Stuck B engine

Raptor44

Member
On to a new project here. We did a sandblasting job for a friend and he gave me his B. 1952 and running great when he parked it 10 years ago. Came with a plow, a harrow and a 7 ft side cylic mower. needs a few sheet metal parts and a rear rim. I will blast it and still have enough primer and paint left over from the WC project. Problem is the engine is stuck. I sprayed Aero Kroil in the cyl about a month ago figuring that would do it. No luck. Put Marvel Mystery oil in about a week ago. Still no luck. Pulled the head today and Number two cyl had water and MMO in it but the cyl was clean when I drained and cleaned it. Number one had some rust staining on cyl wall but all MMO had drained down and it will clean up easily. Have tried using hand crank, tried rocking the tractor in gear, tapping top of pistons with an oak board. Tried pulling it a little with my scag. Don't want to tear up the clutch plate pulling it. Tried heating the pistons with a propane torch a little and respraying oil to get down to the bottom rings. Any ideas on what else I can do or am I going to have to tear it down. No water presant in the oil and anti freeze was good. Help
 
There is nothing wrong with Kroil, and will do the job eventually! Most folks on this forum, swear by ATF, cut with some acetone, as the best rust breaker. In 1989 I bought a 52 B that was stuck, and had around 3 gallon of water in the pan. I drained out the water, removed the head, oil pan, and all 4 rod caps ( don't loose the rod cap shims), and used Kroil, and a hammer on a stick of firewood, on the pistons, and freed up the pistons. In my case I opted for new sleeves, rings, rod and main bearings, and sent the head in for valve work. I have never been sorry for the money spent. It works so very hard, for a 20 hp tractor, and is always ready to go, when I need it, and that was 17 years ago. You do have to keep rain from going into the exaust manifold, past the muffler. also keep a good rubber boot on your shifter, as rain will end up in your tranny, and hydraulics.
 
Most of the tractor I have or have had where locked up form sitting or water in the cylinder. Since you have head off dry as much of what you have in all the cylinders then fill with ATF and let sit a few days. Then take about 2 table spoons of gas and put in each cylinder and light it up and let it burn till you have burned out 99% of the liquid. You may have to add gas a couple time. After it has burned out real good set a 12 volt battery in and use short fast taps on the starter button.

ONE should NEVER try to pull one to free one up because doing that can bend rods and break rods and also break transmission gear and rear ends etc etc.

Out of over 30 locked up engine all but 1 or 2 have freed up for me
 
Just drained the oil out of the engine. Was a tiny bit of water in there. Over all I guess that aint bad for being parked for 10 years. Tried rocking her again and it aint loose yet. Will pull the pan later today and loosen all the caps.
 
Set a 2 x 4 on top of the stuck piston and smack it a few times... soaking with Kroil shold help... if the piston will not move 1/8 inch after several days of smacking each day, then it needs to come apart.
 
You can do all that or you can follow what I said and good chance if you do as I said you will save your self a good bit of $$
 
Removed the pan today and all looks good. Still stuck though. Will try the gas thing tomorrow. I plan on reringing the engine anyway. I can get to all the rod bolts. Will try your way first.
 
I have never removed the pistons while the sleeves are still in the block. I have put a block of steel on the piston about the same diameter and use a blunt air chisel on the block of steel. It should work the same in the block though.
My Way To Unstuck
 
Have to rebuild the starter and then put some 12 volts to it and see if that works. If not I will cut the ridge on the top of the block and disconnect the caps and punch the pistons up from the bottom with a piece of Oak persuader. See how the gas and starter work first. At least all the pistons are halfway down the cyl which puts all the rods at 90 degrees and I can get to all the cap bolts.
 
Update: Tried burning some gas in the cyl and then bumped the starter after replacing the start switch. All to no avail. went one more time with a piece of Oak on the #4 piston to drive the #2(suspect stuck piston) upward and the sleeve started to pop up. So I just disconnected the rod and pushed the sleeve up and on my way to my buddys to get the piston pressed out. Thanks all of you for the help. This is such a cool site. Lots of knowledge here. Thanks again all.
Pete
 
Any sleeve that moves up any tiny bit will need new O rings. If they move the seal is broken and the expansion is gone from an old O ring. They will then leak.
 
Removed the liners today. # 4 piston had a big chunk out of the skirt. Found it in the sludge in the pan. Wonder how long that ran like that? Safely removed the rings out of that stuck piston and freed up the wrist pin.Time to start buying some parts. Does anyone have a front engine mount that holds the front axle and rad shell. Also looking for a servicable rad shell also. Rear set of Rims also. Help.
 
I have a radiator which came out of a C but should be the same as a B, It even has the shutters on it if I remember right
 
[My radiator is primo. Just need a Shell to cover it. The shutters are all intact but rusted up a little. Rebuilt one for a WC last winter that was worse and I restored that one. Will do the same for this. Thanks
 
Reinstalled the sleeves yesterday. Installed the rings and will install the pistons this Friday if it don't rain. Waiting on the head from the machine shop. Needed two valves, clean the head and regrind seats. All else is good so far. Hope to have this thing ready for sand blasting in about a week and then shoot it.
 
Have you checked ring gap in the sleeve to make sure they are not to tight to work??
 
Yup, Gap is good. Have the pistons installed and all the rods shimmed. Cleaned and checked all rocker shaft bushings and components. Pre-lubed and reassembled. Picked the head up today. Opted for new valves. Cheap enough and boiled the head and replaced the two seats that got frigged up on that stuck cylinder. My new rear rims are over my pals getting painted and waiting on a front rim. Tires removed from the old rims and up at the tire shop with the tubes waiting on the rims. Going to drag tractor a little ways away from the shop and blast it. Prime it and then roll er back into the shop and wait for the go to run her up and get her painted. Still looking for a radiator shell, battary box and a tool box. Love this stuff.
 

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