Taught a friend a little trick last week

Richard G. · Feb 16, 2015

Friend came by asking directions to a tractor parts place that sells Polaris ATVs. Asked what he needed and he showed me the brake master cylinder that was frozen up. we talked a while and I showed him some of my old "toys".
I said bring the cylinder to my shop and we will try something. He had been soaking it and trying all kinds of ways to get the piston out. A new one costs a lot more than he wanted to pay.
I screwed a grease fitting in the outlet of the cylinder and he pumped the grease gun about 3 times and the piston popped right out.
He was able to clean everything up and use it.
I told him I learned that a few years ago on my 1912 Fairbanks Morse 1 HP engine with a very stuck piston. Soaked it for a month with no progress. Filled it with oil through the plug hole and bushed in a grease fitting. 4 pumps of the grease gun and the piston freed up. Runs great now.
Richard in NW SC

Anonymous-0 · Feb 16, 2015

I have used the grease gun system several times.
One thing aboot it is the valves have to be closed and if one is stuck open that requires some doing.

fixerupper · Feb 16, 2015

I tried the grease gun trick on an engine but a valve was leaking so I couldn't build pressure. Good idea though. Even if it doesn't break the piston loose it should help force the oil farther into the crevices. I did unstick a tractor engine by plumbing a hydraulic hose in the spark plug hole and plugging the hose into another tractor's hydraulics. It did work and the engine is running today. I could have broken something though. You have more finite control with a grease gun.

Wheatfarmer · Feb 16, 2015

And people say I will never learn a darn thing any more. Thanks.

gene bender · Feb 16, 2015

Question if the engine is stuck and one valve is open how then can that trick be done

Rich'sToys · Feb 16, 2015

I've heard of that trick before but have never tried it.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 16, 2015

One thing you can do is block the intake and exhaust manifold, or see if the valve can be forced closed by whatever means you desire.

Russ from MN · Feb 16, 2015

If it's a typical engine with overhead valves you could just take the rocker off. Good idea! In a similar situation for dismounting tapered inner race bearings we used a grease gun. If they would leak we would pump them full of grease and then hook up a electric porta-power pump, 10,000 psi. The grease would seal some of the leak and the hydraulic pump was much higher volume. A grease gun will put out about 5000 psi.

jeffcat · Feb 16, 2015

WAY cool trick. Need to try it some day and thanks for the tip.

IA Roy · Feb 16, 2015

Same trick will push a clutch pilot bushing out of a crankshaft. Just wrap enough grease rag around the gun nipple to make it tight and pump

HossinMe · Feb 16, 2015

Friend of mine had an 18hp oilfield Bessemer 1 cyl engine that was stuck,took lots of grease. Hoss

Taught a friend a little trick last week

Richard G.

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Anonymous-0

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fixerupper

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Wheatfarmer

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gene bender

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Rich'sToys

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Anonymous-0

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Russ from MN

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jeffcat

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IA Roy

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HossinMe

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