The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 59 C60 Wrecker

A good friend of mine asked me if I would help him get his 59 Wrecker running. "Of course I will", I replied. He told me he would drop it off, which he did yesterday.

After he unloaded it I raised the hood and was looking at the engine - a 235. He asked me what I thought......I took the radiator cap off and said, "I think I know what the problem is". "What?", he inquired."I think you're out of coolant!".

He told me he used to drive it, so I asked when was the last time it was running. 30-40 years ago. Engine is locked up! I filled to cylinders with Marvel Mystery Oil and will try to manually break the engine free---without breaking the engine.

I've read you run the risk of breaking a ring if too much force is used --- like pulling it and popping the clutch, so I'm not planning on doing anything like that. We will see how it goes and I may be reaching out to you all for your suggestions.

Looks like you’re in for some fun along with a busted knuckle or two.🛠

Could also be a 261. Dragging or pushing and letting the clutch out in HIGH gear works well, however before doing that, make sure there are no stuck valves. Oil the stems, tap rocker arm gently with rubber hammer or 2 x 4.

The brakes probably won't work, so make sure to allow for that.

Ed

Hy Vew, I think a 60 series will have a 261 in it, hope that helps.

Man that's a lot of heavy iron on the back of that truck!

I agree with everyone else, looking like the original engine it will be a 261...worth taking your time to saving it!

Get it running and bring it to the ATHS truck show next year!

Mike B

STD engine was a 261, looks correct, will have captains bars above starter.

Thanks guys. It is a 261.
Ed, thanks for recommendation for the head. I’ll work on that first.

It’s just me, so I was planning on using a pry bar (short ones) on each side of the flywheel and work it back and forth until I get movement. I would avoid putting too much force on it; don’t want to break a tooth.

Do you have any recommendations?
Thanks
Victor

All a short pry bar will do is make you break a good sweat- - - - -use a long one. I like to use the chisel-shaped end of a carpenter's wrecking bar about 3 feet long, get a good bite in a flywheel tooth from the bottom of the bellhousing, and give it a good grunt in alternating directions. Put 3-4 ounces of KROIL in all the cylinders, plus soaking down all the valve stems liberally. If you drain all the oil out of the crankcase before you put the KROIL into the cylinders and put the pan plug back in, you can wait about a week, drain the solvent out of the pan, and pour it back into the cylinders again. It will creep past the sticky rings and end up in the oil pan.

www.kanolabs.com Good stuff! I buy it by the gallon.
Jerry

A guy on another forum I belong to is a strong advocate of putting ATF in the cylinders. Claims to have loosened many stuck engines with it.

Hey Vic. Wish i was closer to give ya a hand again. And Corona Virus of course, bla bla bla. Anyhow a friend of mine swears by a combo of ATF and diesel or kerosene in the cylinders. Ive never personally tried it, but it wont hurt if ya dont have any thing else laying around. Ditto to checking for stuck valves 1st. Good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks Jerry and Rich. All good advice I will follow.
I’ve never worked on freeing up an engine before and since it’s not mine I don’t want to make a boo-boo.

Glenn-you know I’d love to have you here! I’ve got plenty to work on, as you know, but when someone asks for my help with something, it goes to the top of the priority list. I can always get back to my stuff later.

I was pleasantly surprised when I removed the valve cover this morning. Not as bad as I was expecting. There's hope!!

Everything is filled with ATF/Diesel. I'll go out in a couple days and see what happens.

Don't forget to liberally pour some engine oil down each push rod to lube the lifters and cam as it runs by...

Mike B

llikely to break the ringlands if you get too rough with it ...marvel is good medicine dont rush it soak daily !

Got my wife’s toothbrush this morning and took the ATF/D solution to the rocker arm assembly.
Also poured oil down pushrods.
Will see if it will move in a couple days.

She is not going to like that.

