Technical Mart's Crusty Flatty Teardown Pt4. Pistons. Bust 'em out!

Having successfully got the valves and the crank out, in this episode I turn my attention to the pistons. I show them no mercy with a steel bar and a big hammer.

See how it went:



Mart.

 

"lets try a bigger hammer"

 

"Let's get a bigger hammer" said every hot rodder ever. Thanks, Mart.

 

BFH....most useful tool in the box.

 

BFH mate

 

If in doubt, smash 'em out.

 

Getting caught up on these videos Mart, always enjoyable hanging out in your garage; thanks for posting.

 

Cheers Blues.

 

I can't help but wonder if you ran it through a hot wash for an extended time, if after cooling off the expansion between aluminum and castiron then the contraction from cooling off would help break thing's loose. In my buddy's hot wash things get very warm....

 

Tuesday bump...trash them pistons...

 

The hot wash might help, I don't have access to one though. The bores are heavily damaged already so there was no real need to try and get it apart without damaging anything.
Thanks Dud.

 

FBFH mate, take no prisoners....

 

Chemical hot tanking (professional shop) to "dissolve" the aluminum pistons (or are they steel pistons?). Even some heat from an O/A torch, and lubricants would be more effective than busting everything up; too much risk in damaging something else in that process. JMO. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Power wash if you have one available, if not, boiling water, a scrub brush and Dawn, then into a mol***es bath for three weeks or so, then hose it off, blow compressed air everywhere, wipe dry as best you can and WD40 every surface, then bag that block. Can't wait to see you go after the tappets.

 

I had a rusty ol flatmotor on my stand, siezed up tight. Every time I'd walk past it I'd give it a wallop on top of each piston. I had about an inch of acetone/trans fluid mix on top of each piston. After 3 months I removed the mix and used my torch to heat the piston tops....then the cylinder walls...resoaked it for another month, bashing the piston tops at least 6 times a day.
At that time I was frustrated and did a "Mart" on it. Took about 45 minutes to extract all the pistons/rods. I slapped myself on the forehead for waiting so long.
About 2 weeks later I was given another low mile, stuck 8BA. Went right after it with my hammer and punch. I had learned a lesson. In the future I shall treat any stuck flathead to a "Mart" dis***embly regimen...it works

 

Thanks for the replies fellas cam and lifters video will be out (probably) on Friday.

 

Be careful, I have seen cylinder walls split using the BFH method!

 

Beat me to it. I cracked the cyl wall on a 289 ford beating the stuck pistons out. I now use the electrolysis mol***es bath dissolves the pistons and don't hurt cast iron.

 

Done it myself. That's why I was always being cautious in the video.

 

Cam and lifters video has been edited and will be posted up tomorrow.

Thanks for all the interest.

Mart.