GT-40 Winterization (fogging)

[g-rose]

I was wondering what procedure PCM recommends for fogging a 2000 GT-40 engine. This engine is multi-port fuel injected. I have received contradicting "advise" from several people, ranging from not fogging the engine at all (about 6 months of down time), to spraying fogging oil into the air intake (which others have said is bad advise and should not be done). I do not have the operations and maintance manual for the engine, only the owners manual for the boat. I guess you have to order the O&M manual if you want one.

[DanielC]

After the engine is fogged, it cannot be run, unless you want to fog it again. What I do is put in fuel stabilizer, run the engine to normal operating temp, change engine oil, filter, transmission oil. Restart and run the engine again.
Now you can fog the engine. Mark all the spark plug wires before you take them off.
Remove all the spark plugs. Spray a good liberal dose of fogging oil into each spark plug hole. Turn the engine over by hand at least one full revolution. Spray more fogging oil in each cylinder, again, a short blast is ok. Put the spark plugs back in.
I think PCM recommends fogging an engine that will sit for longer than two weeks. My opinion, that is a little much. If you engine is going to sit until next season, definitely fog your engine. On a V-8 engine, probably five or six of your cylinders have at least partially open valves anywhere the engine stops.
If your engine is not run for a while, the oil coating on the cylinder walls slowly drains away, leaving them ready to rust. I believe the fogging oil has some type of oil that is more permanent on the cylinder walls. I have also heard that conventional oils tend to stay on the cylinder walls longer than synthetic oils, but I have not been able to prove that myself. PCM recommends conventional oils for their engines.
My 1997 ski has 1963 hours on it. I recommend using Valvoline 40 w racing oil in the GT-40 engine. I recommend using a Motorcraft FL1-A oil filter. They are much better than most other commonly available filters that spend money on tv ads and promotion. Kind of the same philosophy as Correct Craft.

[skiking]

I was worried about some of the conflicting information I had heard as well about fogging the PCM GT-40 engine. So I called PCM and spoke directly with a technical advisor. He said that their recommendation is to fog the engine if it is going to be stored for an extended period of time. Month or more. The fogging precedure they recommend is pulling the spark plugs and fogging each cylinder followed by turning the crank manually.

He was aware that some people do fog the GT-40 through the intake and he felt that it should be OK since the intake on the GT-40 is metal unlike some of the newer engines that have plastic intakes. However, fogging through the intake is not recommended by PCM on the GT-40.

Hope this helps.

[kylake33]

How do you "turn the engine over by hand?"

[AirTool]

When the plugs are out, the engine should turn over quite easily. If you cannot get to the crank / balancer bolt, you can probably use the nut on the alternator pulley.

I've not fogged an engine before, but I'm wondering why you couldn't just disable the fuel/ignition and bump the starter or put a clip-on remote starter button they sell at the auto shop just for that purpose....bumping the engine without it starting.

[TRBenj]

How do you "turn the engine over by hand?"

15/16" socket (at least for a Ford) on the crank bolt and a breaker bar.

[todda]

Like AirTool said, I have always just taken off my engine cut-off lanyard on my GT40 and bumped the ignition a couple of times. Would this not do the same thing as hand-cranking?

Todd

[M3Fan]

Like AirTool said, I have always just taken off my engine cut-off lanyard on my GT40 and bumped the ignition a couple of times. Would this not do the same thing as hand-cranking?

Todd

Well, the issue there is that the fuel delivery system would still be functioning, spraying fuel down the cylinders and washing the oil away- effectively un-doing the fogging. If the lanyard kills the fuel pump/injectors too, then it is the same thing. If not, then it is a very different thing.

[DanielC]

Pulling the lanyard does not stop the injectors from putting fuel into the engine when the engine is being cranked, however the fuel flow does stop as soon as the key is turned to run, from start. Turn the engine by hand, with the breaker bar. Turn the engine before you put the spark plugs in. While you are there, get a 5/16 Allen wrench, and check your exhaust manifold bolts for tightness

[todda]

Thanks M3 and DanielC, I hadn't thought that one through obviously. Guess I will be re-fogging!
Todd