frozen pistons need help - Page 2
 

frozen pistons need help

Started by crown, September 22, 2009, 07:14:26 AM

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NJT5047

The pistons and sleeves are trashed after rusting in place.  You may wish to try some heat on the piston tops with a rosebud and cycle the process a few times.  The pistons will expand and shrink and will probably about fall out after a few cycles. 
I'd remove the crank, get a big drift and drive the pistons out with a sledge.   That works every time.  If that brings the liners out...all the better.   DON'T drift on the rods...get down beside the wrist pins and bang on the pistons.   This process will destroy the pistons, but they are damaged already. 
Even if you get it free'ed up, the liners, rings, and pistons are pitted from dissimilar metal water damage.  At best, even if free'd up without major demolition, the engine would consume huge amounts of oil.  At worst, it'll grenade after a few miles at highway speeds.   All piston surfaces that had steel and water mixed have pitted.  No sealing at the ring lands are (likely) possible now.    And the piston skirts are undersized from corrosion.   No good comes from this sort of pickling. 
If this engine sat thru a winter in freezing conditions and out of the lake, there may be damage that you cannot see...like cracks in the block or head.   Or even cracked liners (sleeves) from water in the combustion chamber.   
As has been described already, if you plan on using this engine on the highway, the liners, pistons, and rings, at a minimum, should be replaced.   You might salvage the bearing shells if they plastigage out and are not damaged from attempts to bar over the engine.   IF the engine really is a '60K' mileage engine...check the bearing clearances while you're in there. 
The rods can be checked without too much expense.   Cranks, cams, and blocks can be serviced and reused.
The valves may be stuck in the guides.  The head (s) should be disassembled and serviced before using.
Isn't Boogiethecat pondering repowering?  He may have a 220 Cummins for a Crown for sale?  I may be confused too...? 
Another thought is that if you're replacing a running engine, you might take the best parts from both? 
If you just want to hear it run, you may be successful with freeing it up and cranking. But if you want the engine to be useful, replace everything that's rusted or pitted (or gauled, or outside service limits) and you'll live happily ever after.   

Good luck, JR


JR Lynch , Charlotte, NC
87 MC9, 6V92TA DDEC, HT748R ATEC

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others."

Ayn Rand

johns4104s

A big recomendation for Kroil oil. I spent a lot of time in power generating stations, when it was time to dismantle the turbine (8 and 10" diameter bolts) which had cycled from ambient to 1000 deg f sometimes every 24 hours for several years. The only penetrent they would use was Kroil and it works.

John

crown

 update first this was a fl. coach so no cold weather yes it is a 60.000 moter yesterday i went to cummins
and to a engine machine shop the machine shop is going to check & repair the head was told looks very good
at most vavle guides and set the vavles cummins is going to rebuild the turbo they also recomended a mecannic
that they use when they get to busy he will work at my home  if the rings free up cummins will check my pistons
and linners they charge $ 12 each but if i am buying parts from them they will wave this fee thats all for now
will keep you posted thanks again for all the help john
john
57 crown
costa rica

JohnEd

I new a gentleman that lived in Charleston/Coos Bay ,Or.  He was an old salt and one hell of a guy.  He worked mainly with the fishing boats and he rebuilt transmissions for boats from all over the entire west coast. Really antique and diagnosed "unrepairable" stuff was his speciality.  Bill Chard is probably close to his last name and he was in the book.  A man with an incredible life achievement and I suspect he was only semi literate but I don't know that.  What I learned from Bill was that I could probably have gotten satisfactory results by investing one tenth of the time and money in every project I had ever done in my life.  I like the book and I try to do everything "better" than what is absolutely required.  At least that is my opinion of me.

Don't missunderstand, Bill was a competent and very experienced mechanic and machinist and he could do any job to the extent that the customer wanted.  Those fishermen are a insolvent group and they "needed" the lowest possible price that they could get.  Bill was the only one that could accommodate them.  I once saw him baring an engine free that had seized cylinders and rust up the bore.  He had oiled it and let it sit for the required week.  What else he did or what oil he used I have not a clue.  He patiently worked that crank back and forth after rapping the pistons with a piece of 4X4 and a hand sledge.  He finally got it to turn a complete revolution.  He started wiping the bores clean(?) after every pass.  I watched this operation over several days and finally asked my question.  Bill, why are you taking such pains to get the pistons out in one piece if you are going to have to throw them away anyway?  Bill said "why would I throw anything away?" and he was serious.  He later told me that the old fisherman that brought it in was penniless and lived on his boat but had family in town.  He put that engine together after freeing everything and told me it might run for a long time but it might also crap out on the way out of the harbor.  I asked how "that old fisherman made out with that rusted engine?' and Bill said it was still running after 8 months and the old guy had long ago paid off his tab with Bill had had a really good season.  I guess it has something to do with luck but I know it has more to do with that Kenny Rogers song..You got to know when to hold'em and ya gotta k.....

Bill is one of the most memorable characters in my life.  He once told me he was thinking of retiring and my council was "you are one of those guys that has worked so hard for so long that you would drop dead a week after you quit".  He nodded his agreement, at the time.  I recently ran into him, after 10 years, at an auction.  I looked him in the eye and said I am glad and a little surprised that you are still kicking.  He remembered my advice cause he said "yes I am and its because I never quit or retired".  I never saw a 2 stroke in his shop but he did rebuild GMC blowers for people in San Diego and elsewhere further south for less than anybody else and he used cores that other shops had rejected.  I don't doubt that Southern Or. Diesel knows of him.

I am only guessing here, but I think I know what Bill would advise.  Put the head back on to retain the liners and bar it over till it was free.  I don't thin Scotch brite is a good idea cause it has ceramic abrasive in it and that stuff can't be gotten rid of by wiping.  After you get it turning, take the head back off and wipe it all down with D and reassemble.  It might go another "season".  And when you rebuild you will be making the same investment as you might right now.  AND you would not have the tale to tell of that engin.........

It would be balanced and blueprinted if it were mine and I had the money and yes, I have done dumber things.  I guess anybody could do it my way.

good luck and I think others have given excellent advice.

John

John
"An uneducated vote is a treasonous act more damaging than any treachery of the battlefield.
The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." Plato
"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light."
—Pla