HELP - IS MY ENGINE BEYOND REPAIR

[Burt Reynolds]

My 2.8 Capri engine is being overhauled and has been on a stand in my back garden for the last 6 months. The top half of the engine is in my flat nice and clean which are both cylinder heads, machined and lapped valves, a clean inlet manifold...oh....and a nice clean sump cover.

 

The bottom half of the engine is still on a stand in my garden covered up, so I oiled the piston chambers and top of engine where the head gasket sits just so no rust develops.

 

This morning i discovered it raining...and no cover on the bottom half of the engine!!

 

In a blind panic i ran downstairs and kitchen towled everything i could get to.

 

Is my engined ruined !??? What should i do??

Help !

That's what happens when you live in a rented effing flat with no garage.

[Vista]

No not ruined, but if it's still built up with a sump, crank etc and water has got down to the sump it will need draining of the oil, a flush and a thorough clean. Refill with oil to a level sufficient to turn the crank over and thoroughly immerse it. Then oil the bores and other exposed working parts. To be honest, if it's still fully assembled I'd be tempted to strip it to clean it.

 

I've rescued submerged petrol and diesel boat engines in the past (sea water) so a bit of rain water is nothing to worry about.

 

You really need to sort somewhere better to keep it though.

[Burt Reynolds]

Ah mate i appreciate that. Heres a picture of exactly what it was that got rained on..

 

I went and paper towelled everything that i could see, piston chambers, tops of valve guides...someone said spray WD40 all over it and in it. Should i do that?

 

Trouble is Glen, Sean and Mat (ZetecMk2 - maximum vehicle applications) has the rest of the car. Really close to putting it back together.

[Vista]

It looks like you've still got a lot of dirt on the casing. Cover the gear wheels and then I'd go over the external surfaces thoroughly with some degreaser / engine cleaner (Gunk for instance). Flush the outer casing carefully down with fresh water and dry it off. Wipe clean then oil the bores and turn the engine over by hand cleaning off any water or residue that is left as each piston comes to TDC.

 

Dry the crank off thoroughly and liberally spray WD40 along its length getting as much as you can into the main and big end bearings, the underside of the pistons and any other visible surfaces or cavities. Do the same in the open piston bores.

 

And get it somewhere dry!

[Burt Reynolds]

Thanks I will. I will do that the moment I get home. Thanks again.

[zetecmk2]

oh burt

capri coming home soon

it's the next car for paint

put the engine in the front room...it's on a stand so she can't moan!!

[Burt Reynolds]

Hey mate. Yep I can't Adam n eve it. I'm gonna be drying it out and wd40ing it tonight. I need to come over to yours coz I've got the bonnet adjusters and I need to collect the brake pipes so i can make up a set. As for leaving my engine in the kitchen..well er indoors would go missing and i'd end up not hearing the end of it, what with my propshaft in the hallway, servo in the kitchen and all 3 seats in the bedroom. How are all 3 of ya doing. Did U have a good Xmas n new year ?

[Burt Reynolds]

10pm...and I've just finished drying everything and giving the whole area a can of wd40 and turning the engine over by hand for 10mins then wrapping it in clingfilm and then covering in with the plastic cover that mattresses come in. Looked good when finished. Gotta put it back together hopefully this weekend.

[The Transplanter]

Once you have cleaned it up a bit, spray it with motorcycle chain lube, this is basically a spray grease and is waterproof and sticky as sticky stuff so it wont wash of as easly as WD

[Burt Reynolds]

some very helpful tips here. The lesson being - dont leave an engine out in the f**&&*g open