trying to unstick a 218

[amishguy]

Hello all im trying to get a socket to fit on the end of crank but im not getting any thing in the hub to catch on , its a 48 bye the way can some one tell me what size is the socket that's suppost to fit on the end of crank?been spraying cleaner but its just hard as rock! i even bought a pressure washer to get this stuff out

[knuckleharley]

Sounds to me like you are going to have to use something like a thin knife with a sharp point,or a nutpicker to scrape out caked in mud.h

 

Can probably use a bent coat hanger with a sharpened point to start the scraping,and it would probably help to have something like a dentist's mirror and a headlamp on a headband to shine a little light on what you are doing.

 

Or,you could take the radiator out and really see what you are doing. Little bit of extra work,but while it is out you can take it to a radiator shop and have it pressure tested.  I wouldn't go more than maybe 7 psi on the radiator test.

 

This would be an excellent time to replace the thermostat and radiator hoses,too. You KNOW you are going to have to do that anyhow,so why not do it now and be done with it?

Edited April 25, 2021 by knuckleharley

[Andydodge]

As far as i know there are at least two different sized crank pulley bolt heads.........if its a bolt that has the starter pawl for the hand crank handle to fit onto then it is 1 & 13/16th AF, at least thats what the one on the 1941 Plymouth I had was........the "normal" bolt that was on the 230 airport tug engine I had was much smaller as it didn't have the hand crank starter pawl, maybe around 1 & 1/4 AF but as I no longer have the engine I can't be absolutely sure......I sold the Plymouth but still have the 1 & 13/16th 3/4 drive socket I bought especially to undo the crank bolt............worked fine.......lol...........andyd 

[Sniper]

I went out to the garage and checked on my 52 230, no hand crank setup.

 

1 11/16" is the size.

[keithb7]

Speaking of rad testing.  For a pressurized system. Someone told me you can plug both inlet and outlet ports. Ensure the drain petcock is closed. Twist the cap on.

Fill the bath tub and sink it. Any leaks will show bubbles. Get it to 7 psi? Maybe take it for a swim at the lake and head down deeper? 

 

Us backyard hacks, gotta do what we gotta do.

Edited April 26, 2021 by keithb7

[greg g]

What year.. thought they were unpressurized till 51.  Where is the overflow?  If it's on the top of the top tank or belpw the rad cap sealing gasket it's 0 pressure.

[chrysler1941]

I would not turn a stuck engine by crank bolt.  You can only turn clockwise and can snap. Better at flywheel starrer ring. Larger diameter, less effort.

[Los_Control]

I would not worry about testing the radiator while trying to unstick a engine.

If the cylinders are in good condition then is possible you have a bad rod or main bearing that is seized.

 

Just saying, try to put a breaker bar on the crank and see if it will turn.  I also would put some oil in the cylinders 50/50 atf/acetone or marvel mystery oil & let it soak for a few days before trying to turn it.

If it moves thats awesome. You still want to get oil on those rings to free them up. My current engine was free & soaked it for 2 weeks before starting it.

 

Cost nothing to pull the head, you can see exactly what you are working with. There is no valves, lifters push rods to deal with.

The valves will be gummed up with old engine oil in the valve guides. So when you turn the engine over, they stay open. Oil them up and smack em down with a rubber mallet. Just work them back and forth and will free up. My first engine sat for maybe 30 years. Had 7 stuck valves and zero compression.

These are tough engines and take a lot of abuse, they do not like high rpm and will eat up bearings. I think 3600 rpm is suggested max.

I had a 52 suburban that Grandpa hot rodded and spun a bearing and parked since 1962.

 

If you have no history on the engine, & is stuck. A head gasket is cheap and available. Spend a hour pulling the head and find out if you have a boat anchor or something to work with.

 

They are a great engine, they were made for decades with very few changes. You will not regret bringing it back to life. They respond well to tlc 

 

[knuckleharley]

6 hours ago, chrysler1941 said:

I would not turn a stuck engine by crank bolt.  You can only turn clockwise and can snap. Better at flywheel starrer ring. Larger diameter, less effort.

