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Siezed Engine

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Richard Williams

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I wondered if the grat and the good could suggest a protocol for investigating an engine that will not turn after 15 years in a garage unused. Oil level good and quality ok, engine compartment has the feel of an untouched car if you know what I mean. I have removed plugs... good condition , wd40 in each cylinder. I must admit I have only tried to turn it with the starter handle( no battery yet / and front drums siezed too so no chance to "Bump start ) Ideas welcome
 
sounds like you are having fun
i would of suggested filling spark plug holes with diesel fuel and leaving 4 a w eek 99% sucess rate although you may have to remove starter and carefully lever fly wheel teeth with a heavy duty screwdriver or tyre lever if however water level is low and been left with head gasket failure i would give up now ass bores will be well past saving
good luck paul
 
Diesel gets my vote too.

I guess the dangers of an engine that hasn't been run for a long time is once it has unseized there might be a bit of rust on the bores that will grind away at the piston rings, and that the piston rings themselves might be seized in the pistons and could score the bores. Would be a shame for a 18,000 mile engine.

Perhaps some more diesel if the engine hasn't unsiezed after a week, and a couple more doses after that to help the piston rings? And of course change the oil before you try to run it. That's just my guess, but it would be interesting to know how you get on as I've got a similar low mileage seized engine in one of mine that I've not done anything with yet.
 
You may bault at this but yes diesel is good but I have had a lot of success with Coke (as in Fizzy).
I unseized (is that a word) (a bit like bend it straight)? "freed" an engine only last week that had been sat for 17yrs and rock solid with it I have also in the past freed a hinge that was solid overnight and unlocked nut and bolt combinations by tying a bag around it and filling with the coke a cola
 
Cola is excelent for a lot of things. It's good for cleaning oil from driveways, so I'm not surprised it works for unseizing engines as well. Probably a good idea to clear the water content out afterwards to prevent more rust.

I think the Cola people don't like to promote these alternative uses as they supply the stuff for people to drink!
 
Can you have slightly less than siezed?

Many thanks for all the comments, I have filled the cylinders with diesel, disconnected the water pump (incase that was siezed....it wasn't)

I am now able to turn the engine with a large srewdriver through an openeing this car has at the lowest point under the car. I'm just able to get some movement by putting it in fourth gear and pushing the car , but there still allot of resistance... the starter will not turn it over but it has a good try.

I'm in no rush so I'm going to take your advise and use more diesel and keep moving the flywhell a little each night if I have time.

Would it help to tow it on the road in 4th??
 
No!
If there's anything wrong apart from just being seized you'll kill the engine and who knows what else at the same time!
I would wait until you can turn it through at least two complete revolutions via the screwdriver and diesel method. (just to make sure that it's all working and noting broken)
Then you need to make sure that the diesel has drained from the cylinders so that you don't damage the engine by "hydraulicking" when you try to start it.
 
Richard I don't want to disappoint you but I am against such methods of recovering a seized engine like diesel fuel, WD-40 etc. They may do the job OK, the engine will turn and even fire, but this is not what you are looking for... The piston ring lands will almost for sure be full of particles, rust etc., and this cannot go away with these methods. When it reaches operating temperature there will not be room for ring/piston expansion. Not to mention that the bores may well be rusty (they will need only 10 minutes of emery paper when disassembled to become as new) and destroy the pistons/rings as soon as the engine fires, even though they appear to be OK when turning by hand...
Also I guess some valves will be stuck, and almost certainly need lapping etc... I would disassemble the engine if I intended to keep the car, not sell it to someone.
 
Fiber optic exam!

I just did a fiber-optic examination of each cylinder and there is mild (very mild dusting type rust) corrosion on the cylinder lining and slight rusting on the valves the sort you get with condensation over a long period) although they are all free to move. The piston crowns have a moderate degree of carbonization, flaking in places. I understand that not many engines get this examination without the cylinder head being removed but anyone have any thoughts on the matter.??... shall I remove the cylinder head and de-coke and if so what materials should one use to clean the cylinders? Is it easy to keep the junction between cylinder and piston clear of particles?hoover.
I'm happy to remove the cylinder head but I think a complete engine strip-down is beyond my skills and facilities
 
I wouldnt bother taking the head off - I have recovered many an engine using light oil in the bores. I'm sure with a bit of patience it will be fine
 
Update

After some excellent advice I thought it only in the spirit of this forum to update. Cylinder head removed , mild rusting of bores easily rectified just as Angel pridicted, valves not stuck but have mild rust so dissembled rocker unit and I'm in the process of grinding the valves ,seems to be very easy . I'll send the head off for cleaning as a treat for me!! and then plan to reassemble....why...well the engine is now easily turned with the starter handle and I don't really have the fascility to explore further.
Dissappointing to some will be the fact that I'm unlikely to see the fruits of my labours as ,having got this far I've decided to go ahead and seperate chassis and body in preparation for a chassis overhaul and repair. My only fear is that the engine discussd will now be left for a few months , shall I just keep turning it over from time to time and keep the bores well spayed with wd40?
 
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