Flathead disassembly

admiral1960

admiral1960

Member
I have a 46-48 flathead.

Pistons are frozen but not badly and probably not all of them.

Have been sprayining a penetrant into cyliders occasionally for a few months.

Suggestions please as to how to proceed freeing pistons.

Have thought about giving the top of each piston a few whacks with a 2 X 4 and them trying to rotate the crank with the nut on the front end.

Am in process of taking it apart to have it dipped to see if it is worth rebuilding.
 
Wacking the pistons can crack the cylinder walls, don't use the BFH. Been there, done that.
 
Why don't you use the ATF/ Acetone treatment. Make a 50/50 mix and pour it into each bore and let it sit? I've never tried it, but some people swear by it. As Ron says... Don't beat on the pistons.
 
One way is to loosen the rod bolts and find out the stuck ones.You may have to beat on it from under neath,and hope you don,t dammage piston.
 
Try to get the crank out, It will be a little work but get all the rod caps off that you can, remove the main caps, get a long pry bar and try to pry the crank up a little to get the rod nuts off that you couldn't get. Once you get the crank out the pistons move easier up and down. Walt
 
Get some cheap junk wrench’s to modify - bend - cut.
I did it and got all the rod caps off without turning the crank …. (like said above) then the pistons will come out easier.
 
If you pull the rod caps, be SURE TO MARK THEM...Some will already be marked... But, if they aren't you'll have a hard time matching them up right.
Karl
 
Look up through the "Search" app "How to properly warm up a Flathead" This is the easiest way to take apart a frozen block.
 
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