Engine friction

[jimwheeldon]

I finally acheived some progress on my 50 Plymouth. I got the tranny shifting-(linkage was rusted solid)...clutch working (rod had come out of socket) and the bolt i broke off in the block drilled out and retapped. I just don't understand why it's so hard to turn over by hand. Originally I assumed I was spinning some of the drivetrain, but now with the clutch and tranny apparently functioning I know it's in neutral. It just seems like it should spin allot easier with the head off,waterpump and generator disconnected with me turning the crank with a large pipe wrench. It doesn't sound like anything is broken internally and all the valves go up and down nicely. It just takes allot and I mean allot of grunt to get it to move. Is this normal?

[JIPJOBXX]

Did you soak the cylinders? You can pour down the cylinder

holes some lubricate such diesel oil and let it set for a few days and then see if it turns over easier. While doing that you might just fill up the crank case also with diesel oil and let that sit for a few days. Let it sit and then see how it turn over. Sometime these old engine just become sized in place because they have sat for so long and they need a little lubrication to brake the bond of rust or dirt that binding cylinder walls with the piston rings or the bearing just need the same thing. This is a cheap fix and this is what I would do. Of course when you do get it turn over alittle easier then you should drain all that diesel oil.

[greg g]

There was a thread concerning how much grunt it should take to turn over a newly rebuilt engine. I believe if you use the search feature you might find it. I think the consensus was about 30 to 45 lb.ft. Which is a lot of grunt on a short handled wrench. Remember you have no oil flow. With out Oil cushioning the moving parts you have a lot of drag.