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Preservative oil/grease for components?

rmartingt

Well Known Member
I have a disassembled and tagged engine case and many internal components. Some of the components are in bags and I think the bags have been punctured. Even though they're in climate-controlled storage, I'd like to repack them in new bags with fresh preservative since I won't be building the engine for a while. However, I don't know what to use. Any suggestions?

Of course, they will be cleaned and lubed per the manual when assembling the engine.
 
Cosmoline. Yes, you can still buy it. Yes, it's a pain to clean off. But when you can pull radial engine parts from WWII off the shelf, clean off the cosmoline, and they look like brand new underneath, well....

DEM
 
The Lycoming OH manual says to coat most parts with engine oil or a mixture of oil and STP. Should be fine to use for storage and you won't have to do much "cleaning" when ready.

Also see SI 1059 for more detail.
https://www.lycoming.com/content/service-instruction-no-1059e

Not quite the same.

The SI is for pre-assembly, not for long term storage of parts.

I'd use something thicker - perhaps a much higher ratio of STP - and seal it in plastic.

LPS-3 would also seem to do the job, and they claim for up to two years indoors.

LPS_3_Rust_Inhibitor__18607.1439391836.380.500.jpg
 
hard to beat grease for this application. It seals well and won't run off. It would take several years for the grease to dry out enough to allow moisture through. It also allows an easier cleaning operation, as any remaining will easily mix with the oil once running.

Larry
 
LPS3 as posted above. It leaves a thick, greasy/waxy coating that is not difficult to remove.
 
If you can't find LP3 I've found that Fluid Film is easier to obtain and actually sticks better than LP3. If you get Fluid Film in the gallon jug it's a pasty consistency, like thin butterscotch pudding. I apply this stuff using a paint brush and it has provided amazing corrosion protection in harsh environments.

I've used the spray-can form of Fluid Film on a lovely little single-furrow plough stored out in my woodshed (the woodshed is just a roof supported by posts so rain and snow have no trouble blowing in). It has no problem going through an entire winter without rusting, despite only the barest minimum of protection from the elements. Fluid Film really sticks.
 
LP3

Gil is right. In fact, a engine shop just closed in town. They had sprayed a crank with LP3 10 years ago and put in a bag. It was perfect when they opened it up.
 
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