Thread: Prep for storing a non-running bike/engine

I have a complete, but not currently running '78 CT (intake manifold is snapped) & I want to just 'clean it up' a little. I won't be tearing into it for a while, as I'm building my other '78 first & was just wondering, if I change the oil, should I kick it over a few times to get the oil sloshing around inside it? Will this hurt it? Can I take the cover off & expose the oil pump & somehow turn it by hand/screw driver like a Chevy to get it pumpng oil through the passages? I'd like to get some new oil circulating around in it if its possible?

The Chevy method won't work for you, cuz to get to the shaft you have to remove a cover that holds the oil in. (and there's the little matter of removing the cam chain, etc, etc, . . . ) Kicking it over does spin the oil pump so you can kick it over and pump oil through the engine. I don't know how many kicks it will take, tho'. Probably a bunch.

I've heard stories of people laying their engines over and filling them with kerosene, or a really light oil, but that always seemed a little extreme to me. I bought one that was filled with oil and ddn't find out 'til I removed the stator plate. It was like the Exxon Valdez disaster in my garage, cuz it took me a few seconds for me to realize what was happening. <HA> The engine was nice and oily, but I wouldn't say it was any better than other ones I've torn into that were just pushed into the corner and forgotten about.

I think, if it was my engine I'd put fresh oil in it, kick it over 30 or 40 times, and find a nice dry spot to park it in. If the tires are good you might want to spray them down with some sort of rubber protectant. And plug that intake manifold so nothing takes up residence inside there.

Hey, I just had an idea. You can remove the spark plug and the stator cover and spin the flywheel counterclockwise to cause the oil pump to spin Maybe you could stick a 17mm socket in the old cordless drill and use it to spin the engine? Of course, of there's too much resistance you'll spin the nut off, but that won't hurt anything, . . . it'll just mean you'll have to start kicking. If you try this be sure the kill switch is in the off position. Oh, and make sure the intake is NOT plugged 'til after you do this, . . . don't wanna suck any "foreign objects" down in there. ;^)
Good luck,
-kevin

The only way you're going to get most of the sludge-forming crap out of the crankcase is to drain the oil while the engine is still fairly hot. With a non-running engine, especially an unopened original, its' too late for that. The good news is that this doesn't seem to make much difference on a non-runing engine. The lower end and valvetrain will still be quite oily when you tear into the engine, even years later. The overfilling routine is urban myth, at best. It doesn't take much prep for safe storage.

For a running bike, I simply drain the oil (engine hot), the complete fuel system and turn the engine over until the piston is near TDC. After a couple of days with the cap removed, the tank is completely dry with virtually no gas smell remaining, then the bike can be stored indoors. It works, every spring the engine starts on the first kick and runs just as it had the previous season.

Storing a non-running engine longterm is a bit different, but essentially the same. Pull the sparkplug, spray a little fogging oil inside the cylinder and turn the engine over a few times by hand. Next, replace the plug, turn the engine until the piston is near TDC on the compression stroke and store the engine in a dry place...done. The valves will be closed, completely sealing a well-oiled upper end. If you really want to be thorough, place the engine inside a sealed plastic bag with a few packets of silica gel dessicant before shelving it.