unfreezing a frozen Cummins 8.3

[JackConrad]

Trying to help a friend.  Any suggestions on how to unfreeze a 8.3 cummins that was flooded in fresh water and is now froze up?  Thanks is advance.  Jack

[tekebird]

if it was not pickled immediatley.

tear it all the way down and rebuild it.

not doing that could result in loss of block too

[bobofthenorth]

There was an old boy here when I moved to Nipawin who used to restore old tractors.  For the ones that were seized up he would make an adapter to go in the injector or spark plug hole, depending on the engine.  The adapter allowed him to put hydraulic pressure to the cylinder(s).  He claimed that worked as well as anything to loosen up a stuck engine.  Rebuild is obviously the "right" way to go but sometimes you just need a running engine - it doesn't have to be purty.

[Ncbob]

Jack, for the many years we were in the Marine industry we found more than our share of engines that were sunk in salt water then flushed with fresh water. I sometimes wondered if the fresh water flush was only to convince us that there'd never been any salt in them.

Naturally it depends on how long the critter had been dunked. But I usually started with brake fluid on top of the pistons and gave them a long soak with a cover to help keep the evaporation at a minimum. If a couple of whacks with a 10# hammer with some good end grain wood and if they don't break loose...repeat the process with the thought that the next time they don't move...they're history.

Hope this helps.

Bob

[Dallas]

Brake fluid and a Kaufman starter. It will move. Or at least something will move!

[Paso One]

I"ve un stuck a few ( ENGINES) with plain old Kerosene.  Keep filling the cylinder up the more you have to add the sooner it will turn..

[Sojourner]

As per Dallas suggested is water soluble fluid....if any water still in rings & between piston skirt to wall, it will penetrates better than any petroleum product. If it been over few weeks or month out of water...it probably badly froze that need to tear down for rebuild.

Bottom-line is once it been water soaked....it will take many month or year to dry as well making more rust.

I think the best way is to tow it instead of trying to get running to repair shop.

Jack...have you talk to your local Cumming diesel repair shop on Hog Bay road?

FWIW

Sojourn for Christ, Jerry

[TomC]

Personally, I would only take apart the engine and replace all that needs to be replaced.  Then you'll really know the condition of the engine without guessing.  Good Luck, TomC

[HB of CJ]

Wow.  How deep was the water, ("head" pressure against the engine) how long in time was it under and how long has it been since it has been in the water?  Makes a difference.

Analogy....years ago we sank our ski boat (named appropriately the "Flip Flop") twice, once in fresh, once in salt.  Was bobbing along with only the foam filled bow exposed. In fresh was "sunk" for about one (1) hr.

We winched it out back onto the trailer, drained the lake water out of the Chevy tall block truck 427, took the top off the carb and blew it out with air, removed the mag and did the same thing, drained out all the oil and water (actually very little water)....

....changed the oil and filture, pulled all the plugs and spun her dry, fired her back up and went back to skiing.  In the salt, we had to drive her home for a fresh water hose flush, did the same things again, then fired her up.  The vee drive was ok, as was the fuel and batts.

After the second swamping, we raised the transom combing 12 inches around the rear of the boat and that cured the problem.  Seems we would sink ourselves with our own trailing wake.  Oh well.

Sorry to be soosss wordy.  Good fond memories.  If your Cummins diesel has been in salt water for more than a couple days, then a total tear down is about your only real option.  Pay particular attention to the injection system and any electronics.  Good luck. 

[ArtGill]

I've had good luck with Marvel Mystery Oil.  I had purchased an old fire truck that the engine was stuck.  I took out the spark plugs and put some Marvel Mystery Oil in each cylinder and let it soak for several days.  Then I took my truck and rocked the fire truck back and forth in gear until the motor turned a little.  Added more oil, waited , and repeated.  It did run and didn't smoke, so I got lucky.

Try the oil,

Art