can an engine be fixed after standing out for 40 years

Depends on what is wrong with it and how much you want to spend. I just serviced a 1936 Onan generator. Blew out the dust cleaned the carb,changed the spark plug. Pulled it through a couple times fired up ran fine. Last recorded time on it was 4-23-1943. Found in a barn.
 
I'm sure worse than that has been done!

As long as the metal is not corroded beyond what can be machined away it could be done.

A lot of factors to consider, how rare is it, why it was discarded 40 years ago?

Only a close inspection will reveal the answers.
 
i should have said the engine is an Allis Chalmers power unit and the tinwork and fuel tank have disintegrated and the carb and magneto will need replacing but I am thinking when all parts are renewed it will be as good as new and it will drive my sawbench or shingle mill as it is called across the pond
 
maybe ,. If You have enuf wit and intelligence , anything is possible . this summer i brought home a massey 300 combine that neighbors said over 30 yrs it was never ever moved from the spot it was back in the barn ,it was nearlty stuck , it took a new starter and a couple fan belts , little attention to the points and new spark plugs ..,. got it running , pummt up the brakes and drove it 18 miles home ,. got within site of the farm and the drive belt shredded
 

Every now and then there is a story in Antique Power magazine about a 100 year old tractor that was pulled out of a river or some fill under a building that had no sheet metal. or small parts. They rebuild them because they are very rare.
 
It is a wet sleeve engine. Drive the old sleeves out and install a new sleeve and piston kit. If it wasn't filled to the top with water the camshaft most likely will be fine.
Here is a link to a stuck engine that the pistons were rusted solid to the sleeves that I have been using to mow with in my Allis C for seven years now. the only new parts I used to prove you do not need all new parts to make a good full power engine. It had new rings and bearings on the bottom side only. all old parts used were checked to make sure they were within spec. I did use new small block Chevy valves and new guides. I also milled .150 off the head.
Stuck Engine Rebuild
 
I just won first place in a tractor pull yesterday with the tractor I grew up with beginning in 1958. It got parked and sat outside for over 40 years. The engine was stuck. When I retired, I decided Dad's old tractor needed to live again, so I brought it up to the shop and filled the cylinders with penetrating oil. Eventually, I was successful in getting it loose. New rings and bearings and new valve guides and valves and it runs like new. The original crankshaft and camshaft and pistons are in it and needed no refurbishing. It's a 1949 Minneapolis Moline RTU that sat outside and had not been run since about 1970.

Go for it.
 
Hi Ivor
I'm going to say climate has a big part in anything like that, and luck. Before I moved to Canada I lived on the coast by Cardigan so know what wales is like for weather. I know of an old major that sat 40 years in a yard with some David Browns. The major was all wrapped up in tarps and silage plastic when the tarps rotted . That tractor fired right up no problem with fresh fuel and battery. The browns sat 40 ft away and had not been tarped up. they had cans over the exhausts but none of them would turn after 10 years sitting they all ran when parked.

If all the tin has rotted off that engine it's sat out in a damp and wet spot for a fair while. If it don't turn over i'm going to say pull the head and look it might be more boat anchor than power unit with the costs of going through it. Why not try find a diesel ford or fordson engine power unit from a combine. or even just buy an old major or fergie to run it. You are in the right place to find one cheap .
Regards Robert
 
Heres the tractor that Ronnie won the pull with at Jasper,MO last Saturday..It runs good..
a172284.jpg
 
derwen a trick I use with engines that haven't run in 20 30 years is to pull the spark plugs and fill the cylinders with atf. automatic transmission fluid, put the plugs back in and let it sit and soak, the longer you let it soak the better, at least 3 weeks or more. the atf sems to break everything free, rings, pistons, valves, soaks into the cylinder walls. after 3 weeks or more pull the plugs and try rolling the engine over by hand and see if you can get it moving by hand. if it won't add more atf, put the plugs back in and repeat. john
 

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