Preparing your racing engine for off-season storage is the last important event of the race season.  This is one event that everyone can win and if done correctly it could be the highest paying event of the season for the vintage racer.

Here at VDS we all to often see the effects of failing to properly prepare racing engines for winter storage.  The number one problem we confront associated with improper winterizing, and for that matter storage between events, is serious damage caused by corrosion.  It is common to see engine blocks, cylinder liners, water pumps, cylinder heads as well as methanol and to a lesser extent gasoline fuel system components damaged or destroyed from improper storage.

By being aware of the potential harm that corrosion will cause and following a few simple processes you can, at a minimum, ensure your car will perform at the track after the long cold winter and potentially save thousands on your next rebuild.  Here are a few tips for long-term storage of your racing engine.

1.         Completely fill your cooling system using distilled water and 2 bottles of NAPA 13 water pump lube.  If your vehicle is stored or transported in temperatures below freezing, use anti freeze instead of water pump lube.  Start the engine and circulate the mixture throughout the engine and seal the cooling system to prevent oxygen, from the atmosphere, entering the system.

2.         Remove all fuel from the fuel cell and store in a clean sealed steel drum.  Do not use plastic or clear containers for long-term fuel storage.  We store our fuel in VP Racing Fuels phenolic lined drums. The phenolic lining prevents corrosion on the inside of a partially-full  drum thereby protecting the stored fuel from contaminates during long-term storage.  We occasionally bring home empty VP drums from a race event and use them to store dyno fuel.  

Why all the fuss about fuel storage?  Well, methanol is hydroscopic (it has a high affinity for water).  To avoid problems due to it’s ability to “suck” water vapor right our of the atmosphere, almost before your very eyes, do not leave it in your fuel tank or an unsealed container.  Racing gasolines have chemical components that can escape through evaporation.  Fuels are also sensitive to oxidation from sunlight exposure.  Therefore, improper storage of fuel will change the properties and could have an adverse effect on performance or in some instances cause severe engine damage. 

3.         Purge your fuel system.  “Pickle” (purge) methanol fuel systems with a mixture of gasoline and Klotz Uplon or Marvel Mystery oil (3oz/5 gallons).  This will prevent inevitable corrosion damage to your fuel system.  Remember you must purge all methanol from all fuel system components from fuel pump to PRV (pressure relief valve).  Add a squirt or two of Klotz Uplon or Marvel Mystery oil to the fuel pump and rotate.  Again make certain, as you must do with the cooling system, to seal the system by connecting or capping all hoses after the pickle process is completed.  If you cap AN lines or fittings make sure to use aluminum caps and plugs.  One note of caution with methanol systems, do not allow any gasoline into your fuel cell while pickling.  Gasoline will ruin fuel bladders made for methanol.  Use a separate container to collect the fuel out of the PRV during the purging process and dispose of the waste fuel in a responsible manner.

4.         Remove the spark plugs and add a few squirts of Klutz into each cylinder.  Rotate the engine, slowly by hand, to coat the cylinder walls with oil.  Replace the spark plugs.       

5.         Once a month during the race season and during winter storage turn your engine over 2 turns + ¼ turn.  Two turns will cycle all cylinders and the extra ¼ turn will stress valve springs on different cylinders while the engine is stored.

6.         Spray magnesium castings with a preservative such as WD-40 or LPS 2.  While you’re at it, coat the gearbox as well.  This will reduce corrosion forming on the exterior surfaces of magnesium parts. 

Here at VDS, we define our success based on our customer’s completing

session after session with trouble-free engine performance.  By following the processes above, not only will you save money on avoidable repairs, you will also enjoy trouble-free race weekends. 

Figure 1 shows damaged Cosworth DFV cylinder liners and engine block from untreated cooling water.  Note the severity of the corrosion near the lower part of the liner.  This clearly illustrates the type of damage stagnant untreated cooling water will cause.  Keeping the cooling system full of a mixture of distilled water and water pump lube or antifreeze (for winter storage) can prevent this type of damage.

Figure 1

Figure 2 is a photo of a methanol fuel pump.  This is a classic example of fuel system damage caused by improper purging of methanol from the fuel system.  These parts were hard anodized to prevent methanol corrosion.  However, as you can see, it takes more to protect components continually exposed to methanol.

Figure 2