soaking frozen engine

If it's rust, skip past grandpappy's mix and go straight to Evapo-Rust.  I tried every other combo for over 2 months on a siezed B, then I tried Evapo-rust and had the engine spinning in a little over 24 hours.  I had the head off, but I suppose it can go in through the spark plug hole.  After 24-48 hours, remove the Evapo-Rust, drain the pan, put some oil in, spray a light oil in the cylinders and crank it over slowly by hand, working it back and forth at first (I used a pipe wrench on the PTO).  In my case it was loose.  Pistons have still never been out and it runs fine with good compression.

Edited by HoughMade - 20 May 2020 at 1:03pm

Seems like you should remove head for a look anyway. Then you can spot bad rings, etc.

Most of my experience is with stuck threads and can't say I have not had to finally drill out quite a few of those in the end.

The ATF mix seems popular, I have used that but PB Blaster more often cause its handy. I have tried a lot of different stuff but hard to tell if one is better than the other. Seems like time is the main factor.

I usually try to avoid use the torch as much as possible.

I have a can of Kroil but only use for small jobs cause it is kind of hard to find.

Edited by Rick of HopeIN - 20 May 2020 at 9:54pm

nickia wrote: thanks guys!  im hung up on one cylinder soaking with wd 40 for a week now with the back wheel in the air rocking back and fourth  im getting impatient

yes i have the head off  ive done this before with a h-3 and had it freed up in a week by soaking and tapping on the piston with a block of wood and a dead blow each day

I use JB 80

I use Xylene, ATF & Stoddard solvent, equal parts. Xylene penetrates better than acetone.

I pour or heavily spay it in. If you can see the bottom of the cylinder, what for it to get past the piston and your ready to go.

The hydrogen peroxide sounds interesting, I may try that.



Edited by frnkeore - 21 May 2020 at 1:45am

More of What you can find when removing the head on a stuck engine that has set for a long time after getting water in thru the exhaust.




pits that are deep enough that the can not be faced.



that will only seal by fixed with new seats.



Edited by Dick L - 21 May 2020 at 7:32am

Best I have ever used is “Kroil” by Kano. This stuff is not water based! It’s in an orange can so you know it has to be great!

My brother bought a 40 Chev pickup off neighbor around 1973. It had been setting in barn lot for at least 20yrs. Engine stuck but dad soaked it with diesel fuel and before long it freed up and we got it running. That engine sat under a closed hood with an air cleaner and exhaust pipe/muffler. Has to make a huge difference,the "parked" conditions.

SteveM C/IL wrote: My brother bought a 40 Chev pickup off neighbor around 1973. It had been setting in barn lot for at least 20yrs. Engine stuck but dad soaked it with diesel fuel and before long it freed up and we got it running. That engine sat under a closed hood with an air cleaner and exhaust pipe/muffler. Has to make a huge difference,the "parked" conditions.

MACK wrote: Acetone and Marvell Merical oil.        MACK

With the head off and adding the acetone/MM mix I could see it "swirl" and work, it actually "moved" for a couple minutes.