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unfreeze foozen engine

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by hlhpa, Nov 24, 2009.

  1. I wanna know if you get any movement at all with either the starter or a crank turning tool. Also, do you know anything about where and how long it sat? Just curious. Also, R U trying to free it to run, or to take it apart?
     
  2. Don't they all have aluminum pistons?;)
     
  3. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,174

    73RR
    Member

    Caustic soda is a generic term for what is used in most hot tanks. If your favorite shop is due to change out the tank then they might let you drop a short block in the soup over the weekend. Aluminum parts in a good tank will shorten the life dramatically, hence the change out drill...


    .
     
  4. SteadyT
    Joined: Sep 11, 2007
    Posts: 482

    SteadyT
    Member

    Unfrozen several here.

    Here's the recipe:

    - Pull plugs
    - Hose Cylinders with PB Blaster, hand-tighten plugs back in
    - Repeat for 4 Days
    - 4th Day, turn the crank until it moves a TAD
    - Repeat process for 3 more days, turning crank a little each day until you get free movement

    May take a week, but everyone has their own way of doing things and it only takes 5 minutes a day doing so
     
  5. Kan Kustom
    Joined: Jul 20, 2009
    Posts: 2,739

    Kan Kustom
    Member

    Would like to see this test.
     
  6. lilclay81
    Joined: Jul 24, 2007
    Posts: 133

    lilclay81
    Member
    from illinois

    Had the same problem with a 351 just took the heads and poured oil in the cylinders and let it sit for a week or so. It worked for me. Or use mystery oil or pb blaster it all works.
     
  7. bangngears
    Joined: Aug 30, 2007
    Posts: 1,145

    bangngears
    Member
    from ofallon mo

    I have always used trans fluid in the cylinders,let soak,pretty soon with a prybar of some sort on the crank or on the fly wheel.Prsto,it always works for me.
     
  8. I wanna know if you get any movement at all with either the starter or a crank turning tool. Also, do you know anything about where and how long it sat? Just curious. Also, R U trying to free it to run, or to take it apart?
     
  9. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,244

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I like the acetone/atf deal. It's fast and effective. It's harsh on painted surfaces but in this case who cares. I made a mix of it several weeks back to tear down a chassis. Normally with PB I spray everything and take a coffee break. With the mix deal I started breaking things loose by the time I got it all sprayed. Try it, you'll be happy.


    Here's the like to the penetrant 'test':

    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=356543&highlight=pb+blaster+acetone
     
  10. oldtime
    Joined: Oct 18, 2008
    Posts: 27

    oldtime
    Member

    A buddy of mine bought a Model A, the engine was stuck tight. An old guy told us to take the plugs out and fill it with used diesel crankcase oil. after a week it turned freely and actually started, he's still driving it. The theory is the used diesel oil has acid in it that will dissolve the rust. It worked for us, YMMV.

    Old Time
     
  11. irondoctor
    Joined: Jan 7, 2007
    Posts: 568

    irondoctor
    Member
    from Newton, KS

    I use white vinegar. Works very well and cleans all the rust off the cylinder walls.
     
  12. junior58
    Joined: Aug 17, 2006
    Posts: 55

    junior58
    Member

    My 56 Mainline with stock 272 dropped a cylinder, mate of mine had a spare one that he had bought just to get the toploader off it (guy wouldn't split them) so he said I could have it until I rebuilt my one. Trouble is, it was stuck solid. Did the ATF trick, rolled it over so that I could really fill the cylinders, screwed the plugs in and rolled it over the other way to do the other side. Every couple of days I'd top up the cylinders that had leaked down, also started adding WD40. Pry bar on the flywheel, eventually started to move. Took a couple of weeks but finally managed to get it to turn all the way over, couple of tight spots where it had been frozen but these eased up the more I turned it over. To make sure all was good before swapping it in, test ran it on the floor (after draining all the goop out of it and putting some fresher oil in), took a bit to get it fired but off it went, all 8 cylinders. Swapped it in and, you know, that thing ran so well I never did get round to rebuilding my other one. The mate I got it off was pissed, it went better than the one in his own car.
     
  13. Flatlander
    Joined: Jul 19, 2007
    Posts: 29

    Flatlander
    Member

    I have always had good luck with ATF and Diesel fuel 50/50 mix. Fill up the cylinder like others have described and keep topping them off for a couple weeks then check to see if it has loosened up.
     
  14. fiveohnick2932
    Joined: Mar 29, 2006
    Posts: 918

    fiveohnick2932
    Member
    from Napa, Ca.

    pour a coke in each cylinder and let her sit!
     
  15. oldtin
    Joined: Dec 22, 2001
    Posts: 482

    oldtin
    Member

    Just did a 239 flatty a couple days ago....dumped mineral spirits and atf down the intake, soaked for a couple weeks, popped off the heads and lit the two offending cylinders on fire(the 2 cylinders that took on the liquid). I let it burn for about 10-15 minutes and started rocking the flywheel back and forth. I did a light hone and it rolls over now.

    I did a b/rb plymouth a few weeks ago. I pulled the heads, cleaned the cylinder walls with break-away and a fine scotch brite pad.

    If you tap the pistons with a chunk of wood (hammer handle), you can usually hear wich pistons are stuck. If the crank and pistons seem to move a little but it still won't roll over, check the valvetrain. I have had a john deere tractor and a 390 ford that wouldn't turn over due to stuck valves. The deere bent a rocker arm and then rolled, the 390 just took a little tapping to each of the valves and it was free.
     
  16. Retro Jim
    Joined: May 27, 2007
    Posts: 3,854

    Retro Jim
    Member

    Marvel & trans fluid mix or just trans fluid . Pull all the spark plugs and fill all the cylinders up and wait a few days and see if it will turn over , if not try again . Remember to drain the oil pan first so the fluid you pour into the cylinders has a place to go .

    RetroJim
     
  17. rustyhood
    Joined: Dec 2, 2009
    Posts: 722

    rustyhood
    Member

    I used to use Trans fluid on stuck engines, I tried PB Buster penetrant and had better luck. Pull the plugs and fill each cylinder with this penetrant and just let it sat a couple of days. Use a breaker bar on harmonic balancer and try turning back and forth. This has worked for me and usually without ring or wall damage.
     
  18. 343w
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 1,486

    343w
    Member

    I traded for a 1946 jeep with the engine froze once, I soaked it with all the fluids listed and no help. I pulled the head and tryed tapping the pistons while trying to turn the crank, still no movement. Next I pulled the pan and was able to get 3 pistons out by driving them up from the bottom. The last piston was so frozen that the only way it came out was to drill through the top, I ran a cable around the wrist pin, and then hooked a chain around the bucket of a front-end loader, next I lifted the entire Jeep off the ground and shook it like a dog shakes a toy. The piston popped out and the little Jeep fell to earth again! I later found-out that the engine had been rebuilt and left fresh without ever being run for about 5 years! No wonder she siezed up with no oil on the cylinder walls, dummy...The engine was rebuilt just fine with a new set of pistons.
     
  19. hlhpa
    Joined: Dec 2, 2005
    Posts: 168

    hlhpa
    Member

    I got the buick engine to turn over now by soaking it with ATF and acetone for seven days. I will try the vinegar on the rusty cylinder walls.
    Thanks for all the good ideas.
    Howard
     

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