Lets just say that some imaginary person has accumulated a crap load of mini parts in his computer room and garden shed, and has a big new shed out the back, and thinks it might be a good idea to move all those parts into the shed at some stage...

What would be the best way for this imaginary person to store the parts in this shed, if we were to say that the parts were blocks, cranks, rods, cams, gearboxes, etc?

Would used steel steel shelving good?
What about MDF or particle board shelves?
Should the parts be sprayed with something beforehand, like CRC or oil?? Should these parts be stored in plastic bags aswell?
Is there some special spray for machined surfaces?
Is there a possibility of rust forming on these engine parts over time if not sprayed?


Nobody in particular.....

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[NATHAN] -- Sold everything mini related and am back in big beautiful BMWs

this imaginary person could have not got himself in such a situation in the first place tisk tisk

IMO it doesn't really matter how you organize your sheves just think of how you work and where you want stuff.

a good workbench is a great start. keep it empty, as you want it for pulling things down on. vice is handy.

The main advantage of steel shelves I think is that they generally weight less so they can be moved around more easily. also they don't tend to absorb moisture and disintegrate like particleboard or MDF.

hope this helps get you started

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-doing a Degree in Mechanical Engineering,
and a few conversions:
13B Extend in a 1600
4EFTE in a mini ute (all slowly)

Definitely grease or oil the machined surfaces to avoid rust pitting , good coating of grease or my favourite , chainsaw bar oil , it soaks in nicely and is nice and sticky .

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I would NOT spray parts in WD40 or other water displacers etc and then bag them in plastic. I have seen machined engine parts terminally rusted after 12 months bagged up (not WD40 , it was another well-known brand with DWF in its name).

If bagging parts in plastic, use OIL or GREASE instead.


<edit> typo...

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

My biggest question is how dry is the shed. Has it got a sealed concrete floor with a waterproof layer underneath (pvc sheet), are the walls and roof weatherproofed. Wind blowing through not only brings dust in but moisture when it's raining.

As an example, my garden shed had a sealed concrete floor, then after 4 years we move it to make way for a bungalow and we used pavers for the new floor. Same shed, same degree of wetherproofing, but the mower that had lived happily in the shed for the last 4 years developed rust on the handle within a month of moving the shed.

For cranks, I rub them all over with grease. Then cut the leg out of an old pair of track pants and slip it into that, then store it in a dry place on a shelf.

For other small items like conrods, i spray bike chain oil over them and wrap them in a cloth.

I inspected some parts (2 years storage) a few months back and they were in perfect condition (like when I left them).

engine blocks I spray with bike chain oil (esp the bores) and put a cloth over it.

As Doc says, don't use plastic as that apparently traps moisture over time. Cloth is best so that it can breathe. The grease will take care of the rest.

I think by far the best way would be to get a big drum, fill it with old engine oil and throw everything into that. But it would be a messy exercise to find the parts again

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

Dunno about the drum idea Chong , I saw a 998 that was stored like that (assembled short motor) for a couple of years , it still blew smoke 3 months after it was fitted , don't know why , it was good when it went in but it didn't like sitting in the oil for so long (not sure if oil can attack rings over that time or what happened ) .

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For old gearbox parts- gears etc I spray them all liberally with chain oil and put em in a council recycle tub.
then throw an old sheet over the top.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I meant just for storage of parts for rebuild later. ie. prevent rust. I didn't mean preserve an engine and take it out again and run it

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

grease and brown paper for storage. For blocks - I feel the bores with cleanish oil and block the water passages with cotton wool (but only so you can get it out later) and cover it all with cotton or canvas.

I always staple the part description to the outside so that the grease doesnt romove the writing.

Anything in a plastic bag I add one of those "do not eat" sachels that you get in medicine bottles/packaging to absorb the water/condensation.

so how long can one (hypothetically) leave say.. a block improperly stored for?

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There is a special protective "oil" you can buy to dip machined items into, which then dries into a waxy film. Not as messy as grease, but not cheap either. Just smear in grease & cover with a rag as said above^

If sitting on steel shelving, make sure they sit on cardboard/wood/rag to prevent metal/metal contact.

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Too many cars, and too little time.

Hmmmm very interesting.

This imaginary person is now a little worried about cooper gearbox that has been stored in the garden shed with a piece of MDF ontop.... cos the garden shed is located on a slope, and when it rains water passes straight thru there......

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[NATHAN] -- Sold everything mini related and am back in big beautiful BMWs

that imaginary toolbag wouldn't have a problem (imaginary or otherwise) of he would put the gearbox in a finished car and drive it for once in his imaginary god damned life..

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Well , the said , hypothetical person had better hypothetically get his butt out there and check/grease the box .

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