Another stuck Flathead story....

OoltewahSpeedShop

OoltewahSpeedShop

Member
Another stuck Flathead story....
I traded for this flathead engine that "Supposedly" had been sitting dry in a garage for years.... "It's stuck, but can't be bad" that was the story.

I've tried every old school trick in the book to get it free. Marvel Mystery, Kroil, PB Blaster, Coke, Pepsi, antifreeze, nothing worked. Won't budge!

Here's what we found tonight. Beware! It's not pretty.

Wonder why it was stuck? Sitting dry for years. Really? What they didn't tell me was, that it obviously sat under a drain spout for a few years before that. Either way, didn't see any cracks, and the cylinders don't look too bad believe it or not.

It did move a little bit, so it's soaking again. Wish me luck!

Later,
Kevin
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Hey Kevin, here's wishing you luck! It already looks much better. Please keep us informed of your progress. Very encouraging that it has moved a lick. Dennis/Arkansas
 
one guy told me he put brake fluid in the cylinders and lit it on fire, he said that it burnt very slow
 
it looks like it cleaned up real good i got one on a engine stand and guy said it was no good i am going to get another opinion
 
Obviously all the "Remedies" to a stuck flathead worked on the gunk. It's still stuck though. In the valve guides as far as I can tell. Looks as though the bottom end is loose, but the valves are stuck.

Does that sound right?
 
Very possible. The valves could be rusted in the valve guides and stopping it from turning. As a matter of fact, that was my first guess before your last post.
 
Those upper right two pics, is that just after tear down, or after you had something in the engine?
 
OoltewahSpeedShop said:


Another stuck Flathead story....
I traded for this flathead engine that "Supposedly" had been sitting dry in a garage for years.... "It's stuck, but can't be bad" that was the story.

I've tried every old school trick in the book to get it free. Marvel Mystery, Kroil, PB Blaster, Coke, Pepsi, antifreeze, nothing worked. Won't budge!

Here's what we found tonight. Beware! It's not pretty.

Wonder why it was stuck? Sitting dry for years. Really? What they didn't tell me was, that it obviously sat under a drain spout for a few years before that. Either way, didn't see any cracks, and the cylinders don't look too bad believe it or not.

It did move a little bit, so it's soaking again. Wish me luck!

Later,
Kevin
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i would put it into a 44 gal drum of diesel leave it soak for a couple of weeks
 
When I bought my 39 Std.:D it had been sitting for several years like 15. The engine was stuck. When I got it home I took the spark plugs out and filled the cylinders with PB Blaster pent fluid. Then I put a new battery in and every time I walk by the car I would bump the starter. The third day the engine broke loose.I then drain the oil and it had water in the oil??? I then check the tourque and the right side was only 40 pounds. I put a new head gasket on that sside. Been driving the cat for two years with no problem.Just takes time to solve the problem.Might try a little heat since you have the heads off also.
 
Try acetone & atf 50-50 mix. it is the best penetrate. squirt valve guides and all often.
 
aussiesteve said:
The US gallon is smaller than the imperial gallon,hence the difference
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Found this to further complicate matters. (Slow day at work).

There are 55 gallons in a drum and 42 gallons (1 U.S. gallon = 3.78541178 liters) in a barrel (i.e., 1 barrel = 158.9872948 liters).

Originally there were 40 gallons to a barrel. However, that was changed in the mid-19th century to give a little extra so consumers wouldn't feel "cheated."

A little over 23 gallons of gasoline can be refined from a barrel of oil. Other products (jet fuel, lubricants, etc.) make up the rest.

The easy way to remember the number of gallons in a barrel of oil: There are 7 letters in gallons and 6 letters in barrel. 7X6=42 gallons.
42 US gallons.
 
OoltewahSpeedShop said:


Another stuck Flathead story....
I traded for this flathead engine that "Supposedly" had been sitting dry in a garage for years.... "It's stuck, but can't be bad" that was the story.

I've tried every old school trick in the book to get it free. Marvel Mystery, Kroil, PB Blaster, Coke, Pepsi, antifreeze, nothing worked. Won't budge!

Here's what we found tonight. Beware! It's not pretty.

Wonder why it was stuck? Sitting dry for years. Really? What they didn't tell me was, that it obviously sat under a drain spout for a few years before that. Either way, didn't see any cracks, and the cylinders don't look too bad believe it or not.

It did move a little bit, so it's soaking again. Wish me luck!

Later,
Kevin
Attached Thumbnails







__________________
Click to expand...
The engine in my roadster came from the "boneyard", dragged it out from under a one ton telephone truck that had been setting on it's side for many years. I thought it would be just for parts, so my son and I knocked half the pistons out with a big sledge and a 2 in, piece of barstock. Some came out the bottom after we got the crank out. Some had water, and some were just badly corroded in place, it looked worse than your pics. I looked the block over, and it looked in good shape. I had it bored .060, skin cut the decks, and ground the crank. It's been running great in the roadster for going on 15 years now. There's most likely a lot of life still left in that engine of yours. Good luck and have fun! Paul Selfe.
 
I had a similar piston in my 8BA. I soaked it for days and took a BFH to it abd beat the living snot out of it until it came out.
 

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Tilt the block so a deck is level. Degrease the bores as best as you can. Fill the bores with Phosphoric Acid. It will dissolve the rust. All the penetrants in the world will not dissolve rust.
 
Had the same problem and description when purchased, 6 of 8 pistons were broken into pieces getting out. Valves were worse, most were cut off at bottom, heads broken off and driven down and out. I cleaned and relieved block. Cleaned ports. Still to go to the machine shop to see if it will clean up at 3 5/16 as it was std. but pitted badly. Zeke
 

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