Seized up solid, cylinders have a lot of corrosion and rust. Have sprayed the pistons down with zep rust penetrant and ATF fluid. What other tips or tricks for loosening this motor??? Keep it vintage....
Get a correct size ball hone and work on the cyls that are down. Use a wire brush on an angle grinder on the rest and the soak soak soak. Gary
Man that one has been out in the elements for a long time. You'll be very lucky if you don't have deal breaking cracks on that block. Be prepared for a letdown. I really hope all that work is worth it.
Drink the Coke & piss in the cylinders, you will get the same results which is no results. Looks like big hammer & 2x4 time.
Let it soak, but eventually yes 2x4 and hammer the pistons and you should be able to free it up if it's going to.
Soak for a week or 2 if need be, if you get out the ones that are down, then flip it over and let the ones that are up soak from the bottom.
I fill the cylinders with vinegar and let them soak for about a week. I will scrape the top of the piston with a screw driver around the cylinder to stir up the sediment as it soaks. I have done several this way. You will be shocked how clean it gets the cylinders. But as stated before, from the looks of that one I would be surprised if there is not cracks in the deck.
I'd power wash the grease and gunk off of it and throw it in a barrel of molasses for a week, but as the others said that one might be toast.
From my experience, after soaking for a month or more in tyranny fluid, PB Blaster and anything else I had it finally took a piece of landscape timber and a 10LB sledge hammer. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61058&highlight=frozen+flathead Crazy but interesting!! Pete
Danny, that sorta makes you think twice about drinking Coke, LOL!! But I have heard that before, never tried it. I understand it's the phosphoric acid in the Coke that does the trick. Wonder how a metal p[rep solution such as "Ospho" (which is a brand name metal prep I get @ nAce Hdw. made from phosphoric acid would work? The vinegar is acetic acid. Both dissolve and neutralize rust.
It is going to have to come out of the frame for a rebuild. Then you can do what our own Don Dolmetsch did with an old 318. Dunk it in a plastic barrel full of water with a handful of washing soda, and hook it up to a battery charger. After a few days the rust was dissolved off by electrolysis and the engine came apart easily.
Would the washing soda clean all the sludge off first, or would the electrolysis de-rust only the clean parts?
I'm thinking it won't do much to the greasy parts which are not rusty anyway, but might loosen the grease. When you pull it out you can pressure wash, or pressure wash first if you prefer. There are other details to the process, like you have to put steel or iron electrodes around the work, DO NOT use stainless or galvanized they can give off a poison gas. Do not let the engine or electrodes touch the bottom of the container. Container must be plastic or wood not metal. Although, I don't know why you couldn't use a steel drum and use it as the electrode.
Might attempt to check over what you can of the block before you put much effort into it. I would look at the water jackets around the bottom end, cylinder walls and the main cap webbing. If it has had water freeze in it there may be cracks in those areas that can not be repaired. An engine in that condition is going to take a large investment of time to get apart and it might pay to be sure there are not obvious problems first.
IMHO, it's going to take a good many muttered oaths and magical words before that Rip Van Winkle wakes up.
HRP You been talking to Mrs. beaner. Yep works as well and anything on the planet. But no diet coke and Mexican coke works best if you can get it.
Coke is the answer. It's 'The Real Thing'. Be right back...I'm gonna go pop one right now. Flatheads make me thirsty... Oh, a bud gave me a '47 Merc 59A engine, cyls are coke-soaking as we speak. (oops...getting close there)
Those pistons aren't the only things frozen up! That valve train is gonna take a lot of freein up me thinks .If you go the electrolysis route get a plastic 55 gal drum & get as much grease off first or you could soak it in molasses after you get the grease off & set it in the drum. Either way keep a close watch on it. If you wish to invest some coin & can find a machine shop that will bake it & pressure wash it that would be the easiest & best then it can be magnafluxed.
I may try to do the electrolysis method. Ive never tore down a froze engine like this before, or even a flathead for that matter.
My Dad gave me a rusty '50 Ford F1 transmission, no top plate. I winched it down into my 40 gallon plastic drum with Arm & Hammer baking soda (1 cup) and 30 gallons of water, hooked up my 24 volt electric wheelchair charger and checked it every day...4th day I hoisted it out, rinsed it and it's clean enough to disassemble. Couldn't believe there are useable gears! Sure like that electrolytic system, no matter HOW you spell it!
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