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Another thought

Posted by bdk on Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:57:25 PM

In reply top Re: Round engine question posted by Blake on Tue Mar 02, 2004 09:50:38 PM

Blake, I certainly don't disagree with what you have said. It is the optimum way to prepare an airplane for long term storage and is the way the military dictated that engines be prepared when being placed into storage. The LSFM, as well as NASM may do this, but I doubt that many others do.

Most just roll the airplane in the hangar and that's it. Frequently, an airplane "drifts" into static display due to mechanical problems, a loss of interest, insurance costs, death of the owner, etc. It's amazing how often an annual inspection, delayed for a few weeks, turns into years of inactivity!

I have seen plenty of airplanes brought back to life after years of storage just through a simple pre-oil prior to starting, or even just by removing the spark plugs and turning the engine over with the starter until oil pressure is developed.

I have also seen engines picked up off of the dirt from 20 years of outside desert storage and hung on a B-25 and run for years.

I think that there is little danger from storing an engine in a dry hangar (or even outdoors in a dry climate) without preservation. Face it, most of these aircraft spent the majority of their lives outdoors, only being operated occasionally. Storing an aircraft in humid areas or in a hangar with wide temperature swings (where condensation can form) is asking for trouble though.


: The engines of airplanes on static display are normally "p
: ickled" by removing the spark plugs and injecting a corros
: ion preventative, such as LPS-3. It coats the cylinder wa
: lls with waxy oil that will stay in place, rather than ooz
: e to the bottom. They may also have plugs replaced with d
: essicant canisters to absorb moisture in the engine. The
: props are normally intentionally NOT moved to avoid scrapi
: ng the preservative off the cylinder walls. The engines m
: ay be periodically turned over and relubed.
:
: Prior to being started up after sitting for any significan
: t length, a "pre-oil" pump, either on-board or external, i
: s used to circulate oil through the system to lubricate be
: arings thoroughly before starting the engine. Sitting sta
: tic is indeed very hard on engines.

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