Long story short but this is what I found after pulling the heads off my old 47 ford pu today (that is penetrating solution in the hole). I had the mill soaking in varsol/kerosene which all came out with the oil when I drained the pan today. All the other bores, pistons, valves are in great shape aside from this one that has seen serious moisture. I soaked the hell out off all the pistons, valves with penetrating oil, tapped all the pistons with a wood block and hammer then cleaned this rusty bore/piston top up with a wire wheel. I then put it all back together before filling it back up to the carb base with varsol/kerosene again tonite. What do I do now to promote freeing this old girl up?
If you can get the piston down a bit further, try going at the bore with one of those emery/scotch bright flapper wheels on a drill. It should get the chunky stuff off at least. Flatman
thats not a bad idea. Looks pretty rough to me I cant imagine the valves sealing properly, or it not smoking profusely... you taking apart or actually want it to run again?
The flapper wheel is a great idea. I bought this old truck because it needed a home, it's 100% complete and had some very special parts included. After getting it home and cleaned up a bit it's actually in WAY better shape than I'd thought when I purchased it. I'm determined to free it up as a learning experience (fun) and I'd like to hear it run, smoke or no smoke. I was going to weld up a threaded sparkplug end to an air fitting and fill that one cylinder with compressed air repeatedly over the next couple days to push the penetrating mixture past the piston (valves are closed). Secondly I was going to heat the piston with the torch when I pull the head next.
You might try soaking it down with PB Blaster. I wouldn't want to spray a lot of it inside the garage though. It smells pretty strong for long time but it is great at breaking rusted parts loose. If I get the one I'm chasing at the moment I'll probably doing something similar next weekend.
I really like that year of Ford. How's about a couple of truck pics. While your at it waiting for it to turn, get some penetrent down on the valve stems, if you can on any cylinders that you can, to help lube and free up sticking valves before the heads go back on. Some times, even when they look good and move now, when you start up, they can hang open. Frank PS. It's great to bring one to life that was thought dead. even if it misses and smokes. good luck
Hey Jason, If worst comes to worst, you can pull the oil pan and wrap the crank lobes with a mallot and a block of wood to get the piston down a bit more. A lot easier on the piston dome that way, they're not that thick. Flatman
Valves closed. Plug in head. So where did the coolant come from? Answer that question before you get to far into this.
I've heard that too. An old timer told me to drill holes the same spacing as the studs in a short piece of 2x4. Slide the 2X4 over the drilled holes and place pieces of wood into the bore so it rest on top of the piston and underneath the 2x4 pieces. Start tighten nuts down on the 2x4 so it puts constant pressure on the top of the piston. Still fill it will any sort of freeing up liquid as you would. Every day tighten the nuts slightly. By the end of the week it should break free.
Coca-cola contains a very weak solution of phosphoric acid. It will eat rust...and aluminum - I don't think I'd put it in that hole if I wanted to reuse the piston.
I use a scotchbrite wheel to clean it up and a 4X4 to try to move it. I would check for cracks. I got an IHC tractor engine that looked like that and it had split out the sides of 2 cylinders. it was totally ruined
I'd go right to the PB Blaster. Its good stuff and has allowed me to get exhaust manifold bolts off in the past without a torch. I personally wouldn't waste 2 minutes with coke. I heard all the wives tales about it. I put a rusty bolt in it overnight. Result: nuthin. So I leave the bolt in it for over a week. Still can't see any difference. Bolt is still rusty.
hey wideglide - ive got a flathead with a badly corroded piston and wanted to dis***emble it for educational purposes too, (bought it for the truck pan).... it was bad enough to where the piston welded itself to the cyl. wall. ended up using a BFH and crowbar to break the piston out. bib overall made a good point though, looks like the plugs are new but ***uming the motor had its spark plugs installed when you got it, how did water get into the cylinder with valves closed? this stuff works GREAT for busting rusted/corroded stuff loose... ive used it on quite a few things in the garage so far. would have tried to use it on the flathead with stuck piston, but didn't have any at the time. Kroil: http://www.kanolabs.com/
If you are going thru all of that why don't you pull the pan and knock the piston out and hone the cylinder. The rings will be shot anyway. There ain't no easy way to fix a flathead. Did you ever figure out where the water came from in the first place?
Your stuck flathead probably has the valves as stuck, if not more, than the piston. Pull the intake and see if the valves will pry up. I bet as rusty as the photo looks their more your problem than the piston. If the valves are stuck the engine will not turn over even if you break the piston out. If you can get the valves up off of the lifters a little bit it will allow a little slack on working the crank back and forth. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o> <o> </o> Soak the hell out of the pistons and the valves with PB Blaster or I use old fuel oil/ diesel fuel with a little used ****** fluid mixed in. After a day or two, on the piston, soak up most of the excess fuel oil. Then fire up the burnzomatic torch and apply a little heat to the pistons. Not enough to melt them just a slow steady heat until you start to get the oil bubbling up between the piston and the cylinder wall. If you dont get the piston broke free from the cylinder wall, even breaking them out youll have piston stuck to the cylinder wall. <o></o> <o> </o> Put a breaker bar on the crank nut and work it back and forth but, dont break it off. You can also pull the starter and use a pry bar on the flywheel ring gear. Youll get more leverage that way. <o></o> <o> </o> Another trick is if its a standard ******, have some one tow you down the road and pop the clutch in high gear. <o></o>
Update. I pulled the intake yesterday to get a look at the valves, this engine is VERY, VERY clean inside. All the valves seem to move up and down when I take the spring tension off with a bar. I pulled the right head and heated all the pistons with a propane torch, I then put the head back on and filled the rusty hole with HOT ATF through the intake port (with the valve wedged open at the lifter). I will fool around with it again on the weekend as everything is soaking again (I'm trying to be patient)... THANKS everyone for the tips.
Patience is the key word here. Find something to distract yourself from the engine, LIKE TAKING PICTURES OF THE TRUCK AND POSTING THEM!!! That lifter valley looks really good, how clean is the bottom end? Flatman
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