Seized motor AC wd-45

[Loadstar]

Tractor lives in a garage basement. Engine is locked tight from sitting dormant. Today I pulled plugs filled cylinders with pb blaster. Hand crank is seized in frame and I'm not about to touch the starter. Will probably fill tires with air and try rocking it. I'm not trying to get it running just bust it loose and maintain it. Any extra tips would be appreciated.

 

[MasseyWV]

Tractor lives in a garage basement. Engine is locked tight from sitting dormant. Today I pulled plugs filled cylinders with pb blaster. Hand crank is seized in frame and I'm not about to touch the starter. Will probably fill tires with air and try rocking it. I'm not trying to get it running just bust it loose and maintain it. Any extra tips would be appreciated.

Try a 50/50 mixture of automatic transmission fluid and acetone, it's said to be one of the most effective penetrating lubricants one can use.

Penetrating Lube Test: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

 

[DJ54]

I'll second the ATF/Acetone. Finally had a chance to use it last fall, and have since used it more then several times. Works great..!!

Years ago on a few old tractors that were stuck, I took a spark plug, and knocked the porcelain, and electrode from it. Brazed a 3/8" pipe sleeve to it, and adapted down to 1/4" pipe, then put a male air fitting on it. Loosened the valve rockers enough to let the valves close. I then hooked an air hose up to it, with the regulator set at about 60 psi to help the penetrant do it's thing. Worked pretty good..!!

 

[Loadstar]

A gentleman on another forum sent me this. I might give it a shot. Seems like it uses a little of everything to get it moving:
You put kerosene with the ATF to thin it out so it seeps into areas. Acetone works better than kerosene, but it evaporates quickly.

"I typically use a mixture of diesel fuel and ATF because I have diesel fuel on hand. I will pull the plugs and fill up as much as I can with the mixture in all cylinders and let it set for a while. I will also remove the rockers and get all the valves closed (add some oil and possibly dump some of the ATF mixture down the exhaust manifold in case you have some stuck exhaust valves. The intake valves are more problematic if they are stuck on that tractor due to the intake design.

Anyway - after its set for a week (If I know the tractor history better - I might only wait 24hours based on that knowledge) - then I've made a series of threaded inserts that match various spark plug sizes - I insert one of the inserts into one of the spark plug hole and attach a grease gun and start pumping - after a forceful pump or two - I will move to the next cylinder - this forces that ATF mixture down through the rings. Once all the way through - I'll let it sit for another day. Then I go pick a cylinder and retach the grease gun and just start pumping - you'll know its working as the ATF mixture will start coming out the other spark plug holes - when you get that piston to the bottom of travel - move to another cylinder and repeat - make sure you top off the ATF fluid in the cylinder so you don't have to pump as much grease.

I've done this to literally hundreds of engines since the mid 90s. It works awesome. Even if the motor needs rebuilt - this is the easiest way to get the pistons unstuck.... I once had a 1934 JD D that I got a spare block and pistons with.... the pistons were seized in the spare block.... it took 3 weeks of soaking and nearly 40 tons of force to pop them out..... a grease gun puts out 3000psi pretty easily - that would have equated to over 50 tons on that particular piston plus forced fluid between the piston and the walls....."

I was a little concerned about the straight grease gun method but this seems to have a little more cushion to it. I think I will give the pb a week, see if it does anything, then mixed ATF for a week, and if I'm not getting anywhere-switch to grease gun prying.

 

[Egon]

Maybe check the coolant level. If it is down it may have drained into crankcase.

 

[Loadstar]

Good thought... made me puke in my throat a little. I should probably pull drain plug and check for nightmare in the crankcase. Thanks for the extra thought.

 

[MasseyWV]

Acetone works better than kerosene, but it evaporates quickly.

When mixed with ATF, the evaporation rate of acetone is greatly reduced.

 

[DJ54]

We've done the grease "thing" with the old hit & miss engines, and it works great too...!! That's why we always bought those half used 5 gal. buckets of grease at farm sales, and keep the ole' manual load grease gun around.

