Rust stuck M farmall

Ronald Jeter

New User
What is the best way to free up a stuck engine
I heard some where soak the pistons over nite with water
has any one tried that?
Whats the harm it's already stuck
Please reply with your idea's
 
If it is really stuck there is only one cure and that is a tear down. IF it is a licght stick from setting then some Good penetrating fluid and i don't mean WD 40 . But you need to see if there is water in the holes . Having a bore scope to take a look see thru the spark plug holes is a huge plus. If you see nothing but RUST then it is head and pan pulling time , if just light rus down around the one or two pistons then there is a good chance she will break loose with some messen around .
 
14lb. sledge and a round block of wood that is same size as bore.liquids are only helpers.
 
once the pistens are driven out I have not found anything that will release the rings if they have been exposed to anti freeze other than a thin chisel and a ball hammer.
 
Try putting some diesel fuel in each cylinder and let it soak for a week or so then try pulling it in 5th gear and slowly releasing the cluth. You don't want to pull it on hard ground asphalt ect were there is any type of hard resistance as it could damage or bend the crank,rods ect. We have used that method before and has worked great. This is one of the subjects where everyone has a different method that they prefer and I look forward to hearing some other methods jim.
 
I can't speak from experience as I didn't get the chance to use it....tractor was sold out from under me.....But you might take a look at this stuff. I'm not endorsing it just something to chew on.... Here is a link:

http://www.seized-engine.com/

I have enough to do a four cyl. engine. If you thought you might wanna try it. It's just sitting in my cabinet.
 
Pull the head and oil pan. Remove anything flammable. Pour kerosene on top of one piston and set it on fire. Have the rod cap off that piston. Make sure you're not near any building.
Use a big hammer and a piece of 2 X 2 oak then see if the piston can be driven out. You may need to heat it again. Hal
 
Have you pulled the plugs and looked at the bores to see if there is rust on the wall if they are rusted quit wasting time and tear it down.
 
Lots of ways to do it, but it really depends upon how badly they are stuck. Gene gave by far the best overall answer (no offense to anyone else, as most were good answers). If the cylinders just have a bit of "flash" rust on them, you can probably get away with shooting 1/4 cup of your favorite penetrating oil/mix into the cylinders. Let her set for a week or two. Then put it in gear and slightly "rock the tracktor back and forth. When I say slightly, I mean slightly. too much and you will bend connecting rods.

Now, if there is serious rust in the cylinders, do as Gene (and others) said, and tear her down.
 
Most of the tractor I buy are with locked up engines from sitting for a long time. A lot depends on if it is rust from sitting or rust from having an open exhaust system and the cylinders filling with water. If they filled with water it is rebuild no matter what but if stuck from sitting for years DO NOT fill with water but do fill the cylinder with ATF and let it sit for a week or so then set a 12 volt battery in and use short fast taps on the starter button to see if it frees up. I have had very good luck doing that and out of more then 20 all but 2 or 3 freed up
 
Steel pistons or aluminum? I bought an F20 with aluminum pistons that were oxidized. There wasn't much rust at all but those babies were in there tight. Soaked them with every elixor I've ever heard about for a year and they wouldn't come loose without a good pounding with an oak block the size of the piston and a sledge hammer. I have been successful with a few lightly stuck ones using ATF.

I got lucky one time screwing a hydraulic hose in a spark plug hole and putting hydraulic pressure to it, making sure the valves were closed first. I said I got lucky because I could have bent rods or broken the crank slicker-n-a whistle. One suggestion I heard was to find a piston that's near the top and concoct an adaptor to fit a grease zerk in the spark plug hole. Fill the piston with oil, then start pumping in grease with a grease gun. I can see a bent rod happening that way too.Jim
 
There are as many potions and rituals for unsticking engines, as there are engines. Never heard of using WATER.

Frankly, there's probably already water in there. The engine isn't freeing up is it? That should tell you how good the water idea is.

The rest of the ideas work to varying degrees. Usually the engine can't be very badly stuck to begin with if you want to end up with a runner without tearing it down.
 
Its funny you mention the water thing...my grandpa freed up a stuck m using water! He was an old school mechanic/oil man, but i remember dunking any an old horsedrawn planter or spreader in the stock tank and letting them soak and rocking them afew times a week. they always came unstuck! The M was before my time to i can"t testify as to how long it took or any specifics but i remember hearing alot of stories from both him and his neighbor (it was his neighbors tractor)
 
Water will not work, beleive me !!! Pull the plugs & squirt straight kerosene into the cylinder with an oil can, squirt about half the oil can in each cylinder, screw the plugs back in & wait a week. Every Wednesday morning squirt two to three squirts in each plug hole &screw the plug back in. Every Saturday chock up the front wheels, jack up one rear wheel, put the tranny in first and rock the tire back & forth five to six inches. DO NOT force it, expensive things will break !!!!
If no movement put the tranny in neutral then pull the starter & use a large screw driver or prybar on the flywheel teeth try to move it up, five or six teeth then try to move it down five to six teeth. DO NOT force it !!!
If no movement, squirt some more kerosene in the cylinders, replace the plugs & wait til wednesday. If no movement after two to three months of repeating this every Wednesday & Saturday, it's time to pull the oil pan & valve cover. If it is stuck rings, rods, valves or pistonsno one knows until you tear it down. The above will work if the sticking problem is minor, from just sitting under an enclosed roof, if it has been sitting outside for very long even with the exhaust covered it is usually rusted bad enough on the inside to warrant an overhaul. There are exceptions to this rule, but not in my experience.
Rust is not the only thing that will stick an engine, stuck or dropped valves, broken cam or crank teeth behind the front cover. I have even seen the clutch rusted to flywheel in conjuction with a rusted (frozen) brake lining, so it's always best to keep the tranny in neutral when trying to free up the engine.
 

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