Model A motor froze-up

Karl used to post on this site and had a great story about starting a stuck engine. he made a spark plug into a grease fitting and pumped the cylinder on the down stroke with grease. He kept pumping until the jug popped loose. He then fired up the engine is his garage! He said everything was covered with burnt grease!
 
Ha! The guy at the NAPA store fibbed. He didn't have the Kroil. I did manage to get the MMO Marvel Miracle Oil from him though. I took the spark plugs out, poured about a cup of MMO into each spark plug hole, put Betsy into high gear, and then my husband and I rocked the pick up back and forth. Heard sloshing somewhere. Not sure if it was in the motor or if it was old gas. Will try the crank in a few days and perhaps more rocking. I'm thinking about emptying the radiator, putting clean water through for a flush. Will want to put water back in, but need a coolant. What should I mix with the water? Antifreeze or alcohol? I sound like a kindergarten kid, but I have to start at the beginning. Thanks for your help.
 
I wouldn't worry about the radiator yet. Concentrate on getting the engine turning over with some compression and then go from there. Just my $0.02.

Red
 
Wow! I think half a cup would have been plenty! It's OK though, Just try to catch it when it runs out of the spark plug holes. If there water/Antifreeze in the engine thats good, No leaks! Let's concentrate on the engine first. Cooling system can come later. While you're soaking the engine, better drain all the old gas and flush the tank. There may be rust particles. Pour a little fresh gas directly through the tank. Maybe half a gallon or so to flush all the crud out. Reassemble the system and take the fuel line off and make sure it's clear. before you put the gas line on the carburetor, put a little gas in the tank and open the valve and see if it runs through. Keep rocking it in 3rd gear all the while.
Terry


BetsyModelA said:
Ha! The guy at the NAPA store fibbed. He didn't have the Kroil. I did manage to get the MMO Marvel Miracle Oil from him though. I took the spark plugs out, poured about a cup of MMO into each spark plug hole, put Betsy into high gear, and then my husband and I rocked the pick up back and forth. Heard sloshing somewhere. Not sure if it was in the motor or if it was old gas. Will try the crank in a few days and perhaps more rocking. I'm thinking about emptying the radiator, putting clean water through for a flush. Will want to put water back in, but need a coolant. What should I mix with the water? Antifreeze or alcohol? I sound like a kindergarten kid, but I have to start at the beginning. Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
 
Karl used to post on this site and had a great story about starting a stuck engine. he made a spark plug into a grease fitting and pumped the cylinder on the down stroke with grease. He kept pumping until the jug popped loose. He then fired up the engine is his garage! He said everything was covered with burnt grease!
Click to expand...

Be careful doing this, you'll bust an engine up real quick. The hydraulic pressure out of a grease gun is very very high.
 
Steve Plucker said:
I understand that "Kroil" is 1/2 acetone and 1/2 ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid)...Is that correct?

Pluck
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I don't know what chemicals are in Kroil, but I can vouch for the fact that acetone and ATF works better than anything I've ever tried. Not too long ago I bought an old Warford overdrive for our Model T speedster project and it must have sat full of water for 70 years because it was completely rusted solid. I filled it with a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF, and 30 minutes later I was turning it by hand. No joke!

Before:
DSC04730.jpg


Soaking:
DSC04731.jpg
 
Pull off the valve cover and make sure the valves are opening and closing useing a screw driver or something like it to check them. For some reason Model A's stick valves
when they sit. They can lock up a motor just like the pistons can.
Just make sure they are free before you try to unstick the rest of the motor.
I have seen a couple of blocks where they tried to tow the car to unstick the motor
and broke the lifter bosses right out of the motor.
So after the valves are unstuck check the lifters also.
And the ATF and Acentone thing really works, better than anything I've ever used.
Happy unsticking...........

Dodge
 
Ross/Kzoo, Oops! Yes, I did.
Need to leave them removed?

With my lack of knowledge I need all information I can get to not back-step.
 
BetsyModelA said:
Ross/Kzoo, Oops! Yes, I did.
Need to leave them removed?

With my lack of knowledge I need all information I can get to not back-step.
Click to expand...


Just be sure and take them back out before you try and rotate the engine. You can't compress a liquid and if you try, bad things will happen. ;)
 
Once while watching Chasing Classic Cars, Roger the old mechanic let it slip that MMO was their "secret juice" they put in the cylinders to loosen engines that have been sitting for a long time. Seems to work for them.
 
If you check the archive you'll see that many Barners will walk by their projects every couple of days and squirt some MMO or other products for weeks before trying to get it turning. Be patient but most of all try to get in touch with a Model A person or old time mechanic to help you with this. You seem to be in a remote area there. My niece lives in Dickinson and BIL and SIL in Baker Mt. so I get by there every so often.

Did you drain the crankcase? If so what did the fluids look like?
 
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