Tid Bit. Don't start your GMC between trips

B

Bob Dunahugh

New member
Sep 17, 2012
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Almost all engine wear occurs from start up. To the time that the engine is at normal operating temps. The condensation (water) in the exhaust system. Doesn't get removed until your RPM's are up for an extended period of time. 5 to 10 miles. Getting the engine temps up only. Will not remove that water.
Now to the carb. If you still have one. Every time you start your engine . The float bowl fills with gas. That gas will then evaporate out after shut down. Leaving a deposit of heavy material on the inside of the carb. That will have to be removed at a later date. EFI systems don.t have this issue.
Every time that I park our GMC for over a month. I take it for a ten-mile trip down a highway. Park it where you plan to leave it. The old BUZZ boxes are very hard on batteries. Plug the shore power in. (Use a battery maintainer if you don't have a newer 12V converter.)
Third step. Walk away. Other points welcomed.
Bob Dunahugh
 
I'm of the opinion that at least a couple of times a year the coach needs to be run 50 miles or so on the road to oil up everything that moves and get
all the metal up to running temperature. Just after a grease job is a good time to do this. If it isn't driveable, at least get the engine temp up
enough for ten or fifteen minutes. On my last coach, the only time it was going to sit a bit I did my 'chainsaw thang', shut the fuel pumps down and
ran the engine till the carb ran dry.

--johnny
--
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
 
Everybody here needs to take a look at what pleasure craft owners in the north do regularly. Up here in the cold and salt country, we put engines to
bed by "fogging" them. This is always a two step process.
First, you get the engine warm, then shut off the fuel (a pair of vice grips on a fuel line is common).
Then,
As the engine begins to sputter, you pour the fogging oil of your choice into the intake.
When it stops, you button it up and leave it alone until you want it to run again.
It will.
This leaves little fuel in the carburetor and oil all over the open metal parts inside.

If some time you want more stories about this, catch me at a rally and bring lots of beer.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
 
On flathead Fords that were going to sit for year or more - owners got drafted - we ran them dry, oiled the cylinders through the sparkplug holes,
drained the coolant and filled the radiator and block with kerosene. You hadda replace the hoses when you got home, but they survived. We did three
or four that way.

--johnny
--
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
 
I have very extensive experience doing winter storage procedures on both 2
cycle outboard motors, (big ones used on trawl net skiffs in salt water in
Alaska) as well as gasoline and marine diesel engines in boats used both
on fresh water and salt water. Procedures are similar. On outboards, turn
off the fuel supply after thoroughly warming up the engine, then run the
engine until just before it sputters, then spray quicksilver fogging oil
into the air intake without filters present until the engine runs out of
fuel and quits. There are sometimes manifold plugs as well as lower unit
plugs that must be drained of water, or they will freeze and break the
castings. Cover the engines from the top, leaving the bottom loose enough
for air to circulate. Waxed canvas is far better than plastic tarps for
this purpose. On marine diesels, pull the injectors and spray fogging oil
into the cylinders, and remove intake and exhaust coolant drain plugs.
Motor homes kept in covered storage? Drive em in and turn off the
ignition. Remove the negative battery cables. If the area gets below 0° F.
remove the batteries and store them in warm areas. 3 months or less?
Temperate climate, walk away and leave them alone.
Jim Hupy
Salem ,Oregon

On Sat, Jun 20, 2020, 12:09 PM Johnny Bridges via Gmclist <

> On flathead Fords that were going to sit for year or more - owners got
> drafted - we ran them dry, oiled the cylinders through the sparkplug holes,
> drained the coolant and filled the radiator and block with kerosene. You
> hadda replace the hoses when you got home, but they survived. We did three
> or four that way.
>
> --johnny
> --
> Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
> Braselton, Ga.
> I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me
> in hell
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
I used to fog them, but now I just shut them off and cover the tailpipe with tinfoil and put a piece of foil over the intake, that keeps the moist air out of the system.
Tinfoil over the tail pipe also keeps vermin out.
also when you forget to remove it the engine doesn't even notice lol
________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of James Hupy via Gmclist
Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2020 3:19 PM
To: gmclist
Cc: James Hupy
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Tid Bit. Don't start your GMC between trips

I have very extensive experience doing winter storage procedures on both 2
cycle outboard motors, (big ones used on trawl net skiffs in salt water in
Alaska) as well as gasoline and marine diesel engines in boats used both
on fresh water and salt water. Procedures are similar. On outboards, turn
off the fuel supply after thoroughly warming up the engine, then run the
engine until just before it sputters, then spray quicksilver fogging oil
into the air intake without filters present until the engine runs out of
fuel and quits. There are sometimes manifold plugs as well as lower unit
plugs that must be drained of water, or they will freeze and break the
castings. Cover the engines from the top, leaving the bottom loose enough
for air to circulate. Waxed canvas is far better than plastic tarps for
this purpose. On marine diesels, pull the injectors and spray fogging oil
into the cylinders, and remove intake and exhaust coolant drain plugs.
Motor homes kept in covered storage? Drive em in and turn off the
ignition. Remove the negative battery cables. If the area gets below 0° F.
remove the batteries and store them in warm areas. 3 months or less?
Temperate climate, walk away and leave them alone.
Jim Hupy
Salem ,Oregon

