The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop stupid question

Just for grins - if a 292 were frozen, and the head taken off and the engine freed up, and if the head was cleaned up and put back on without changing anything other than the gasket, is it hypothetically possible for said engine to work?

Hypotheticly? Yeah, it'll run, but not very well.
BTW-Did you notice that that's post #292 for you?

sure, but "how well" it runs would depend on the
condition of the cylinder walls. If they have deep rust pitting where the rings will travel, I'd be hesitant to put that much time and $$ into it.
mv

fire it up, let it run for 15 minutes, change the oil. assuming you have water and waterpump working. my dad and i freed up a 1954 buick 322 and it ran for several years after.

I never noticed. Kinda spooky. At this point it's a matter of time and money. I could do it all the way right, and redo the whole thing over the next year, or I could clean up the head and just go for it, if it could work. I'm not looking for mad power or anything, I'm just getting very hot pantsed...Is that a word?

Thanks,

Jason

liljay, Mike Vee has you headed in the right direction. It's all in the cylinder walls and I'll add ring wear. If there is any major rust, or scoring of the cylinder walls, it's not worth the effort. From what I've seen on several 292 with high mileage the ring wear is not what I would expect usually around 20 thou. Put a feeler on the cylinder wall and find a gauge that matches the ring ridge. Are all the valves the same height, can you put a straight edge across the top of valve stems and not see any difference? It's a hard call, I know what I could put up with if I had too. Hate to tell someone else to do it, and have not work out for them. There still could be something that would come back and bite you, bad bearing. Do you have any history on the motor.

Larry

No history on the motor, and there are some rust lines on the cylinder walls. I'm just getting so impatient and I kow once I tear it down all the way I'm gonna do a cam, and intake, and headers, and all that. Just looking for a temporary fix.

Thank you for all the replies,

Jason

Since almost all frozen engines have the rings rusted in the bore, I would suggest pulling the pan and put new rings in it. If the bore is not in too good shape buy cheap cast iron rings, they will seat best in a used bore and will usually last for 50 to 60,000 miles. I have done that a few times and it works good for a temporary fix to save reboring the block, new pistons, etc. If it won't be a daily driver it will last for many years.

I'd be very leary of the rings being stuck in the ring grooves of the pistons. Just because it's not stuck anymore doesn't mean that there isn't a bunch of rust and build-up between the rings and the pistons.

Obviously you have to use a ring groove cleaner before putting on the new rings, thought everyone knew that.

break one of the old rings and use it as a scraper.

Don't assume everybody knows everything. His original question was whether or not he could safely put the freed up motor back together w/out doing anything to it. I'm pretty sure that meant not replacing rings, bearings, etc. just gaskets. That being said, my concern with a freed up (previously stuck) engine is that the rings may still be stuck in the pistons.

I do agree though chev32, I wouldn't put an engine back together without at least re-ringing it and giving the cyls. a light hone. Not difficult, and not very costly.