Assemble 1750 Now Or In Spring?

[Stachowiak]

Due to health issues, I never got my 1750 engine assembled this year. I have all the machine work done as well as new pistons and liners, rebuilt head and turned crank. I'm in Syracuse, New York and winter is approaching. My garage is unheated and my question is, do I assemble the engine now and let it sit in the unheated garage till spring, or do I coat the parts with oil and wait till spring when I can assemble and install it.

Thanks,

Dick Stachowiak

71 GTV
71 Spider

[Andrew]

The parts are going to be sitting around either way, right? In an unheated garage you risk condensation and rust between day and night temps, don't you? So I guess I'd worry mostly about corrosion. You can slap oil on everything built or unbuilt. Or bring the critical likely-to-rust items into the house (crank, rods) for the winter, then do the build in the spring.
Andrew

[andy303]

Sound advice from Andrew.
If you have a walk out basement you could assemble it down there in a dry corner, and then lovingly contemplate it til spring over an occasional adult beverage, snug in the "man cave".

[180OUT]

Your best bet is to store the motor and build it in the spring. Cold fingers don't build good motors.

If you are going to store your parts I'd suggest 1. coating the bearing surfaces of your crank and rods with axle grease. 2. spray the surface of the crank, rods, etc. with a good coating of WD-40. 3. Wrap everything with newspaper and then plastic bags and seal with cable ties. As an alternative, you can soak shop rags in oil (WD-40 or Marvel Mystery Oil---avaliable in quanty from Home Depot) and wrap them around the bearing surfaces and rods. Then wrap with newspaper and plastic bags.

During the cold months, I'd also plan on taking everything out and checking it every other month or so. Rust never sleeps.

[Stachowiak]

I've considered the basement, but it's not a walk out and it's also not that dry. If I build the engine now and don't run it till this spring, do I have any issues with the head gasket sealing? Isn't the sealer on the head gasket activated by heat?

Thanks for the reply's,

Dick Stachowiak

71 GTV
71 Spider

[otteud]

use a spray grease to store the parts. wd 40 will in a short time, evaporate and will not protecet as well or at all. Good luck in the spring

[Andrew]

I don't think you have to worry about the engine deteriorating on its own over the winter. Lots of engines get built and stored for significant periods, waiting for the chassis to be done. I wouldn't worry about the gaskets; the material in them is the same whether they're sitting on the shelf or sitting in your engine.
Andrew