 

[Loadstar]

Added kroil into cylinders today. Pulled drain plug and it was oil. Soaked hood in kroil finally got it off. Pulled valve cover off and marinated with kroil and ATF. Aired tires up and gently rocked tractor with no luck. Manually pushed valves and they were all free. Rocked tractor some more and it broke free.

 

[murphy1244]

That Kroil is really good stuff, smart move.

 

[Varmint1]

I agree, kroil is some good stuff. When I got my dozer the engine was stuck I remove the head and got all the water out of the cylinders and soaked them down with kroil went to work for two weeks came back and engine was free'ed up.

 

[DJ54]

The ol' girl looks pretty clean inside, considering..!!

 

[Loadstar]

Yes considering how long it has set in a humid basement. It kind of looked like the oil residual turned to anti seize in the top end. Think the next step is drain crankcase and fill it up with diesel or something to loosen buildup. Then drain and fill with good oil. Wife's grandpa was so happy it broke free... now I think he wants me to get it running. I left it for now with cylinders full of ATF to soak till I return. I think I will start moving towards getting it running. Her grandpa is not doing great, but he also wants me to get another WD45 and a cub running. Both have set for long time.

 

[deerseeker001]

kroil is the best but hard to find to buy.

 

[DJ54]

A good industrial supply should carry Kroil, or you can contact them, and buy direst, or you used to be able to. But then they send you sale flyers once a week, and even call, if you give them your ph#. I still have a pint, from the first gallon I bought 25 years ago. It came in a package deal. 1 Gallon, a quart can, a small pump can, and like an 12 oz. aerosol can. A little goes along way..!!

Definitely good stuff, but since using the acetone, and ATF, I'll go with that. Works even better than the Kroil.

 

[Loadstar]

Pulled oil pan drain plug last night. I'm letting it drip dry until I return Saturday. Then I'll fill it with mix of something. Should have pulled carb to start soaking and find parts, but I didn't realize there are different carbs on these. I'll pull it Saturday and begin it's identification and repair.
Initially I started this with no intent to start it but plans changed. I'll post updates of progresses. I get very short windows to work on this wd45. 15 minutes was all I had last night. I'm busy with a 2 year old, a pregnant wife, work and a thousand other projects. So many people who have no time may find interest haha. This is my first resurrection of a long dormant tractor. Questions or comments welcome.
Attached a carb pic.

 

[Loadstar]

Had a good time sunday with the WD45. Pulled carb it's a marvel TSX561. Looked good on inside and fuel tank is surprisingly spotless! I went ahead and got a kit coming for the carb and tore it down completely for a thorough cleaning anyway. I want to roll the motor more so I freed up the hand crank shaft. Hand-crank shaft only spins 180' and upon further investigation it's bent. f$$$! Pulled old battery out (split in half) I need to figure out how to engage the flatbelt pulley so maybe I can roll motor with that too. Also ordered oil filters.

The other two tractors that ran in recent history are proving to be a PITA. The farmall cub next to the wd in the previous paragraph has a fuel tank full of horrors. I'm very surprised it's not leaking. FULL of a milkshake consisting of stale gas/rust. I will take a moment to also lob my complaint of the hood and tank being one piece. That will make it hard to shake full of gravel. Went through the carb and checked it over. All systems on cub go minus tank and battery. The other wd45 got her cylinders oiled and engine hand cranked over. I'm not digging the front end loader on this one as it seems to be in the way.

 

[Egon]

Jack up a rear wheel and use that to crank the motor.

 

[Loadstar]

Jack up a rear wheel and use that to crank the motor.

Nice! I could be down there rolling it over like the price is right! Instead I'm pushing it around with a flat rear like he-man. My back says thanks.

 

[Loadstar]

Took carb to work and cleaned on breaks. Picking up paint (for carb), oil filter and carb kit tonight. Pulled everything out of it and apart. Chemically cleaned, wire brushed, pipe cleaned, scotch padded, and blew out with nitrogen. Can't wait to complete and toss it on tractor so it stands out like a sore thumb