KROIL is expensive, but it works when other concoctions fail. It's also manufactured about 65 miles from where I live in middle Tennessee, so I can usually pick it up without any shipping or hazmat charges!
Jerry

Hambone, I have a feeling you might know why, right??

Jerry, you know I'm a cheap a$$. I really like Kroil, so much that I use it up quickly. I figured I would try this way and if it doesn't work, I'll get some Kroil.

May try moving the flywheel tomorrow or Wednesday.

I've found it's more economical to buy a gallon of the stuff, and use a hand-pumped squirt can to apply it. The aerosol cans busticate the budget quickly, even the "extra volume" ones they brag about! Since KROIL has a habit of creeping through the seams of a metal can, I store it in glass Mason jars once it gets delivered.
Jerry

Make it a little easier on yourself and pull all the plugs before you start trying to rotate the engine.

Hey Vic, just had another thought, and im sure you already know. Make sure the truck is in neutral when trying to turn the flywheel. Just thought id remind ya. Keep us posted

Went out today and removed the flywheel inspection cover only for it to unload a bunch of ugly stuff on me. Yuk!
I took a rubber mallet, as recommended here, and smacked the rocker arms a couple days ago, after lubing them. Except for the couple that are fully open, they seemed to be ok.
So I proceeded to put my pry bars on each side of the wheel and attempted to rock it back and forth.
After working it a bit I got a little movement-but not much. I refilled the cylinders and put more oil down to the lifters.
Got down there again and started to work the wheel again. This time it seemed to move more freely but still not far. I’d say not even the distance of a one tooth.
I’ll work at it again tomorrow.
Thanks Glenn-I put it in neutral!

Well, I just want to let you guys/gals know I haven't been sitting on my a$$. I've have been working on it, but can't honest say I detect any movement. I spent over two weeks going out every 2 or 3 days trying with all my might to move the flywheel back and forth with prybars ---- to no avail. I took a week off and will go out again tomorrow to see what happens - but I'm not encouraged.

I think my next step will be to hook onto it and pull it while it's in 4th gear - as a bolter advised. My brother said that won't work because all it will do is slide the rear tires on the grass. So. . .I hung up on him!!

Maybe I'll spring for some Kroil, like Jerry recommended.

I'll get back with you when/if I get any movement.

Putting Coca Cola or molasses in the cylinders will remove rust, but it is a slow process. Probably would be best to remove all oil with alcohol first. Of course that would work if the problem is rust, not mechanical lock.

Ed

You might remove the rocker arm asm. & insure all valves will close. That way when you get the crank to rotate won't risk piston hitting a valve.

I'd second putting the truck in gear and giving it a tug. Had to do that with my Spartan to help free it up in some tight spots.

Like Dragsix said above, hopefully you have the sparkplugs out. That will remove compression drag and prevent hydro-lock which WILL damage the engine if you tow the truck.

Ok VEW, you’ve been around here long enough (2005) to know Stovebolt has a specific Tech Tip addressing getting a long dormant engine going. I hope you follow it to a T. Good luck.🛠

Well? Any luck or progress?

Hey Glenn,
So kind of you to be thinking of me working in this 95 degree heat!
If thinking about it means making progress, then I have. Otherwise, no. I had good intensions of hooking it up to Thor and giving it a dug and then the heat set in. Both trucks are out in the sunlight, so no escaping it. I keep thinking I'll go out after the thermometer drop about 10 points, but doesn't look like that's going to happen within the next 10 days.
I've been working in my shop and it gets plenty warm in there, but I have a pretty big fan. As long as I'm around or near the airflow, it's ok; step outside that flow for long and it's not pretty!
It's on my list and now that I'm retired, I'm knocking things out!
Hope all is well and I'll let you know what happens with the wrecker.

Good to hear from ya. Glad you didnt melt away yet. Take your time on it. It will cool down sooner or later and itll still be there. Today here in Pittsburgh is was actually much cooler. Not sure if it reached 80. So it should be coming your way. Keep us posted.