On Sat, Jun 20, 2020, 12:09 PM Johnny Bridges via Gmclist <

> On flathead Fords that were going to sit for year or more - owners got
> drafted - we ran them dry, oiled the cylinders through the sparkplug holes,
> drained the coolant and filled the radiator and block with kerosene. You
> hadda replace the hoses when you got home, but they survived. We did three
> or four that way.
>
> --johnny
> --
> Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
> Braselton, Ga.
> I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me
> in hell
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
I have very extensive experience doing winter storage procedures on both 2
cycle outboard motors, (big ones used on trawl net skiffs in salt water in
Alaska) as well as gasoline and marine diesel engines in boats used both
on fresh water and salt water. Procedures are similar. On outboards, turn
off the fuel supply after thoroughly warming up the engine, then run the
engine until just before it sputters, then spray quicksilver fogging oil
into the air intake without filters present until the engine runs out of
fuel and quits. There are sometimes manifold plugs as well as lower unit
plugs that must be drained of water, or they will freeze and break the
castings. Cover the engines from the top, leaving the bottom loose enough
for air to circulate. Waxed canvas is far better than plastic tarps for
this purpose. On marine diesels, pull the injectors and spray fogging oil
into the cylinders, and remove intake and exhaust coolant drain plugs.
Motor homes kept in covered storage? Drive em in and turn off the
ignition. Remove the negative battery cables. If the area gets below 0? F.
remove the batteries and store them in warm areas. 3 months or less?
Temperate climate, walk away and leave them alone.
Jim Hupy
Salem ,Oregon
 
The main problem. Is when the temps go up, and down. Outside air goes in, and out. With moisture riding along. Whenever I had anything exposed to temp changes. I used a qt zip lock freezer bags. Over the end of the air cleaner, And one over the tail pipe. Then put a heavy rubber band, or tape to hold in place. In this way. No outside air gets in. The bag is then a sealed diaphram. With a carb. Duct tape off the carb heat pipe. If your fresh air tube for the PVC doesn't attach to the air cleaner. Then that too. Must be capped off. To me. This will negate the need for fogging. (?) I see fogging a good idea for years of storage.
Bob Dunahugh

________________________________
From: Bob Dunahugh
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2020 12:06 PM
To: gmclist
Subject: Tid Bit. Don't start your GMC between trips

Almost all engine wear occurs from start up. To the time that the engine is at normal operating temps. The condensation (water) in the exhaust system. Doesn't get removed until your RPM's are up for an extended period of time. 5 to 10 miles. Getting the engine temps up only. Will not remove that water.
Now to the carb. If you still have one. Every time you start your engine . The float bowl fills with gas. That gas will then evaporate out after shut down. Leaving a deposit of heavy material on the inside of the carb. That will have to be removed at a later date. EFI systems don.t have this issue.
Every time that I park our GMC for over a month. I take it for a ten-mile trip down a highway. Park it where you plan to leave it. The old BUZZ boxes are very hard on batteries. Plug the shore power in. (Use a battery maintainer if you don't have a newer 12V converter.)
Third step. Walk away. Other points welcomed.
Bob Dunahugh
 
I knew that my comment would invoke responses. I was referring back to my
extensive technical training at Mercury Marine, Crusader Marine (Olds, and
other brands, in outdrive and inboard applications) as well as Outboard
Marine Corporation, (OMC) General Motors Training Centers, Blue Mountain
Community College Diesel programs, etc. As my mother used to tell me,
"There's more than one way to skin a cat". I expect you could take the
number of GMC owners, multiply by 3 and come up with that many different
ways to winterize engines.

I will say this about sealing an engine up completely with plastic bags,
etc. I personally would never do it. If you want to screen rodents and
insects out, use nylon window screen and tie wraps. They breathe. My advise
on fogging oils still stands.
But, if your procedure works for you, and you take the time to do it
every storage period, then keep doing it.
I have disassembled a number of engines that were stored long term
after being totally sealed up in a dry environment that were full of
surface rust, and bi-metallic corrosion. Some required re-machining before
they could be placed into service. All air contains moisture. And with
temperature changes and humidity changes, that moisture will condense on
dry metal surfaces.
Many of you guys are veterans, have you ever heard of cosmoline? When
I was in the military, and we got vehicles out of storage, everything was
coated in the stuff. It smells like new railroad track ties. Nasty, nasty
stuff. But when you washed the parts off, they were bright, shiny under
layers of that goop. Just that thought of that smell invokes memories of
washing parts in solvent, in the middle of a motor pool on days approaching
120° in the sun.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Sat, Jun 20, 2020, 3:07 PM Bob Dunahugh via Gmclist <

