Cannot Budge seized 251

[tinlizzy]

I had a stuck engine too and not real familiar with ways to free it up. After 3 weeks of trying I started pulling it apart. The pistons I thought were stuck were rusty but not stuck. Turns out it was two valves in the closed position and prevented everything from rolling over.

[wayfarer]

...or try this...

1. Strip the engine of everything that can removed.

2. Ask around, find a shop that is soon to replace the chemicals in their hot tank. Ask which day this will be. Agree on $$.

3. Take your block, with problem piston, to shop

4. Place block, with piston, in vat.

5. Return next day to retrieve block minus piston.

Caustic solutions don't like aluminum.

.

[dezeldoc]

...or try this...

1. Strip the engine of everything that can removed.

2. Ask around, find a shop that is soon to replace the chemicals in their hot tank. Ask which day this will be. Agree on $$.

3. Take your block, with problem piston, to shop

4. Place block, with piston, in vat.

5. Return next day to retrieve block minus piston.

Caustic solutions don't like aluminum.

.

Problem with that is it contaminates the hot tank solution and the guy will end up cleaning and changing his water in the tank, used to do that at work before we would do a change so it did not matter much.

[55 Fargo]

I took the head off my 49's original engine (frozen) and found a broken valve, and after the pan was off, I found a bunch of cotton on the oil pick-up...a mouse nest.

Wouldn't have run long even if it was loosened.

I did put some oil into the tops of the cylinders, but the oil only stayed on 3, the rest it drained out past the rings and onto the floor.

I got a small hunk of 4X4 and hit the 3 locked pistons once or twice every time I went by. After a week, it moved.

It's in rough shape but still OK for a rebuild.

Fred, if you have done everything, take the head and the pan off. It'll tell you a story I bet.

Pat the head is off, the valves are all fine, a little carboned, but the ones that are open all spin around, the cyls are in great shape, almost no ridge, the vavlve chamber was quite clean no sludge, the oil pan had oil, and not water or sludge, it ios no off yet, but the dipstick revealed on moisture and oil at the right level.

This engine has full -flow oil filtration, so wear and oil cleanliness should be at it's best for these engines.

My plan is this, free engine in car, then pull engine, will dismantle and rebuild what and is necessary at a later date.

My goal is to free the engine now, and see what shape the other valves and cyls are in in.

[55 Fargo]

This may be slightly OT but pertains to this subject well. This guy was into restoring rusty dusty tractors,of which many are stuck tight. He parked the tractor against his favorite tree(maybe shaped correctly for this) with the front end about 3-4 feet of the ground,in gear so full weight of front end was directed to stuck engine. Opened spark plug orifices and filled with GOOD penetrate such as Kroil and filled and soaked all else down also. The story I was told was there was NEVER a subject tractor that didnt give up the stuck feeling. How this relates to cars,I am sure the weight of the car off the ground would assist also. keep filling spark plugs and leave them out till the car or tractor drops down and meets the earth. IF the engine is out ,all bets are off and dont know how you would get equal torq to it. Other than the wood tap and crank removal as talked about. My imagination says this requires a pretty good clutch to work effectively also,but am told it DOES work!!

not all penetrates are created equal either,,,Kroil or PB Blaster would be my first choices. WD-40 and some others similiar,my LAST choice. AND if your doing stuck engines it ONLY makes sense to buy by the gallon rather than the spray can!!

This engine is coupled to a fluid driuve and M5 trans, will not be able to use momentum of the car to turn over engine.

I have a huge 3/4 inch socket set with a big long breaker bar, could not budge it that way with the big socket on the crank bolt.

I usually have a lot of torque as a human, but am afraid to break anything by reefing on the crank with a big breaker bar and socket.

[55 Fargo]

I am going to try this.

Douse the cyls with diesel or pentraitng oil, will also go into the valve chamber with a liberal dose too.

First I will clean top of pistons of any carbon or crud, then will coat the tops with liquid wrench or PB blaster.

I will let this sit, will try the bar again, will report back on my results.

Actually an old time mechanic told me to heat up kerosene, and pour that over the pisotns and valves, he has had good results with that years ago............

[dezeldoc]

Fred, pull the clutch inspection cover and use a prybar to turn it over that way(i would say to use a flywheel tool but i don't think you have one). if the pistons and cylinders do not show rust around them i would bet the bottom end is the culprit.

PS, i think if you are going to pull it and rebuild it you are wasting your time doing all this, jerk it and pull it down and find the problem, much more to learn that way and possibly avoid some damage to other parts.

[55 Fargo]

Tried the big breaker bar and socket yesterday, I did not move the pistons, but did unbolt the crank pulley bolt.....