sgallaty
Antihero
I've pulled some pretty bad engines apart, but this one was the worst. I shattered two hardwood drivers trying to get the piston loose, soaked it in solvent, derusting solution and penetrating oils and I tried every reasonable method to get it out.
This is the next level.
It's a custom jigged up solution I've used for the worst of the worst salvage engines.
What it is, is a harmonic balancer puller bolted to the head with grade-8 bolts with rubber cushioned nuts. The driving bolt of the harmonic puller is seated into a socket, which allows it to turn without tearing THROUGH the piston. The piston will be toast, but at least I won't cleave it in half with the driving bolt.
On this, I use a 4 foot pipe on a 1/2" craftsman ratchet. I use a ratchet because there's a very small range of maximum leverage that I can use.
After literally an hour of putting an incredible amount of torque on the piston, it finally inched free. Here's the jig set up. The piston was literally rusted to the wall of the cylinder with a massive amount of aluminum oxide corrosion and rust mixed into a concrete all down the sides of the piston.
This was a boat anchor engine that my buddy and I marvelled at the condition of the components (starter gear, etc.) Based on what I've seen, this engine has less than 3000 miles on it. What was amazing was that the engine was coated with a plasticized material that looks like it might have been oil at one time, but feels like varnish now. The whole engine is caked with this gummy petrochemical, whatever it is. It looks almost like grease that gets dust in it - an adhesive paste.
This is the next level.
It's a custom jigged up solution I've used for the worst of the worst salvage engines.
What it is, is a harmonic balancer puller bolted to the head with grade-8 bolts with rubber cushioned nuts. The driving bolt of the harmonic puller is seated into a socket, which allows it to turn without tearing THROUGH the piston. The piston will be toast, but at least I won't cleave it in half with the driving bolt.
On this, I use a 4 foot pipe on a 1/2" craftsman ratchet. I use a ratchet because there's a very small range of maximum leverage that I can use.
After literally an hour of putting an incredible amount of torque on the piston, it finally inched free. Here's the jig set up. The piston was literally rusted to the wall of the cylinder with a massive amount of aluminum oxide corrosion and rust mixed into a concrete all down the sides of the piston.
This was a boat anchor engine that my buddy and I marvelled at the condition of the components (starter gear, etc.) Based on what I've seen, this engine has less than 3000 miles on it. What was amazing was that the engine was coated with a plasticized material that looks like it might have been oil at one time, but feels like varnish now. The whole engine is caked with this gummy petrochemical, whatever it is. It looks almost like grease that gets dust in it - an adhesive paste.
Ants had nested in both of the cylinders. They had packed dirt and other crap permanently sealing the piston and wall I welded together giant C clamps that slipped/fitted around the whole cylinders. I put so much tork the jig started to crack the pistons but they did not brake loose. I simply drilled out around the pistons and they came out; saving any damage on the connecting rods. I just got another 650 and the pistons are stuck. Im' staring to get flashbacks
