my apprenticeship back then and it was a present for me, I think.)

Anywho, this engine was all back together, sealed up and sitting at my Mum's house in the spare bedroom. It was complete, minus the inlet manifold and carby that I had to source myself. Every internal part was brand new.

This engine sat sealed up from the elements for over 5 yrs. I never once put oil down the plug holes and turned the engine over to stop it from seizing. The engine was FULLY lubed up when we assembled it to stop it from surface rusting etc..etc.

5 yrs had passed and I still had not used this engine, so I decided to give it away to another friend of mine. He was actually GOING to fit it into his Ford, where I was just too damn busy to get around to fitting into my car at the time.

I gave him the donk and he was going to fit it that weekend. Didnt need a hand, so I left him and his mates be. He called me around 1 hr later saying he looked down a plug hole with a telescopic bore camera and the bores look like they have rust in there. He said he was going to pull the heads off to inspect. He found surface rust up top, so he pulled the engine apart and nearly every inch of that engine internally was covered in surface rust. From the combustion chambers down to the crank and sump.

No problem though, he ripped it back apart and sent the parts away to get acid dipped again. A few days later, got all the parts back like new again. New gasket kit and it was put back together again and fitted to his car.

Goes like the clappers too, I knew I should have kept that engine.

I still have my Ford and now I have plenty of time to fit that engine......................bugger!!!

 

It happens. Real problem on aviation piston motors especially something like a Merlin. Sparky here sent me a picture a few months ago of his P51 motor being rebuilt. The cylinders were red with light surface rust and it had not been that long since the thing had run. Short exhaust stacks contribute to the problem I guess. I have a Queen Mother motor here now that is siezed from rusty cylinders from sitting for too many years.
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A lot of rust happens from condensation and condensation happens when the temperature of an object drops below the dew point. It doesn't matter if the object is inside or outside. This is why you can see condensation on a window in your house or on your tools in the garage. Basically, if an object is colder than the dew point then any warmer moist air will cause condensation. This is all because of the fact that the warmer the air the more moisture it can hold, or said the other way, colder air can only hold less moisture so when warm moist air comes in contact with a colder object (below the dew point) the air gives up its moisture to the colder object, i.e. condensation (often followed by rust). Accuweather.com will give the dew point with its hourly forecast, other sites probably do something similar. So net, net an unused engine, even stored inside, can rust over time.

 

FWIW, I once saw a rust bucket of internal engine components from pistons to bearings in an otherwise pristine TR at a Ferrari shop. Apparently, another owner subscribing to the theory that the best preserved Ferrari is the one not driven. I am sure that bill probably equaled the GNP of Paraguay

 

I agree...cars are made to be driven, not parked

 

Rust Never Sleeps...

 

This is exactly the reason that all US Military Arms Rooms, which store weapons for extended periods of time, have a dehumidifier. I even keep a dehumidifier in our rehearsal room where all my amps, keyboards, guitars, etc., are...

Rust, truly, never sleeps...

Mike in Kuwait

 

I'm rebuilding a 308QV engine now that sat for an extended period of time (greater than 10 years). The piston rings have "pt marks" on them from corrosion...and we won't even begin to speak of the damage the coolant did from sitting in the block!

David

 

Ah, to own a P51 Mustang......

 

I gotta ask.....what's with the boxes of Tide detergent lying around?

 

Bernie- You can mix it with gasoline and make low grade napalm?

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

yes, you can... works well for Field Expedient purposes.



Mike in Kuwait

 

Not my shop but it does work pretty well in large hot water washing machines like we use to clean blocks etc.












And then there is that napalm thing.

 

Not shown in the pic, but next enters a gorgeous bikini gal and she uses the Tide w/ sponge or maybe wire brush in this case, to clean ? Bernie, just let your imagination go to work. w/ smiles Jimmy

 

BS meter probably had condensation -- need to use it more.

 

HAHA good one.

I have seen rust here in a notchtop stang w/ a 302 in the summer, and trust me it gets dry here in the summer. That includes the last 10 years it hadn't moved, nothing a good chemical bath won't sort out.

 

Is she wearing heels?