Which oil to store engines and tractors

[miniac007]

Hi all,

I don't know if it is the right place for this topic, but let's go...

I have to store for several years some engines, gearboxes, and tractors before renovering them, so I want to put in some new oil to protect them.

The cheapest oil I found is hydraulic oil. Is it OK to protect engine and gearbox from corrosion ? Or do I need to buy engine or gearbox oil ?

Thanks !

 

[volk06]

Engine oil for the engine and transmission oil for the transmission. You don't want to put hydraulic oil in an engine.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: volk06
Engine oil for the engine and transmission oil for the transmission. You don't want to put hydraulic oil in an engine.


And then cover the outside with Cosmolene like the Army.

 

[NHGUY]

Hydraulic oil absorbs moisture.It then expells it once the hydraulic system gets up to temp.This is important,because one drop of rust on a control valve or power cylinder and its ruined...seals wont hold up with a rust crater on a polished surface.So,no...never inside an engine.

 

[salesrep]

Buy the BEST engine oil and Gear oil you can find, add some stabilizer. Why in the world would you want to put in the "cheapest" in order to preserve your machines

 

[miniac007]

Originally Posted By: volk06
Engine oil for the engine and transmission oil for the transmission. You don't want to put hydraulic oil in an engine.


I will not run them, it is just to fill them and protect them. I will change the oil before cranking

Engine and gearbox oil is twice the price of hydraulic oil, and I need 50 qts... So my question

 

[miniac007]

Originally Posted By: salesrep
Buy the BEST engine oil and Gear oil you can find, add some stabilizer. Why in the world would you want to put in the "cheapest" in order to preserve your machines


I put generally the best, but in this case, I don't need the best synthetic oil for wear protection, just the best oxydation protection

 

[miniac007]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Hydraulic oil absorbs moisture.It then expells it once the hydraulic system gets up to temp.This is important,because one drop of rust on a control valve or power cylinder and its ruined...seals wont hold up with a rust crater on a polished surface.So,no...never inside an engine.


Ok, so the best should be a multifunctional STOU tractor oil with the highest TBN possible ?

 

[JimPghPA]

Sta-Bil makes an oil in a spray can for spraying into the spark-plug hole before storing an engine. Pep-Boys carries it. You should spray it in and then turn the crank a few times so it gets all over the cylinder walls. Put a clean rag or clean paper towel over the open spark-plug hole(s) so that oil will not spray out all over everything when you crank the engine with the Sta-Bil oil in the cylinder(s).

It is also a very good idea to open up the valve cover(s) and unbolt the rocker arms most of the way, so that the valve springs are not in much compression. Ideally all the valves should be closed to keep moisture in the air from condensing out of the air and accumulating in the cylinder(s). (Big diesel engines like those on a train can have soooo much water build up in a cylinder that when the engine is cranked, the engine ends up getting damaged).

An engine left unused for several years can have the valve springs go bad. Especially the valves springs that have maximum compression (open valve position). But depending on the engine, some will have valve springs go bad even if they were not stored with their valve open. So a good set up would be to loosen the rocker arms so the valves were all closed, and the valve springs were all a minimum INSTALLED compression.

The ultimate would be to somehow keep the valves closed, and to completely decompress the valve springs (SAME AMOUNT OF COMPRESSION AS IF THE SPRING WERE NOT INSTALLED).

 

[artificialist]

Joe Gibbs is the only manufacturer I have heard of that makes engine oil that protects and engine during long term storage: Joe Gibbs street engine oils

I guess if I had a vehicle that I would store for a while, this is what I would use.

 

[Doug Hillary]

Hi,
miniac007 - Most Oil Companies make a protective engine oil. It is run and of course distributed within the engine

Normal transmission lubricants used elsewhere are fine

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: artificialist
Joe Gibbs is the only manufacturer I have heard of that makes engine oil that protects and engine during long term storage:
'
It is, however, extremely corrosive to one's wallet. I've yet to see any issues with storing engines long term as long as proper maintenance practices are followed. Farmers routinely park certain very expensive self propelled equipment for months upon end. And, I doubt they spend $11 a quart on Joe Gibbs products, unless they enjoy running out of spec oil in their million dollar combines.

Joe Gibbs likes to feed upon the fears of people (lack of ZDDP, storage, and so forth) who invest large dollars in classic, hobby, and racing engines, and he charges heavily for that "peace of mind."

 

[miniac007]

Thanks all for all the advices.

As I live in Europe, I have less choices than in USA, and more expensive prices...

So, I finally order for a multifunctionnal tractor oil. I had a good price on 60 quarts...

This One in 10w30

I will also unscrew rocker arms on the engines (where I can)