Best way to free up an engine

GRtak

GRtak

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I just got an engine from a friend that I would like to get freed up. It has been sitting outside for about twenty years, and part of that time it was covered, but that didn't last long. It doesn't have a carb on it and I am sure that by now anything that was put into the cylinders has drained out. This is not a valuable engine, but there is some sentimental attachment and that is why I would like to save it. This will not take place anytime soon, it is to damn cold, and the engine nearly stayed there because of it, but he is selling the house and he plowed a way to it.

I will be removing the plugs and draining anything left in there out(may even need to pull the heads), and at this point I am thinking some trans fluid mixed with acetone is a good first attempt. I will also be using an impact (set on low, with low air) on a flywheel bolt (or few) to help break up the corrosion(not turning it over). The only thing I can think of that would be better is one of those corrosion removal products, but I am not sure I want to drop that kind of money into it unless it is a sure thing. Option 3 being take off what I can and have it boiled at the machine shop.

Any comments would be appreciated.
 
Are you sure it can even be saved? It's probably one big piece of rust.

Before you attempt to rotate it, I would soak the hell out of it to attempt to free it up.
 
I am not attempting to rotate it before I soak it. The impact gun is just to vibrate the rust a bit to get it to break up with a bit of help from the mixture I will dump into it. I know it may already be a total loss, but I want to try and save it.

EDIT:

If this just ends up as a table, that is fine. But I want to save it in some fashion. And this is a test engine for another I have that was my Dad's.
 
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You can try Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders as that's cheap and easy enough, but as the engine is apparently already out your best option is to remove the head(s) first or use a borescope to see what you're dealing with and *do not* use an air impact to vibrate the crankshaft even just to try to get the penetrant to soak in. Sadly, this can cause savable piston rings and such to crack and break.
 
GRtak said:
If this just ends up as a table, that is fine.
Click to expand...
But when it's a working table... ;)


Anyway, i got but few suggestions.

If you going to pull the heads anyway - why don't also pull the oilpan? Just... i've seen 20-year old oil. It's semoline breakfast, that's sits down there. Even if you drain most particles - some can stay in the corners and levels. So just to make sure, you better off with it washed by hand.

Also, i recommend you to wash oil system with mixture of petrol and 2t oil (with starter, without spark plugs) before actually runnin it.

Cooling system might need some petrol too. Acetone is more agressive, it can eat-up some of polymer details (like waterpump or gaskets).
 
he plowed a way to the engine?
now i have a vision you owning sth like this :lol:

Marine-Engine-Life-spans-300x225.jpg
 
Okay, I think you guys may have got a weird vision of what I have planned/have done.


My friend calls and tells me what is going on, he wondered if I was still doing anything with engines and would be interested in that engine. He plows the snow away from the engine and we use the plow to haul the engine to the barn. I tried to turn it over by hand and with a small pry bar and got nothing. Then we discussed what or if anything was put into the cylinders and he said he was sure some oil got squirted into the plug holes and it was cranked over by hand a few revolutions.

I am not planning on running this engine as it is at all. I just want to be able to move the pistons in the cylinders so I can eventually disassemble it. Right now I think the reason it won't turn over is partially the rust in the cylinders/crank and cam bearings and it is just damn cold here. I have no plans on doing much to it beyond squirting some solution into the cylinders before it is springtime and completely thawed out, in fact it won't make it into the garage until then because it is full (not like a few more months of sitting out will hurt it much anyway). Because it is so cold I can't even tell what is in the intake, the duct tape has torn and was not holding anything back so there is at least grass and stuff like that. But I am hoping that the valves may have closed and kept any water from getting into the cylinders in any real amount.


I will try and turn it over by hand again and if that doesn't work I will pull the plugs and drain the oil and what is in the cylinders and pull the intake,valve covers, and heads to have a look. Depending on what I see, the oil pump and heads will get replaced and I will try and pump the same solution with the oil pump. The impact gun will not come into it until it has sat for sometime with the solution in the cylinders and only after I try and turn it over by hand and with a pry bar again. If those don't work, I will turn my impact gun to it's lowest setting (~50 ft. lbs. @ 90PSI) and turn the air pressure down to it's lowest setting (20PSI) and hammer it a few times (I will not just sit there and beat on it). I will also put some air pressure into the cylinders to help push the solution past the rings and corrosion. I will then try and turn it over again and then resort to disassembly bit by bit and hope that works.
 
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Then... seems like you already have a plan. I can only wish you luck here.

Btw, what engine are we talking about? (model, type, displacement...)
 
I did this once with a 2.3 Ford that had set upside down in the dirt without a head. I put it on the engine stand with the bores facing straight up, filled each cylinder with motor oil and then let it set for a week. It rotated without issue after that week. Now I am sure the rings were stuck, etc., but I sold it with a lot of 2.3 parts I had, so I am not 100% sure.
 
Both of these engines are 400 Pontiacs.
 
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