The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop stuck pistons

I have a complete 327 from a 66 school bus that has been rained on, I got it for free as it is stuck. basically all I wanted the exh manifolds. After pulling the heads I think maybe it is salvageable. I am soaking w/Marvel mystery oil but was wondering if anyone had any good piston removal tips other than a BFH. brian

This will sound crazy BUT...I did it!! An engine I "found" was stuck. I poured the Marvel Mystery oil to it pretty heavy, pulled the heads and actually took a round piece of firewood that would fit in the cyl and put it on top of the pistons. I gave each one a couple good whacks then using a BIG slotted screw driver I finally got the flywheel to move..just a little. Then let it soak overnight and repeated the process. Once it got to moving I kept working the flywheel back and forth until it would make it all way around. Engine fired up, smoked like a tar kettle for a few minutes and then ran fine.
Maybe just luck but it worked!!! I have also "heard" that letting disel fuel soak for a while would help????

Did you ever think about hiring youself out as a mosquito sprayer?

luck,,luck,,luck,,I never have it like that...doc

For real bad ones, I set the engine up so the head surface is level and pour some wd-40 on top of the pistons. Cover it up with a rag and let it sit for a couple of weeks or months. If I have to pound them out it usually scores the walls bad enough that .030" overbore won't clean it up. I hate resleeving. I take a die grinder and grind the top of the bore (just enough to smooth the edge) so the piston rings will slide out. I them take my die grinder and a wire brush and clean out the top of the cylinder bore (this is a rusty block) as much as I can. Don't pound on the rod, but pound the piston up and then down with a bouard and hammer wiping the bore clean after you move it one direction, repeat until loose. If the piston doesn't come loose in a couple of hits, I set it up and put more wd-40 in the cylinder and let it sit some more. When I bring an old truck home and don't plan on working on it for a while, I take the air cleaner and oil fill cap off and fill the motor as full as I can with deisel fuel before I park it. Then when I go to get it I can drain the fluid (whats left because most of it leaks out) and the motor has loosened up some already.

I have also heard that using oil of pepermint works. It's kind of expensive though. I have wondered about the evapo rust stuff.