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Old 08-03-2019, 09:31 AM   #1
lenmissy
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Default motor seized

what is the best way to unseize a motor in a 1946 ford.
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Old 08-03-2019, 09:37 AM   #2
tubman
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Default Re: motor seized

Define "seized" : Is this a new engine to you that you can't get to turn over, or one that was running and abruptly stopped (the traditional definition of "seized"). Two different situations requiring two different approaches.
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Old 08-03-2019, 09:47 AM   #3
JSeery
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Default Re: motor seized

Or an older motor that has been setting around?
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Old 08-03-2019, 09:52 AM   #4
lenmissy
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Default Re: motor seized

older motor that being sitting for 30 years in the car.
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Old 08-03-2019, 10:04 AM   #5
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Default Re: motor seized

The first thing I would look for is a stuck valve. Pull the heads and intake and see if you have any that won't move.
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Old 08-03-2019, 10:11 AM   #6
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Put some diesel fuel in the cylinders to start with.
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Old 08-03-2019, 10:18 AM   #7
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Default Re: motor seized

And mix the diesel 50/50 with Marvel oil. Leave it in there for a week or three. Blow up the tires, put the car in high gear and rock it gently. Forcing it now will guarantee breakage. Pull the oil drain plug to rid the bottom of water, and the trans too. You can put the plugs back in when the water is out. Like was said above, if the valves are stuck, the heads must come off. It may be easier to step up for an engine overhaul at this time. Its easier to work on while it's on a stand anyway. Remember, this is supposed to be fun.
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Old 08-03-2019, 10:55 AM   #8
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Default Re: motor seized

Pull the heads and inlet manifold.

How does everything look?

Clean in the cylinders and nice and oily in the area under the inlet? (Valve chamber area)

It could be only very slightly stuck or a complete ball of rust. there is not a single method that will work for all.

I had one that would never unstick in a million years. A ball of rust. I had one that wasn't stuck but wouldn't do a complete turn. That had carbon deposits come loose and build up on top of the pistons at the outer edge of the bore.
I had one that wouldn't do two complete revs. That had sticking valves.

They all required different treatments.

It is impossible to say what you need to do without you supplying a lot more information, including photos if possible.

It would be good if you can do that, we all would like to be part of bringing another one back to life.

Mart.
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Old 08-03-2019, 11:35 AM   #9
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Default Re: motor seized

Depending on the conditions it sat for 30 year, the rings could be rusted to cylinders, hence patience with soaking the cylinders or breakage as noted could happen.
I unstuck a V8 60 that had one valve (an open intake) frozen in the guide and after pulling the unit (guide, spring, valve) out, the motor turned over.
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Old 08-03-2019, 11:40 AM   #10
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Default Re: motor seized

thank you barners.
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Old 08-03-2019, 12:21 PM   #11
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Default Re: motor seized

Try soaking with a 50/50 mixture of acetone and ATF.
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Old 08-03-2019, 12:33 PM   #12
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Default Re: motor seized

Stuck engines happen all the time, in tractors. The main reason is being left outside w/o a covering on the exhaust and the bores becoming rusted.

If that's the case, the way I did it, was to make a mixture of 1 part solvent, 1 part ATF and 1 part Xylene. Pull the plugs and put as much as it will hold, in each cylinder, wait 2 days and then use a large screw driver or pry bar, on the flywheel teeth. If it moves, back it up and go, back and forth. If not, wait 2 more days and try again.

Tractors are inline engines and I broke loose a 6 cylinder that way, that had set, 10 years with a vertical exhaust and no covering on it. Because it was a inline and the solution would cover the piston, I only used 3 oz, per cyl.

Xylene is one of the most penetrating solvents (better than acetone) and what it does is, pull the thinned ATF, down into the rust, to loosen and lubricate. Toluene, is another solvent, that penetrates better than acetone but, not quite as well as Xylene.

It took me 2 hours, after it first moved, to get approximately, 2 full rotations. After that, I put the starter on and was able to spin it normally. The bad part is, that it had a max of 7 lb compression.

If it's rusted and you can't get it to move after the soaking, you have to pull the heads and pan, loosen the mains and oil them, try moving the lifters first, get them out of the way, then pull the easiest piston to get at, that will go between the crank and block, keep trying to turn the crank. I did a 302 that way, it took me 2 weeks of frustration, working about 2 hours a day on it but, I got it apart.

Frank

Last edited by frnkeore; 08-03-2019 at 10:20 PM.
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Old 08-03-2019, 12:35 PM   #13
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Default Re: motor seized

Is there oil in the pan? If so, what does it look like? Thirty years is a long time.
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Old 08-03-2019, 02:57 PM   #14
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Default Re: motor seized

I made a aluminium plug with sparkplug threads on the outside, and grease fitting plug on the inside. Pulled the rocker arms away, filled the cylinders with ATF, let it sit for some days and applied pushed a piston down with the grease gun. The engine had 90mm pistons and with up to 600bar of pressure, something would have to move! And IT did!

Rune from Norway
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Old 08-03-2019, 03:35 PM   #15
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Default Re: motor seized

My Ford special tool #1 is a two pound hammer.
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Old 08-03-2019, 03:41 PM   #16
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Default Re: motor seized

Rocker arms?
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Old 08-03-2019, 03:58 PM   #17
runewilliam_merc
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Default Re: motor seized

It was a newer engine... The point is that the valves has to be closed in the cylinder where you want to build pressure.
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Old 08-03-2019, 07:29 PM   #18
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Default Re: motor seized

50/50 mix on everything, let soak for a week. Good luck.
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