My plane will be down approx. 3 weeks in August to get the panel redone. I'm wondering how much I should do to protect the engine (O-360-A1D) during this time. I've had the plane 6 months, and the engine has 670 hrs SMOH in 2000 with new Millenium cylinders.. It sat some early its its life and then was flown more regularly before I got it. Pulling #1 jug off after I bought it (IRAN related to an exhaust valve guide) showed some shallow pits on the cam but no spalling of cam or lifters. I've flown weekly since I've gotten it - 70 hrs total with 3 oil changes, and it's done great- runs smooth, no hint of ferrous or nonferrous metal in filter (examined visually, cutting and running magnet, soaking in solvent and running through coffee filter), good oil analyses, using 1 quart every 10 hrs consistently. So I'm really starting to trust this engine to be with me for a while, and I don't want to blow it by letting it sit. But i also don't want to spend 1K for the top of line engine dehydrator. This weekend I changed the oil and filter (Aeroshell 100W + Camguard) and this oil will have <10hrs on it when it goes to the shop. I'm not aware of any benefit to storage oil over this.
Should I put dessicant plugs in tail pipe and breather? Lower spark plugs? Top plugs as well (more of a pain)? Can the intake be blocked off? Various other commercial dehydrator products? What's an effective middle ground here, without going over the top?
It will be down for <1 month most likely. Do avionics shops ever tend to the engine this way during long jobs?