Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines storing partially assembled engines, Stink Bugs

Got my 230 block back from the machine shop yesterday (zero decked it). The guys were laughing and told me that while the bare block sat there in the shop, dozens of stink bugs came out during the day as the block warmed up to room temperature. "They just kept coming and coming". Well I was not amused, I hate those bastards. I took the block to work and spent 1-2 hours blowing water and air through every passage and opening, watching stink bugs STILL coming out by the dozens.

I got to thinking, if I left just ONE of them in there, it could end up blocking an oil passage to a bearing and ruin all my hard work!!! I had previously threaded and plugged both ends of the main oil galley, so it made cleanup easier there. The main problem area was the water jacket. It seemed that no matter how much I shot water through from every hole and at every angle I could, it would ALWAYS produce a few more stink bugs just minutes after I stopped spraying. Just crawling out like nothing happened. You can NOT kill these things. They don't even drown, what the hell?

When I finally thought it's all clear, I took a borescope and shoved the camera head through each head bolt hole and opening on the block to see what lies behind. Saw surprisingly porous (craters) surface inside the water jacket and rough casting flash in the oil passages and lifter holes. And, whaddaya know, ONE last stink bug toughing it out between cylinders #3 and #4 at the bottom of the water space. ARGH! Shot him out with shop air, then started wiping everything down with WD40.

What an ordeal. Never would have thought there could be so many in there.

Lesson learned: Do not store engine parts with cavities in an outdoor shed, and just assume they are still clean and ready to assemble the way they were (a year ago) when you put them there. I could have lost that engine on the first run.

Now the damn block will decorate my dining room table until it's time to button the engine together. The fully rebuilt head is already there. And if these parts will ever again need to stay in the shed before going back in the car, I'm taping up every hole on them.

Jan

Sealing up in "leaf" bags should also help. I would use fogging oil instead of WD40 for storage.

Stinkbugs in your engine block and shed means they are likely in your home walls for the winter too. I usually vacuum them up, but don't know if that would work on your block. They are indeed hearty buggers.

Have you tried running hot water thought the block some how ? Maybe that would either kill them or at least maybe run the rest out?

its empty now, no hot water available with adequate pressure, and it would not bother them at all anyway. The block is now on my kitchen table along with the head, and will stay there until its time to put the engine together. Decided to add lumps on the head so it will be a while.

My neighbor does have a trailer built hot water pressure washer if I needed something really cleaned out.... just remembered