(Kinda) long term storage of rebuilt engine
 

Gents,

I had an engine rebuilt a month or so ago. It's not going into the car until after Christmas. I have it in the garage, wrapped in plastic, with ports covered with painters tape. Should I do anything such as squirt some oil in the cylinders and rotate the crankshaft occasionally? If so, what should I use for oil?

Thanks,

Following this to see people's opinion. I've had a built engine sitting in my garage for about a year as life circumstances have changed. Assembly lube in the head and a bit of oil in the cylinders. I rotate the crank over by hand every week or so.

they make engine fogging oil, any auto parts store will have it, fog the cylinders and the head, wd40 everything else. thats what I just did to my engine last week, my question is, what should be done about the coolant passages? mine was a pulled runner so I know there is liquid in there somewhere.

I always install the plugs a little loosely, squirt a little light oil, (before the plugs go in) like Marvel Mystery oil, and turn the crank once a week, or so, mostly to move the valve train. Compressed valve springs left in the same position become unhappy, so rolling the engine around avoids that. Unless it's sitting for years, I wouldn't worry too much about the coolant passages, they are not in harms way like machined steel parts.

I have the head on the block, but no timing belt/water pump.

should be fine to spin the cams by hand, BP is a non interference engine, I would just pull the valve cover and hose it in oil while doing it though.

fogging oil. some amazon descicant bags. and wrap it in 3-4 yard trash bags.. done deal.

The other option for longer term head storage is to loosen to top caps holding the cams in the bores, and take the pressure off the springs. I only do this for a head that's on the shelf long term.

That’s not necessarily true for an engine that’s been opened. Be careful.

Intake and exhaust valves may possibly contact each other even though they don't contact the pistons. Non interference means if the cams stop rotating but the pistons continue to go up and down the pistons will not contact the valves.