> The main problem. Is when the temps go up, and down. Outside air goes in,
> and out. With moisture riding along. Whenever I had anything exposed to
> temp changes. I used a qt zip lock freezer bags. Over the end of the air
> cleaner, And one over the tail pipe. Then put a heavy rubber band, or tape
> to hold in place. In this way. No outside air gets in. The bag is then a
> sealed diaphram. With a carb. Duct tape off the carb heat pipe. If your
> fresh air tube for the PVC doesn't attach to the air cleaner. Then that
> too. Must be capped off. To me. This will negate the need for fogging.
> (?) I see fogging a good idea for years of storage.
> Bob Dunahugh
>
> ________________________________
> From: Bob Dunahugh
> Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2020 12:06 PM
> To: gmclist
> Subject: Tid Bit. Don't start your GMC between trips
>
> Almost all engine wear occurs from start up. To the time that the engine
> is at normal operating temps. The condensation (water) in the exhaust
> system. Doesn't get removed until your RPM's are up for an extended period
> of time. 5 to 10 miles. Getting the engine temps up only. Will not remove
> that water.
> Now to the carb. If you still have one. Every time you start your
> engine . The float bowl fills with gas. That gas will then evaporate out
> after shut down. Leaving a deposit of heavy material on the inside of the
> carb. That will have to be removed at a later date. EFI systems don.t have
> this issue.
> Every time that I park our GMC for over a month. I take it for a
> ten-mile trip down a highway. Park it where you plan to leave it. The old
> BUZZ boxes are very hard on batteries. Plug the shore power in. (Use a
> battery maintainer if you don't have a newer 12V converter.)
> Third step. Walk away. Other points welcomed.
> Bob Dunahugh
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
I'm sure fogging is better, but I'm lazy
________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of James Hupy via Gmclist
Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2020 5:43 PM
To: gmclist
Cc: James Hupy
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Tid Bit. Don't start your GMC between trips

I knew that my comment would invoke responses. I was referring back to my
extensive technical training at Mercury Marine, Crusader Marine (Olds, and
other brands, in outdrive and inboard applications) as well as Outboard
Marine Corporation, (OMC) General Motors Training Centers, Blue Mountain
Community College Diesel programs, etc. As my mother used to tell me,
"There's more than one way to skin a cat". I expect you could take the
number of GMC owners, multiply by 3 and come up with that many different
ways to winterize engines.

I will say this about sealing an engine up completely with plastic bags,
etc. I personally would never do it. If you want to screen rodents and
insects out, use nylon window screen and tie wraps. They breathe. My advise
on fogging oils still stands.
But, if your procedure works for you, and you take the time to do it
every storage period, then keep doing it.
I have disassembled a number of engines that were stored long term
after being totally sealed up in a dry environment that were full of
surface rust, and bi-metallic corrosion. Some required re-machining before
they could be placed into service. All air contains moisture. And with
temperature changes and humidity changes, that moisture will condense on
dry metal surfaces.
Many of you guys are veterans, have you ever heard of cosmoline? When
I was in the military, and we got vehicles out of storage, everything was
coated in the stuff. It smells like new railroad track ties. Nasty, nasty
stuff. But when you washed the parts off, they were bright, shiny under
layers of that goop. Just that thought of that smell invokes memories of
washing parts in solvent, in the middle of a motor pool on days approaching
120° in the sun.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Sat, Jun 20, 2020, 3:07 PM Bob Dunahugh via Gmclist <

> The main problem. Is when the temps go up, and down. Outside air goes in,
> and out. With moisture riding along. Whenever I had anything exposed to
> temp changes. I used a qt zip lock freezer bags. Over the end of the air
> cleaner, And one over the tail pipe. Then put a heavy rubber band, or tape
> to hold in place. In this way. No outside air gets in. The bag is then a
> sealed diaphram. With a carb. Duct tape off the carb heat pipe. If your
> fresh air tube for the PVC doesn't attach to the air cleaner. Then that
> too. Must be capped off. To me. This will negate the need for fogging.
> (?) I see fogging a good idea for years of storage.
> Bob Dunahugh
>
> ________________________________
> From: Bob Dunahugh
> Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2020 12:06 PM
> To: gmclist
> Subject: Tid Bit. Don't start your GMC between trips
>
> Almost all engine wear occurs from start up. To the time that the engine
> is at normal operating temps. The condensation (water) in the exhaust
> system. Doesn't get removed until your RPM's are up for an extended period
> of time. 5 to 10 miles. Getting the engine temps up only. Will not remove
> that water.
> Now to the carb. If you still have one. Every time you start your
> engine . The float bowl fills with gas. That gas will then evaporate out
> after shut down. Leaving a deposit of heavy material on the inside of the
> carb. That will have to be removed at a later date. EFI systems don.t have
> this issue.
> Every time that I park our GMC for over a month. I take it for a
> ten-mile trip down a highway. Park it where you plan to leave it. The old
> BUZZ boxes are very hard on batteries. Plug the shore power in. (Use a
> battery maintainer if you don't have a newer 12V converter.)
> Third step. Walk away. Other points welcomed.
> Bob Dunahugh
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
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Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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