The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop frozen 1951 228ci gmc 6 cylinder engine

i just purchased a 1951 gmc 1/2 ton pickup that was sitting in a field in healdsberg, ca for thirty years, it was last registered in 73. the pickup is in great condition, minor dents in fenders, a tiny bit of cancer in the right rear lower cab, but other wise no cancer rust! the glass is all intact no cracks or any thing. even all 4 hub caps are there. all the chrome trime is there with both gmc 150 labels still there, as well as the hood gmc label. the only thing missing is the tailgate. now started pulling stuff off the 228ci engine and found it was frozen. i pulled the valve cover and all the rocker arms are really rusty and frozen. i need info on what i should do to the engine to make it run and if a '62 235ci engine from a chevy pickup will match the bellhousing?

If that GMC has 150 labels on the hood, then it's a '51 DeLuxe Cab 3/4 ton. Measure the wheelbase and see if it's 125.25" and if there are 8 lug rims under those hubcaps. If yes, then you have yourself quite a score. The hubcaps alone are worth what you paid for the whole truck...if it's a 3/4 ton. Also, do the doors have stainless steel trim inside and out around the windows? Stainless trim around the windshield? Four speed?

Radley pull the plugs squirt some penatrating oil into each cylinder, let sit. Next day repeat. Try turning the engine over by the crack pulley. If it doesn't move try more penitrating oil and time.

Was there any oil in the crankcase (oilpan)? If not you will want to add some oil to the crankcase. Now one of the other members may have some suggestions but I would just use regular oil.

You may also want to pull the rocker arm shafts from the head and disasemble and clean then reassemble.

If you don't rush things you should be able to free up this engine. But don't be suprized if it dosn't run or runs poorly once you get it free.

Good luck to you and keep us posted with your progress!

Also diesel and auto tranni fluid also works good for freeing up the motor, did a straight 8 a few years back that was sitting since 1959, managed to get the motor to turn but still ended up taking the motor apart due to stuck valves, but all the rings where free after 2 weeks. Do you have any idea why it was parked in the frist place? Since the rest of the truck sounds great maybe the motor was the reason for it being parked.. I have a friend that want's me to look at a truck of his, it's a 41 or 42 Chev CMP (canadian millatary pattern) 6cyl I think a 3 ton or 5 ton with wench on the back and right hand drive.

An old truck with a wench ... don't get no better than that!

Patience,patience.If you can get it to budge, you will be able to get it moving more and more.A lot of patience and a little oil and elbow-grease, it will work free 90% of the time

Just wondering in case I run into a stuck engine, I have a few old trucks but what do I use the wench for?

Grant, Geeeze! Don't you know nuttin?

The wench is used to get your engine started. I use liquid wench if it's stuck really bad. I have used an adjustable wench but have found that a box wench works a lot better with this type of problem. If you put a wench on the harmonic balancer, you can start almost any engine no matter how rusty or old. Once, my engine was all frozen up after sitting for a long time once and it took two wenches to get it going that time.

Just my experience...your own results may vary.

I used the transmission and forth gear to turn mine over. I just jacked up one rear wheel and putit in forth gear.

Not all of us are so open about our experience with wenches!

Halt, go no farther!!!! This is where we separate the GMC guys from the Chevy guys-LOL. He is talking a GMC engine not Chevy. GMC exhaust valves were cooled by water nozzles in the cylinders and water probably got into the cylinders over time. That gets things REAL rusty in the cylinders. I did this on my 308 six in my 45 GMC COE in 1980 and it is still running today with over 300,000 miles on it. Radley, contact me via email and I will tell you exactly what you need to do. GMC built a far better engine then Chevy if the truth be known. You will be further ahead if you fix that engine and it shoudn't cost you much at all. Maybe a few gaskets. Sounds like a cool, fun truck you have there. Fix it don't butcher it!! My email is [email protected] .

Oly that would be water nozzles in the head, not cylinder right?I think Chevy used nozzles in the 216 head also .The GMC in its day was a premier gas engine and still good today.But a running Chevy beats a siezed GMC any day lol.

The P B blaster penertrating oil did the trick on my 51 chevy 216 about 2 weeks to free it up.It ran last in 1974 that's 28 years I didn't try to start it, I removed motor and rebuilt it, runs fine now. Found 3 and 5 with the rings stuck to pistons had to tap them out with a small punch after another week of soaking them. good luck let us know how it goes.

Yes Tony, Thanks for the Ad Hoc correction. It sems that because of the water nozzles there is "weeping" of water, over time, into the cylinders and this causes the rings to rust in place on the pistons. Can be a real bear to fix but is doable. Where is Profitt when I need him-LOL.