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?
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... .
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
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.
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.
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?
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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