Hello, my name is appie and I am a bmw owner.
Excuse me for my English since I am not from anywhere close.
Recently I money shifted my engine by accident and my car didnt have compression since, I've bought a new engine which has only done 70k miles. The engine is bald which means I have nothing on it except just the camshafts and stuff. I'll attach a picture so you can see it.
I am planning on swapping the engine but I need some time in order to save some money. I dont know how much time I need maybe 2 years at maximum.
My question is that the engine is in my barn on a pallet. I am afraid of my engine getting rust so I need some advice and help to keep my engine safe from getting rusty. The engine is not staying on its oil pan but on its side where the camshafts are.
I wrapped it in pvc wrap and put stuff on it to keep it safe, I also put foil in the holes to prevent something to get in the engine.
Also important to know is that my engine is delivered without valve cover.
As a general rule it is a good idea to put oil in the cylinders and rotate the engine assembly every month, rotating it a couple full turns. This can be done but turning the crank pulley.
@inthedetails
Is that all I should do? It will sit a while and the engine is covered in a looooot of foil
That's all you should do. Obviously keep it out of any water or puddles. The key is to keep rust from building up on the inside. Oil/lubricant inside the cylinders will do that for you and rotating it gently a couple times a month will keep the parts moving around a little. Don't get carried away rotating the crankshaft because you can cause damage doing it too much. Engines are sealed with gaskets and o-rings so you shouldn't have to worry too much. Engines are regularly stored by junkyards and performance shops for months, sometimes years without a problem.
@inthedetails
Thank you very much, you made me feel much better, I was worried a lot since I spent a lot of money..
No problem! I remember the first time I had to store an engine - it was nerve-wrecking wondering if I was doing it properly. At some point in my life someone explained to me that an engine is technically supposed to be waterproof since an engine is supposed to build compression. Even though no engine is perfectly waterproof, most are pretty close. Thanks for asking us your question!