Storing an engine

[CHB]

guys i just bought myself a 4A big port run less than 1000km. it has all the performance bearings on main and rods, as well as a set of Toda valve springs. i am not going to use it at this moment and will put it in storage.
can i ease the valve train without having to take the valve springs out? or will a compressed valve springs sit there for years will affect it's performance?

[legend]

oil it up in the cylinders good and turn it over every week

[woggin]

i dont see compressed valve springs being a problem, since your car sits on the road, when its not being used with the valves springs compressed, and, they are fine, arent they?

you can take out the cams to decompress the springs that are compressed! but other than that, i see no problems!

but i am no professional!

wog

[Tweak]

Tape up all over ports/pipes ect. Get some lanolin spray and spray the out side and also int he cylinders and plug up the spark plug hoes aswell. Wrap it in a tarp and store it away under cover

[roadkill]

Hi,

if you leave the engine just sitting for a long time (years) things tend to stick a bit. Compressed valve springs tend to not to have as high amount of tension for pulling valves back in and it's not uncommon to get valve bounce or other deadly results at high revs because of this. Turn it over by hand once a week or so and try and to have it's rest position 90 degrees further around than it stopped last time - take the plugs out and this will be very easy. This will theoretically leave a different valve compressed each time you do it. Another option would be to just take the cams out but then you'd have to do the timing again when you want it later, but meh.

Tape everything up too so you don't get dust or anything else down the bores.

bEn

[CHB]

well thanks for the helpful tips!!