stuck hemi ?

OK all you guys. I've read so many stuck engine and stuck bolts, and stuck this, and stuck that. Here is the best rust penetrant in the world.Kreen. I've been in the restoration busisness for over35 years, and was introduced to this product by my late uncle, who was an engineer. Look for Kano products on the internet. You won't be dissapointed.

 

Having said I got the crank & pistons out w/o much problem, the cam is a diffrent matter. seems to be stuck tight. Any ideas on this?

 

found a dead snake in one of my early Dodge Hemis maybe the snake was looking for the rats?

 

Hope there's a freeze plug in back of the block?? You could soak it with WD-40 or whatever around the cam journals, then pop the the freeze plug out from behind the block and try to tap the camshaft forward with a 1" dia. length of pipe and a B.F.H. Go easy on it and just tap it out nice and easy.

 

Soak it in a mol***es solution for a month... it works

 

I've usually been able to get them out by making a "lever" on the front of the cam, and using it along with some penetrant sprayed on the journals. Turn the cam back and forth with the lever while pulling forward usually does the trick. The way you attach the "lever" depends on the motor. A three-bolt SBC cam is pretty easy to do, while those with a single center bolt require some engineering. Make sure you pull out the distributor and any intermediate shaft that drives the oil pump first.

 

Once all of the 'mechanical' items are removed, then varnish and sludge are all that is left. Small slide hammer and a gentle touch work well.

.

 

Patience, deliberation, bag & label, take notes, log all orientations of parts even if trashed and used as though you were planning on putting it all back together with the same sorry a** parts (this tells you important info about the condition of the engine when it was taken out of service, i.e. come up with a system to keep lifter/pushrod/rocker arms sorterd) use softer blows the sound something makes as when whacked as it goes from stuck to loose is different pay attention & use all your senses, light heat is fine go easy (I use light heat cooling, whacking then quench with PB and then repeat as necessary, once pb has gone through follow with trans fluid, rotate the engine on the stand work the piston soak for a while from the top, then flip it over and soak the bottom skirt, work through it carefully, again be patient, know the dis ***embly sequence. Don't move on until you have conquered all the steps needed to move on, be prepared, know when to stop, rest, soak, and deliberate some more. Get any easy stuff out of the way 1s~ freeze plugs, pipe plugs, misc, accessory nuts & bolts. What you need to focus on then will become more apparent and maybe more manageable. Better to wait a bit and work on something else than break something by pushing too hard.

Sounds like fun I am vicariously enjoying.

What up to George & 73 RR

n

fitty-2

early hemi + early ford = nirvana (or close to it)

 

Hey all,

I wanted to add that a good skill to cultivate was one's sense of 'forensic mechanics' when doing old a** out-of-service tear downs of questionable engines~

n

fitty_2

 

50-50 ATF-Acetone mix has worked well for me in the past, when I needed to save the piston, Muriatic Acid, when I did not. Dissolves aluminum pistons in seconds.

 

gimpyshotrods, that mix sounds pretty mean either one must be rather fast acting?! I am definitely going to try that atf/acetone combo.

thanks,

n

fitty_2

 

i've had incredible luck with kroil, or aero-kroil as i use it at work. that s**t is amazing.
i've also heard that soaking the piston/cylinder with diesel fuel works pretty damn good too.

 

Yep, cleans the rust off anything.

If it's something you intend keeping you need to get it primed/coated in oil PDQ after washing it down.

 

i have used the acetone and atf with good results also.

 

I've used the coke trick as well. I don't wanna know what it can do to your insides if it helps free up stuck pistons

 

I gave up on the 392 I own... took it to my machine shop and they shot blasted the partially ***embled block and the pistons came out without much fuss....

 

ive done the 2x4 and sledge before. sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. i think it all depends on several factors. type of engine and position of the crank.

wd40 in the gallon containers. place a funnel in each spark plug hole. fill it up. let it set for a few weeks. come back with a crow bar to the fly wheel<<<<best mechanical advantage. i dont recommend balancer bolts because ive had one snap before. most of the time this method lets the engine rotate over. if not then sledge hammer comes out. lol