55 Cub Possibly seized up

don.munyak · Jul 2, 2017

My tractor has been sitting for about 10 years. The original owner was my father-in-law. I was the last person to drive the tractor.

Spent the weekend trying to bring life back into the tractor. Replaced and assortment of iterms; battery, solenoid, regulator, points, condensor, plugs, wiring harness.

I poured Marvel Mystery Oil into the spark plug holes and let sit. I changed all the fluids.

When I was ready, I tried to bump start the motor "without" the plugs. I could hear the starter engaging the flywheel, but not turning. Tried a couple of quick times... no success.

Trying to be ingenius (and with some care), I hooked up a tow strap, put transmission into 1st gear, and tried to pull the tractor, hoping this might free up whatever was stuck.

Oddly, the right wheel turn forward. The left wheel turned backwards. Anyone have any idea why this happened?

Also, anyone have any suggestions for what I should do next?

Thanks... and Happy 4th of July.

cole in mo. · Jul 2, 2017

Nothing wrong with the rear wheels turning in different direction when pulled in a slow gear with the engine stuck. Does the tractor have a vertical exhaust, if so, water may have entered some cylinders. It may be just dry stuck, give it some time to soak, then jack up one rear wheel and trans in high gear, try rocking the wheel back and forth. Never try pulling a stuck engine tractor, parts break easy.

Brownie450 · Jul 2, 2017

First thing to do is be patient & let the oil work----
maybe a week.
When you had it in 1st gear, it had no gear reduction
to the engine.
After letting it sit for several days, IF you still try
to get it to turn over, use 4th gear instead of 1st.

Better to put it in 4th gear & rock back & forth using
the rear tires.
Jim

don.munyak · Jul 2, 2017

Thanks... I will be patient

khouse6 · Jul 2, 2017

with the spark plugs out, take compressed air and a blow pipe and blow as much as you can from within the cylinders. oil floats on water and if
there should be water in the cylinders, the penetrating oil cannot do its work

Janicholson · Jul 2, 2017

If you have a stuck engine and it is stopped near TDC, the forces can break the rods or crank easily. By hand is far less likely to mangle something. Use a Harbor
freight fiber optic viewer to look inside each cylinder. If one has massive rust, you might as well take it apart. Jim

David G · Jul 2, 2017

Pulling a tractor to break it loose is really not a good idea and can break things.

old · Jul 2, 2017

An engine that has sat that long takes time to free up. While MMO is ok ATF would be cheaper and likely to do better. Fill the cylinder and leave it sit for a while. NEVER try to pull one to free them up or you can/will break things that will cost you a lot of $$
As for what the tire did if they did not do that that would have meant you had already broken something that is how the diff works

don.munyak · Jul 2, 2017

Thanks again. So much for trying to be ingenious. What is ATF?

bass · Jul 3, 2017

ATF===automatic transmission fluid

bass

rustred · Jul 3, 2017

sitting where??? outside with exhaust not covered? or in a building? that is the key information needed as to give some sensible information.

BarnyardEngineering · Jul 3, 2017

For future reference, the first thing you should do is try to turn the engine over manually, by one of several methods, including the hand crank, or by pulling on the fan belt, or with a wrench on the crank pulley nut (if equipped), or by grabbing the crank pulley directly with your hands (on small engines like the Cub). If you can't get the engine to turn at least two full revolutions by hand then you need to address that before spending another dime on things like ignition parts.

If you haven't removed the hood yet, remove it. With the hood off you can see right down into the cylinders. ANY rust, ANY water, and the head MUST come off at the very least. No two ways about it. No magic elixir is going to get rid of the heavy rust.

gene bender · Jul 3, 2017

the first thing would have been to use a crank to see if the engine turns over. Well now we know it doesent so tear it down and stop throwing money for magic stuff. After itting that long the valves will need to be fixed so just tear it down.

old · Jul 3, 2017

Bass has it right one of the cheapest best lubes out there for any thing that is rust up stick etc. I use it in engines to free them up or on rusty bolts or anything that I want freed up and I keep a pumper oil can full of the stuff for just that. I use Dextron 4 that way I can also use it in the power steering systems of my old Ford tractor and Chev pickup etc

used red MN · Jul 3, 2017

Here is a video that hopefully will help explain why one wheel turned backwards, it is due to the differential gear set. Keep in mind that unlike shown in the video in your case the pinion gear could not turn because it was in gear connected to an unturnable engine. So the two axles could only react to each other.
Video explaining how a differential works

john *.?-!.* cub owner · Jul 4, 2017

Also, try rocking it backward and forward. if engine will turn a little backward then stop it probably has a stuck valve rather than a stuck cylinder or cylinders.

rustred · Jul 5, 2017

right... i have tryed ATF and it is the biggest waste of time i have ever seen... if the engine is lightly stuck it dont matter one iota what kind of lube is poured into the cyl's. dont start raising heck because i have tryed all kind of thinks and when its seised its seised its tear down time. guess some guys just stay stuck in the same rut. same with bolts how does the oil penetrate the rust and threads? all it does is reduce friction once the bolt is broke loose. so any oil works for that also.

old · Jul 5, 2017

Guess your doing something wrong. Been using it for over a decade and I have freed up over 30 tractor engine with it and only 2 or 3 that did not free up. ATF pretty much eats rust and I use it for most every thing be it a rusted bolt of an engine that is locked up or the belt pulley assembly I sold yesterday that had sat for year and I freed it up in 24 hours with ATF

But then on the other hand I have found you do not agree with me on much of anything so hey I do not post to your posts so why don't you just stop posting to my posts since you like to attack. It is one thing not disagree but when you do so and put a person down well that goes contrary to the sites rules

rustred · Jul 5, 2017

what can i be doin wrong??? fill cyl with atf wait one week wait two weeks . how come your engines can loosen once you hit the starter? mine sure dont, sure funny i had to push sleeves out with the pistons . how can one person have all this luck unseizing an engine with trans. oil? not bashing anyone! but i do know its a waste of time when i can have the head off in one hr. and do the correct thing. AND ATF does not eat rust! and... how did i put you down ? by disagreeing with your magic. at least i can have a worryless sleep if i ever sold a tractor. i have pulled engines apart that had water in cyl's and they are all pitted up. but of course they will run. so dont even start with me.. as you can free up engines when possible but that sure dont make it a happy engine. trying to educate the beginers on the Correct way to do things. i have my way to do things and that is all.AND that was not your post ... anyone who has information can help out the guy. i feel siezed up on a lot of days but i sure am not going to try atf .

old · Jul 5, 2017

As i said leave me alone and I'll leave you alone I am tired of your attacks

55 Cub Possibly seized up

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