Looking for suggestions

[Wingedwheel]

Pulled the XS1 engine apart and other than the squish chambers it was pretty nice inside the engine. My issue is the pistons aer at the very top of the cylinders and fused. There is no way to really soak then because the are fused flush. I tried some tapping with a mallet and wood block(well maybe a little more than tapping) to no avail. Short of destroying the pistons what else might work?

 

[Jim]

Look for a recent @DogBunny thread. He did it with a spark plug adaptor and a grease gun.

 

[Kevin Werner]

Split the cases, tip it upside down and soak the bores from the bottom... More than one way to skin a cat...

 

[Wingedwheel]

Kevin I thought about that. Cases are split and that did cross my mind. Jim I have no head on the cylinders anymore.

 

[Jim]

Jim I have no head on the cylinders anymore.

Reinstall it? Even the wore out head gasket will do the job. Might leak a little, but it'll work.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Reinstall it? Even the wore out head gasket will do the job. Might leak a little, but it'll work.

Well I might not have that anymore…

 

[Kevin Werner]

Build a kiln with an oven heating element and an extension cord, construction concrete blocks and bake it upsidedown with PB blaster soaking the rings. Do this NOT in your garage our attached buildings.... I know construction blocks are not kiln suitable but it might work.

 

[JOHNDADDY]

I don't know your timeline but if you have the time Scrub off the gunk etc then soak it with Wd let it sit
then soak it with PB. Tap it with a wood drift L\R cylinders
from the crank rock back and forth alternating tap the
pistons and back and forth alternate with the crank, spray lots.
I've scavenged parts that way without wrecking the pistons.

 

[bosco659]

When I first got my ‘57 beetle the motor was siezed up. I beat the hell out of it to free up the pistons. Shortly thereafter I met a guy that said I did it the hard way. He said I should have soaked the whole engine in diesel fuel. He said it takes a while but that method has never let him down. Could be worth a try if you have time to spare.

 

[DogBunny]

Look for a recent @DogBunny thread. He did it with a spark plug adaptor and a grease gun.

I didn't use a spark plug adapter. I used a Zerk fitting in a steel plate. No need to put the head back on.
Go here:
https://www.xs650.com/threads/win-some-lose-some-1971-xs1b.66004/page-3
post # 57. There might be more relevant info in near-by earlier and later posts. Including all of my failed attempts soaking with various fluids.
This will work.
Your biggest trick will be determining which cylinder is stuck, which you may not be able to do. So, in your case, you will make two plates, one for each cylinder (or a double plate) with two Zerks, and try to keep the pressure even as best you can determine, so that you don't twist the crank.

 

[Tiggertoo]

Build a "dam" or "wall" around the pistons using silicone sealant (or even plasticene might work) and maybe some plastic cut from milk cartons/etc. The studs should hold it mostly in place. It should last long enough to contain the penetrating oil while it does its job.

 

[Max Midnight]

I met a guy that said I did it the hard way. He said I should have soaked the whole engine in diesel fuel. He said it takes a while but that method has never let him down.

(Supposedly) a better solution (pun unintended but not bad eh?) is ATF and acetone.

 

[Raymond]

I've heard of ATF and acetone being used for soaking seized components. There's other patent mixtures people have used with claims of success and of course there's stuff sold as penetrating oil - bottle of it on my products shelves. With any of those, going to need some patience. I suspect judicious use of heat might help too.

 

[Wingedwheel]

DB I would try that but the pistons are crowned above the cylinders, however that setup may work as a press! I read somewhere, possibly on here about soaking with evaporated-rust. Maybe I’ll try something like that. It will be an inverted soak.

 

[DogBunny]

DB I would try that but the pistons are crowned above the cylinders, however that setup may work as a press! I read somewhere, possibly on here about soaking with evaporated-rust. Maybe I’ll try something like that. It will be an inverted soak.

How high above? If only a little bit, maybe you could add a thick gasket(s)?
You never know just how stuck a piston is. On a scale of 10, mine was 11. See the pictures of piston damage in post #77 in my thread. I soaked for months, and several times every day I pounded on the pistons with mallet and hardwood block, and I torqued on the crank with a socket and long bar. I got nowhere. I could have kept that up for years, I imagine.
I like the press idea in your situation. I thought about it in post #16 in my thread. Also read Gary's post #13 in my thread, which is especially good regarding pressing.

 

[Jim]

DB I would try that but the pistons are crowned above the cylinders, however that setup may work as a press! I read somewhere, possibly on here about soaking with evaporated-rust. Maybe I’ll try something like that. It will be an inverted soak.

Make some donut "spacers" out of plywood, then bolt the steel plate on?
I'd wager the ply would (see what I did there) hold up long enough to break the pistons free.

 

[Guy]

Recently had good results freeing stuck, corroded brake master cyl and caliper pistons with over night vinegar soak. Vinegar will dissolve rust.

 

[AUTOMAN]

WTF are we trying to save?

cliff

 

[kshansen]

Make some donut "spacers" out of plywood, then bolt the steel plate on?
I'd wager the ply would (see what I did there) hold up long enough to break the pistons free.

Not sure what you may have laying around or what a friend might have. Any chance you know someone who might have a piece of say 1/2 inch thick plastic? Or check around local shops that work with plastic things. Not sure but I know I used to have some odds and ends of 1/2 inch plastic, some of it was old safety "glass" used on a drop ball crane at the quarry I worked for.

Just did a little fast calculation and with a 75 mm bore the surface area of one piston is right near 7 square inches. That means if you can put both pistons under just 100 psi at the same time you will be pushing them down at 700 pounds of force each for a total of 1,400 pounds. And if you use a grease gun to put the pressure in it many of them put out 5,000 psi up to 10,000 psi so something is going to move!

Just don't try this on the kitchen table if you are married!

 

[Jan_P]

If the goal is to save the Pistons might as well polish them as they sit
Keeping a chemical there on top and try to heat now and then... Hot air gun or better
While doing it --- if oil the heat makes it flow more easily
maybe possible to oil from other direction Acetone and Diesel