Being the lazy type,I always like to soak the cylinders with Marvel Mystery oil for a few days,and when the level drops,fill them again and wait for them to drain again. I then "bump" to starter a few times to try to break it loose. You might be surprised at how often this works.

[Los_Control]

Just now, knuckleharley said:

Being the lazy type,I always like to soak the cylinders with Marvel Mystery oil for a few days,and when the level drops,fill them again

I love you @knuckleharley I love see'ing your post & progress on your current projects.

I saved this engine from the scrap yard last fall. I paid $100  for it and hoping it might be saveable. Is a 1951 8BA & seems to be a good block ... I scored!

 

 

I have it on a engine stand all winter long with the heads off. The cylinders looked pretty good and have stock pistons. A light hone the cylinders are ready to go to work.

I have been soaking it in atf/acetone  over the winter. I still can not get the engine to budge.

I have the cam gear pulled off & only trying to turn the crank/pistons. Look at the photo. No amount of mmo would fix that. As it turns out I am convinced it has a bad bearing and seized. I need to start pulling the rods and find the bad bearing. This could kill a mopar flat 6. We all know a replacement crank & some machine work would fix it .... sometimes a good running used engine is cheaper.

 

Just incredible a new user dropped in and asked about free up a stuck engine ... thread went to rot out the radiator.

 

This engine I was hoping would free up. Yeah that did not happen. While I had it on the engine stand I dropped the pan  ... This thing really stunk. I think it was 15 year old diesel fuel.

While the heads were off, I then removed the intake manifold. This is what I found. ... Any small access point will allow mice.

I will fix this engine, will not be easy. New merc crank, new adjustable lifters, nice cam 

You just have no idea what you have until you open it up and touch it.

 

 

[Tom Skinner]

Please don't show me. It hurts to look!

Putting on the Ritz - 1929

[Los_Control]

Just saying if you can unstick it, great.

A lot of these old cars get parked with missing pieces .... Air cleaner, exhaust manifolds ... leaves a direct door in for mice.

 

I have spent time with 4 old flathead 6 motors. I am no expert.

All had poor compression because the rings were stuck closed & valves stuck open ...  4th one was a bad bearing and crank was seized.

The 52 pilothouse had a broken rod "I suspect" you could turn it 1/2 way in one direction and hear a clunk, then the other direction & clunk again.

These cars/trucks spent many years in the rainy Pacific north west. They all saw a lot of rain. They sat for over 20 years.

The only one seized was the one with a bad bearing.

 

 

I am just saying, you never know what you have until you open it up. A flathead 6 you have it open in 1 hour.

 

I have to laugh about the ferd V8 sitting on the engine stand ... I am convinced is a bad bearing, probably the farmer over revved it to do some work.

The cylinders, valves are perfect, the pistons are stock. The crank has a .020 stamp on it .... Telling me this is not the first time he spun a bearing.

Just the 2nd time he gave up on it.

 

When you have a 70 year old engine, a lot of things can happen to it.

[Tooljunkie]

I unstuck my 218 last year. Prybar on the ring gear. Without doing much else i loosened the stuck valves and fired it up. 40 psi oil pressure and bangs on every cylinder. 
first highway drive and the blowby reared its ugly head. 
i suspect a few rings are stuck in the pistons. Im on the fence about carrying on with it. I gave it an atf treatment and its been sitting for a few days. Funny, if i pour atf in carb while its running, it seems to like it, i poured lots and it didnt skip a beat. Tried with sea foam and it kept wanting to stall even with a small amount. 
 

guess next step is pull head, measure bore and order rings and gaskets. 
 

or drop in a nice clean 318 with a rebuilt transmission i have sitting and waiting for a purpose. 

[RobertKB]

Please keep it a flattie. It goes so well with the great patina on the truck.