Engine dehydrator. Plug the exhaust or not?

[Desert Rat]

Hey guys. I’m starting to work on the exhaust, and due to losing the preservative oil out of the cylinders I’m building an engine dehydrator.

For those of you who did this, did you plug the exhaust in order to limit the amount of soggy shop air getting past the open exhaust valves into the dehydrator closed loop or just not worry about it?

 

[wirejock]

Plugs

Hey guys. I’m starting to work on the exhaust, and due to losing the preservative oil out of the cylinders I’m building an engine dehydrator.

For those of you who did this, did you plug the exhaust in order to limit the amount of soggy shop air getting past the open exhaust valves into the dehydrator closed loop or just not worry about it?

I do not plug the exhaust. However, I do fog the cylinders periodically with Kroil when I change the beads in the plug dehydrators. My open loop dehydrator is hooked up about once a week for an hour. It moves a lot of air and we are typically less than 30% anyway.
How would soggy air get through the exhaust and past the piston rings into the crankcase?
If you set the engine at TDC. Vavles will be closed.

 

[Carl Froehlich]

This is simple enough to do.
Carl

 

[gasman]

Don't forget the carb and the crankcase vent.... You cant keep moisture out. You can keep it from forming.

Back in my Propane days, we found gauges on tanks that had so muck water droplets hanging from the inside face of the gauge that you could not read the gauge. We switched them out. I would set them in the office and in a few days they were dry. Looking close, I found a hairline crack in the back where the center pin that supported the needle ( it's actually a compass that faces south) was pressed into position. I would place a piece of scotch tape over the back and place it back into service.

The best thing you can do is keep the inside temperature of the motor, the same as the temperature of the area stored. And keep it constant. Dryers will then work their best.

 

[lr172]

If you set the engine at TDC. Vavles will be closed.

If you set any cyl to TDC on a 4 cyl engine., you get one cyl at TDC with both valves closed, one Cyl at TDC with both valves slightly opened, One Cyl at BDC with the exh valve slightly open and one cyl at BDC with the intake valve slightly open. As can be attested to by guys that leave the blue film on and get corossion, you don't need much of a gap to let moist air in.

Larry

 

[rv8ch]

...

For those of you who did this, did you plug the exhaust in order to limit the amount of soggy shop air getting past the open exhaust valves into the dehydrator closed loop or just not worry about it?

I filled a couple of old baby socks with desiccant, put them in the exhaust pipes, and then used a baggie with some rubber bands to hold it in place. Plugged the breather tube.

Also kept the cover that came with my FM200 servo on to seal the intake. Spark plug desiccant holders, changed the beads from time to time. I also put as much mineral motor oil as I could get into the engine - 2-3 gallons if I recall correctly.

Severe overkill, I'm sure.

 

[Majorpayne317641]

I do not plug the exhaust. However, I do fog the cylinders periodically with Kroil when I change the beads in the plug dehydrators. My open loop dehydrator is hooked up about once a week for an hour. It moves a lot of air and we are typically less than 30% anyway.
How would soggy air get through the exhaust and past the piston rings into the crankcase?
If you set the engine at TDC. Vavles will be closed.

TDC only happens one cylinder at a time. Not all valves are closed at the same time. I had two desiccant spark plugs that would need to be swapped every week while the other two stayed blue for 3 months. I plugged the exhaust and intake but humidity still got in, I also used an engine dehydrator direct into the engine breather port bypassing the breather tube. I also sprayed fogging oil each time the desiccant was replaced.

Next time I will pull the rocker arms so all valves are closed.

I will say that anti rust oil and the procedure I did kept my engine and cylinders rust free. How do I know? After storage I pulled a cylinder for MX so I got to see first hand.

 

[Majorpayne317641]

If you set any cyl to TDC on a 4 cyl engine., you get one cyl at TDC with both valves closed, one Cyl at TDC with both valves slightly opened, One Cyl at BDC with the exh valve slightly open and one cyl at BDC with the intake valve slightly open. As can be attested to by guys that leave the blue film on and get corossion, you don't need much of a gap to let moist air in.

Larry

I completely agree see my post on this from personal experience.

 

[Desert Rat]

Thanks guys. Part of the reason for throwing together a dehydrator is that Im leaving on a trip today and won’t be able to get back to this for a bit. currently 50% humidity with 40 degree daily temp swings in KS.

Couple that with the facts that the engine has been out of the bag for 6 months or so and I just drizzled all the oil out of at least a couple of cylinders when I took the shipping caps out of the exhaust ports, and it just seems like it might be a good idea.

The fuel controller is already taped off and the dehydrator is sucking in through the breather tube And returning through the dipstick tube. I went ahead and taped off the exhaust because I figure it can’t hurt

Even if it’s just a placebo it was a fun exercise to put together. Once I acquired the parts from Amazon and the dollar store it went together in about an hour. The desiccant was the most expensive pet of the whole contraption.

It would be all well and good to just keep the engine in a temp controlled shop and not worry about it unfortunately I don’t rate a climate controlled shop.

 

[BillL]

I filled a couple of old baby socks with desiccant, put them in the exhaust pipes, and then used a baggie with some rubber bands to hold it in place. Plugged the breather tube.

Also kept the cover that came with my FM200 servo on to seal the intake. Spark plug desiccant holders, changed the beads from time to time. I also put as much mineral motor oil as I could get into the engine - 2-3 gallons if I recall correctly.

Severe overkill, I'm sure.

Maybe, but hit the basics, combustion chamber, intake, and exhaust. This is effective. 3 gal maybe over the top, (punny ) but also effective.

 

[lr172]

TDC only happens one cylinder at a time.

On a lyc or most any 4 cyl engine, the crank throws are offset by 180*. Therefore, two cyl's will hit TDC at the same point of rotation, while the other two are at BDC. 6 cyl's are at 120* and 8 cyl's at 90* I think you may have meant the the compression stroke, where both valves are closed at TDC, only happens one cyl at a time. The only engines that I am aware of that have non standard crank throws are harleys, which account for their unique, non-symmetrical pulsing sound and higher than normal vibrations.

 

[BillL]

On a lyc or most any 4 cyl engine, the crank throws are offset by 180*. Therefore, two cyl's will hit TDC at the same point or rotation, while the other two are at BDC. 6 cyl's are at 120* and 8 cyl's at 90* I think you may have meant the the compression stroke, where both valves are closed at TDC, only happens one cyl at a time. The only engines that I am aware of that have asymmetrical crank throws are harleys, which account for their unique, non-symmetrical pulsing sound.

Larry, Larry, Larry, you know he meant TDC on the compression stroke where both valves are closed. 360 deg later valves are in overlap.

 

[lr172]

Larry, Larry, Larry, you know he meant TDC on the compression stroke where both valves are closed. 360 deg later valves are in overlap.

I do and even said that in my post. Goal was not punitive against the poster, just wanted to be sure others didn't take that as fact. Maybe too much coffee today or just nervous anticipation of the upcoming pilgrimage to WI and the fear of the 70 Kt guys loafing on the arrival. Still have nightmares from 2 years ago when I had to follow a guy all the way from portage where he went between 65-70 the whole way.