Free a seized motor

weekendrider

Iron Horse cowboy
Top Contributor
Messages
5,686
Reaction score
1,306
Points
213
Location
S.W. MO
What is your favorite method and what is the most radical?
Soaking would be my go to. But I learned of a new method today that would fall under the most radical. It seems if you put a good squirt of lighter fluid in the cylinder stand back and throw a match at it :yikes: the result is a good jarring. If anyone wants to give it a try, would you get a video we could watch?
Be aware the preface to this statement was "This is no shit now". . . . :laugh:
The rednecks equivalent of the adolescent "swear on my mamas grave".
 
1) Least effort way: Drop it in my hot tank and come back the next day. No more aluminum/rubber/plastic..... and all the cast iron/steel bits are like brand new(after a good pressure wash)............ Again, least effort....:wink2:
 
Back in the day, in the shop, if a seized engine came in, it was a given that it would need, at a minimum:

New pistons, rings, wristpins
Bore job
Gaskets

But, the damage could be worse. Like rod(s), cylinders, and head damage (valves), maybe guides.

Since time was money, and no reason trying to save damaged parts, out comes the pneumatic chisel/hammers.
 

Attachments

  • Pneumatic_Chisel.jpg
    Pneumatic_Chisel.jpg
    22.1 KB · Views: 188
I have heard of using that method for seating tire beads. Never thought it was a good idea for tires, even less for a seized engine.
Leo
 
I have done a lot of atv tires that way even a 67 corvett once work great for tires don't think it would work on a stuck eng. but you never know let us know how it works out for you
 
DirtyDog I'm not currently looking for a solution. The method was described by an acquaintance as what worked for him.
It does work well for large car tires. And that is first hand "I got the t shirt" knowledge from back in the day. Too old/lazy to run with the big dawgs now.
 
Easiest way is patience.
Wait until tomorrow and see if it has freed up by itself.
If yes, it was a mild bore seizure and she'll run again.
If no, it's serious and it's teardown time.
 
Hi, Ive got the same issue, gonna drain the sump, fill the bores with WD40 and wait,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,no rush its the best way, patience is a virtue, shes been seized for years so a week is worth waiting if it saves the bores, plus it gives me time to strip, photograph and label everything else on the stripdown
 
Hi, Ive got the same issue, gonna drain the sump, fill the bores with WD40 and wait,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,no rush its the best way, patience is a virtue, shes been seized for years so a week is worth waiting if it saves the bores, plus it gives me time to strip, photograph and label everything else on the stripdown
Try a 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone. Friend of mine uses it to free up stuck tractor motors swears it's the best.
 
Hi, Ive got the same issue, gonna drain the sump, fill the bores with WD40 and wait,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,no rush its the best way, patience is a virtue, shes been seized for years so a week is worth waiting if it saves the bores, plus it gives me time to strip, photograph and label everything else on the stripdown
Mine has been soaking for over 10 years? It's not working. I tried penetrating oil, atf/acetone, Metal Rescue, and Marvel Mystery oil. It's still stuck.
 
If those slugs haven't budged by now, they may never... :shrug: It might be easier to find replacement cylinders and rebuild the top end with new pistons. I suppose it depends if the old pistons are far enough down in the bores to get the wrist pins out. If not, you'd have to split the cases to get at the big ends of the rods. Then the cylinders would come out in one crusty piece. It'll either be a big job, or a bigger one... :doh:
 
If those slugs haven't budged by now, they may never... :shrug: It might be easier to find replacement cylinders and rebuild the top end with new pistons. I suppose it depends if the old pistons are far enough down in the bores to get the wrist pins out. If not, you'd have to split the cases to get at the big ends of the rods. Then the cylinders would come out in one crusty piece. It'll either be a big job, or a bigger one... :doh:


I love this site, the American/British terms that we all use at home but don't realise what our cross Atlantic cousins use and vice versa, wrist pins we call gudgeon pins, dont ask me why on either i dont know. you say fenders we say mudguards, I love it. The whole thing is we love bikes, oops motorcycles ha ha
 
I love this site, the American/British terms that we all use at home but don't realise what our cross Atlantic cousins use and vice versa, wrist pins we call gudgeon pins, dont ask me why on either i dont know. you say fenders we say mudguards, I love it. The whole thing is we love bikes, oops motorcycles ha ha

Hi Moodubs,
gudgeon pin from the gudgeon and pintle joints that attach rudders to boat hulls.
The Brit "mudguard" describes what it does to keep road debris off the wheels.
The North American "fender" implies it's main use is to fend off pedestrians.
And Team Junk,
a North American "scooter" is any 2-wheeled Vehicle. A Brit scooter is a Vespa or if you are posh, a Lambretta or if you are really weird, a Rumi.
 
Hi Moodubs,
gudgeon pin from the gudgeon and pintle joints that attach rudders to boat hulls.
The Brit "mudguard" describes what it does to keep road debris off the wheels.
The North American "fender" implies it's main use is to fend off pedestrians.
And Team Junk,
a North American "scooter" is any 2-wheeled Vehicle. A Brit scooter is a Vespa or if you are posh, a Lambretta or if you are really weird, a Rumi.
Winston Churchill supposedly said we are two countries separated by a common language.
 
Back
Top