stuck engine

[Joey]

A friend of mine asked me for help and I'm turning it over to you guys - figured the experts here can get it done faster than me. Johnnie has a stuck engine in a Farmall 350 - he knows one piston is stuck for sure. How can he get it loose?

[Oscar Meier]

Need a little more info. Was the engine running when it got stuck or has it been sitting for a while? Was it sitting inside or outside? When was the last time the engine ran?

[Eugene]

Are you sure it's a stuck engine? Perhaps the starter is hung up in the flywheel. There could be a couple of other problems that would lock up an engine.

Piston stuck in cylinder. Try removing the spark plugs and filling the cylinders with solvent, let set for several days. Refill the cylinders every day. Jack up and block up one rear wheel. Tractor in high, 4th gear, rotate (jerk) the top of the tire forward and back. Continue the solvent and rocking the tire (engine) for several weeks. This may or may not work.

The fastest method is to remove the head and pan. Remove the unstuck pistons. Then press out the stuck piston and liner.

[Matt Kirsch]

You know what they say about opinions and methods to free a stuck engine... Everyone's got one

I've heard that putting Coca-Cola down the cylinder bores will free the engine. People have used all sorts of commercially-available penetrating oils as well.

Worst case, you pound out the pistons and liners as a single unit, and replace.

[Eugene]

Matt. I have several opinions on how to unstick stuck engines. In fact I have an engine block with stuck pistons that has been laying on the shop floor for two years. I tried to unstick that engine for over a year. I even tried the 4x4 and hydraulic jack trick. I never did get it unstuck. I just replaced the engine.

We agree on removing the piston with liner.

Besides that I just love a good disagreement.

Eugene

[Joey]

Here's a little more info on the stuck engine - tractor hasn't run in over 20 years and has been sitting up inside a barn. Here's the kicker though - the tractor has been under Mississippi River floodwaters twice! Johnnie has tried the solvent in the bore method (still doing it) and has tried the jacked up wheel method. The good thing about opinions is that there is many of them - more methods to try out! Thanks for the suggestions - keep them coming!

[Oscar Meier]

If the tractor was completly submerged - I wouldn't bother with trying to get it unstuck - you need a complete rebuild. If by some chance you did get it unstuck, most likely all the electrical is also ruined. So getting the pistons freed up is just the start of the job.

Most likely you'll have to get the cylinders bored and oversized rings. the valves reset to the head, new ignition, generator, basically you'll have to rebuild the whole tractor.

All this not to mention the transmission, differential & clutch.

Sorry; but, if it's been under water and then set - the prognosis is not good.

Oscar

[Eugene]

If this tractor has been under water I wouldn't bother trying to get it running. I would part it out.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Joey, assuming it has set for several years between floods, I agree with Eugene. Every bearing, and gear will be rusty and full fo grit.

[Oscar Meier]

I don't think it's totally impossible. Look at What FIT's doing with the Cub that set out for so long. It was in pretty bad shape and has done pretty well with bringing it back. he had a stuck motor too!

You just will have to resolve yourself to a complete disassembly and rebuild. the question is it worth all the work? You'll get quite a bit of money in it before you hear it run again - most likely enough to buy a running tractor.

Just someting to think about.

Oscar

[Joey]

Thanks for the advice, I'll pass it along to Johnnie. He's an old iron enthusiast who convinced the property owners to try and get the tractor running - I guess money will dictate the future course of action. Knowing Johnnie, though, he'll want to try. Thanks again.