Filling motor to the top?

RedMF40 · Oct 10, 2018

I remember this from the car magazines I read as a kid. Someone would ask about storing a car for a year or more, and mention that they were filling the engine with motor oil all the way up to the top of the valve covers or the fill hole. Is this advisable? Seems one drawback is someone might go to start the car at some point and forget the engine is full of oil.

4520BW · Oct 10, 2018

Back when I work at the local deere dealer
they had kid that did odd jobs and mowing.
One day he was told to change the oil in
one of the shop trucks. He was told to
drain old oil, chang filter and refill
engine. Well he filled it all the way up,
the truck had oil spraying every where!

Stephen Newell · Oct 10, 2018

In that length of time all the cylinders would fill with oil and wouldn't come out when you drained the oil. Then if it didn't destroy the valves or pistons it might destroy the starter. I'm currently working on a motor that had a blown head gasket and got a little water in the cylinder. It blew the end off the starter when I tried to start the motor to drive the vehicle in the shop to pull the engine.

jeffcat · Oct 10, 2018

Actually if a machine has been sitting for a long time, drain the oil,
change the filter, and then fill it as full as possible. Let it sit
for an hour or two and then drain it down to the correct level. This
lets oil get into every nook and crany so oil pumps have prime and
every bearing has oil in it. Sounds crazy but is old school if you do
not have a pressureized oiler tank. Had one engine I wish I had
followed my own advice. Just put the extra oil back in the big gallon
jugs for next time regular oil change. It works.

C.Amick · Oct 10, 2018

If the engine is going to sit for a long time particularly outdoors and the goal is to keep it from sticking, I would fill it all the way up. I should help keep water and rust
from accumulating.

David G · Oct 10, 2018

You are much better off to work it hard until real hot, stop and leave it.

guido · Oct 10, 2018

Hello Stephen Newell,

Next time you need to start When an engine has not been started or has been in storage, you need to do a couple of things. Drain and fill with new oil, and check the rest of the fluids, then remove the spark plugs. Any fluid that is on top of the piston will come out of the engine if turns over by hand. If it turns easly, then you can crank it with the stater to get the rest of it out. Oil or water accumulated on top of the piston will ruin your day if you kick the starter from the get go,

Guido.

Steve@Advance · Oct 10, 2018

Sounds like a waste of oil and potential engine damage if it were not properly drained and the cylinders purged.

I would lean more toward doing an oil change, then starting it long enough to circulate the fresh oil.

Be sure the coolant is fresh and in tolerance.

I have heard of "fogging" an engine, usually applies to marine engines stored in high humidity conditions. This is done by spraying anti corrosion oil into the intake just as the carb runs empty, or if injected spray it until it smokes heavily and shut it off.

I just put a car back on the road that was stored for 3 years. Nothing was done to prepare it, just covered with a tarp outside. It started and ran just fine.

SDE · Oct 10, 2018

One neighbor was a doctor. He put oil in the john Deere B until it was exiting at the clutch.

JimKS · Oct 10, 2018

For long term storage on aircraft engines they use non detergent oil

Jim

sms · Oct 11, 2018

Many recommend fogging an engine before
storage. Companies make products for this
purpose. Google it for different products.
Here's one.
Engine fogger

RedMF40 · Oct 11, 2018

For the record, I don't plan to do any of this. Was just wondering if filling to the top with oil was a good idea. Sounds like a recipe for disaster. If I have a vehicle that is going to be unused for a year or more, I'll get rid of it.

David G · Oct 11, 2018

There is no need to get rid of the vehicle, just prepare it well for storage.

Moisture is the issue, so boil that out good before storage and have clean oil in it, there will be no problems.

Filling motor to the top?

RedMF40

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4520BW

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Stephen Newell

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jeffcat

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C.Amick

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David G

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guido

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Steve@Advance

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SDE

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JimKS

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sms

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RedMF40

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David G

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