Stuck Engine new solution

[Phil Waterman]

Hi All

Yes, I know we have had threads on this topic in the past, but to many results of search of MLU current and archive files to figure which would be best to bring back to life, hence a new/old topic.

How do you un-stick a stuck engine one that has been sitting for 34+ years. First I've been squirting the witches brew of acetone and ATF into the engine for a month to let it soak. (thanks to whoever posted that trick on MLU) I'd tried the normal simple stuff like car in high gear and winching it across the floor, tires just slide.

So I tried something new for me and it worked.





First step was making a 4" thick wooden plug just slightly smaller diameter than the bore of the engine, then mounting my biggest wheel puller on the engine so that it was pulling straight up and square to the head. Then with a large socket to spread the load on the wood plug. Slowly then turning in the screw, once it started moving I went to the impact wrench to drive the puller which seemed to work even better. It was then a process of moving from one cylinder to another start moving the pistons up and down the stroke. As I think about it probably should have used the firing order of the engine to so as to get a full revolution of the engine, instead of just moving the pistons up and down.

Added Information-

One point occurred to me later that I'm adding to this first post is pick a cylinder that is NOT at TDC. As I think about it the best ones to start with are ones that are about at half stroke so that you have more mechanical advantage on the crank. If you pick one that is all the way up the connecting rod is in line with the crank so all the force is in a straight line on the crank instead of trying to start rotation.


Has anybody tried something like this on a really stuck engine?

I'll try the firing order approach on the second engine, I've got to get them both moving so I can figure out which is the most logical one to rebuild.



For those of you that may have noticed no I'm not working on Chevy 6 cylinder, but rather a large flathead. From this winters project a 49 Lincoln. If you want a peak at that project http://canadianmilitarypattern.com/R...%20Lincoln.htm I've just posted time lapse video of months worth of work compressed to 2 minutes.

[Private_collector]

Phil,

That has to be one of the best looking cars I have ever seen.

Stick your ferraris and lambos, give me a classic set of lines any day.

I take it that the pistons are not the domed type?

[cletrac (RIP)]

Phil, is it the big Lincoln or the one based on the 1949 Mercury? Is that the big Lincoln flattie?
Here's a thread on my 1949 Mercury that I'm hotrodding

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Tony and Dave

Yes, Tony the engine has flat topped pistons, 337 cubic inch, same engine as used in the big Ford Trucks like F8 but with a different cam and hydraulic valve lifters.

Though if it had the domed pistons solution would be to turn the wood push block on the lathe to fit the curve of the dome. The wood block spreading the load I hope will be the answer to not damaging the pistons even though I suspect I will end up replacing them anyway.

Dave, this is the big Lincoln the Cosmopolitan so it has a slightly longer wheelbase than the regular Lincoln, it also has the 337cubic inch engine instead of the 255 cubic inch. Haven't been able to look at your pictures yet, have to join the forum to see them, but I plan to do that. Dave do you have the overhaul manual for your Mercury? One of my projects for the near future is to scan the entire 49 Lincoln Mercury Overhaul Manual in so I can have it out in the shop. If you don't have it would be glad to burn a disk for you.


Cheers Phil

[cletrac (RIP)]

Phil,
The manual would be great, but I won't have any of the Merc driveline left. I put in a 550 hp 460 hooked to a manual OD 4 speed trans and a narrowed 9.5 inch Ford rear end with a Detroit Locker. There's traction bars and 10 inch wide tires to try to put the power to the ground. It should be an interesting ride. My 21 year old daughter was the instigator for the project.
Those 335 cube Lincolns are pretty scarce these days, aren't they? The F8 never used them.
When unsticking a motor a good trick is to find a cylinder with the valves closed and screw the hose from a pressure washer into the spark plug hole. Squeeze the trigger and let 1000 psi do the work for you. There's no messy cleanup either.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Dave

The pressure washer one is a new one on me. I've use the compressed air approach only reasonably useful, have also used the grease gun and hydraulic pump approach they work but as you point out clean up problem. But in this case none of those approaches would have worked because none of the valves were sealing so no pressure build up.

Finished up getting the engine turning to day based on the firing order and observation figure out which 3 cylinders had to be pushed down in what order to get a full revolution. After two full revolutions put the torque wrench on the front end and the engine turned easy at 15-20 ft lbs.
Did manage to wear out my 35 year old wheel puller though stripped the threads out of the head of the puller. Think it was just age.

Your Merc sounds interesting, how did your daughter instigate the project?

Strange about the F8 the Lincoln books I have say it is the same block as offered for the F7 and F8 differences being different cam, solid lifters and slightly lower compression in the truck version. Did they offer a different engine in Canada for the trucks? The books round the displacement up to 337 but the actual is listed at 336.5 so are we talking about the same engine?

The overhaul manual covers the entire car not just the engine, thing is about 3" thick so scanning it in is going to take some time. Probably will get done as just before I get to a component group.

Cheers Phil

[meduffer]

Greetings Phil,

We have a stuck flathead in our UC and I think I will try your solution. I'll make a trip to Princess Auto tomorrow and see if they have so big wheel pullers.
Would you mind posting a picture of the back part of your engine stand so I can see how it goes together?

Thanks muchly,
Mike Snetsinger
Whitby Ontario

[Grant Bowker]

While looking at whether the 48-51 F-8 and Lincoln used the same basic engine (several places suggest it was the same base engine) I came across this "For Sale: 1949 Ford Big Job Truck Engine. 337 cu. in. Turns freely. Still in truck. 850 lbs. Current price for scrap iron is 6.5 cents/lb. Available at Capitol Scrap in Santa Fe. 575-471-0740." at http://abqfordflatheadv8.com/for-sal...-october-2012/ Since it was only posted a couple of months ago it might still be available.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi

One point I should have made in the first post is pick a cylinder that is NOT at TDC. As I think about it the best ones to start with are ones that are about at half stroke so that you have more mechanical advantage on the crank. If you pick one that is all the way up the connecting rod is in line with the crank so all the force is in a straight line on the crank instead of trying to start rotation.

(note I'm going to add this information to the first post)

Grant thanks for the lead on the engine and for the web site some interesting stuff. Hopefully with two complete engines I won't need a third.

Mike, I'll take some pictures of how I'm supporting the rear end of the engine on the test stand. This is the same engine stand that I use for the CMP Chevy engines http://canadianmilitarypattern.com/EngineTesting.htm



When I built the first of these stands I had in mine that it would hold the Chevy 6 or the Ford Flat Head.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Mike

Photos below how I supported the rear of the flat head on the engine stand, actually two ways the quick and dirty to take the engine as it comes out of the vehicle, the other to take the engine with or without the bell housing.

Think I will normally keep the cross bracket or the wood block under the rear plate as a back up.

Cheers Phil

[meduffer]

Phill,

Ah ha! Now I get it. Thanks very much for posting the photos. I'll go scrounge some square tubing and start zapping things together. Much obliged.

Cheers,
Mike