Ford 2000 Engine Seized

[Mearntain]

I parked my Ford 2000, 3 cyl gas, for about a year and a half and it is now seized. I poured ATF in after removing spark plugs last night to let it soak and was going to try to break her free this evening.

Any tips you could offer? I was going to try rocking it while in gear (3rd gear high) and if that doesn't work, try to pull it with my truck while in gear. I was hoping to avoid putting a pry bar on the flywheel.

I believe these are my only options I have correct? Open to any input. Thanks

 

[lennyzx11]

I brought a neglected farm all back to life by pouring a 50/50 mix of acetone/atf fluid in each cylinder to cover the piston head completely. Shake well or will separate over time.
Then leaving in third gear like you, I would walk by and try to roll the rear tire back and forth daily or when I was in the area. And give it a top off.
Like the proverbial story, “And on the 7th day..” it worked!
Once starter would spin it, I drained the oil. Refilled with fresh and proceeded to get it started.

 

[Mearntain]

Sounds good, I appreciate it! Actually had someone else reccomend the Acetone mixture to me last night, but didn't have any on hand so I went with straight ATF. I halfway pushed it out it's rut and threw it in gear with the fluid sitting in there. I probably won't get that lucky, but I'm hoping I come home to find it sitting back in the rut with a free motor, otherwise ill try what you said. Much appreciated!

 

[Tinhack]

I could never get ATF and Acetone to say mixed. It wants to separate almost immediately. I kept shaking and shaking to no avail. I think the mix is an old wives tale. I don't see how it's going to help. If you want to thin the ATF, just use paint thinner. Or...Just use WD-40 straight!

There's plenty of YT videos showing the mix separating also.

 

[Texasmark]

I parked my Ford 2000, 3 cyl gas, for about a year and a half and it is now seized. I poured ATF in after removing spark plugs last night to let it soak and was going to try to break her free this evening.

Any tips you could offer? I was going to try rocking it while in gear (3rd gear high) and if that doesn't work, try to pull it with my truck while in gear. I was hoping to avoid putting a pry bar on the flywheel.

I believe these are my only options I have correct? Open to any input. Thanks

I think the folks who use AF for penetrating oil also mix Acetone with it! The Acetone dissolves the AF and lets it get in the little tiny cracks and crevices so it can get to what you want to lube!

 

[Texasmark]

In breaking loose an engine, I give the penetrating oil time to work and then get on the crankshaft front bolt and start rocking motion back and forth...CW...CCW...CW...CCW etc. etc.......If it won't move give it more time, more lube and back at it. Once it moves just slightly, you are good to go...just keep at it back and forth till it cleans up.

 

[Mearntain]

Thanks for the good explanation, I appreciate it. After getting it unstuck, would it be sufficient to use a shop vac on the holes to get as much leftover fluid as I can, and then just crank a bit with no plugs in to clear the rest? Really trying to avoid hydrolocking, first time I've ever done this on a motor that was installed.

 

[Texasmark]

I don't see you filling the cylinder with penetrant. A few ounces would/should do the trick to get it to roll over and the holes are open for you to get the penetrant into the cylinders, just leave them open for the time being.

So, yes on your question about opening the plug/injector holes and roll it over but I'd change the crankcase oil before I put more than a few RPMs on it....rolling it over by hand. While the holes are open, next thing is to change the oil and filter, and fill the filter with crankcase oil before installing to ensure oil starts getting pumped immediately...I do that every time I change oil on any engine! thing is to change the oil and filter....

Then I'd get a freshly charged battery and spin it as fast as the battery will spin it for several minutes. Then close her back up and light her off. Once it's running on it's own, I'd put into the crankcase, something like Sea Foam (any auto parts store, 16 oz can, contains Naptha....solvent), the whole can, in with the crankcase oil on that first runup for about 30 minutes with the tractor parked and at about 1k RPMs....purpose is to dissolve the sludge in the bottom of the pan.

Then drain the oil and stick your finger in the drain hole and see if all the sludge is gone from the bottom of the oil pan....if not, do it all again. If ok, new oil and filter again and you're ready to go.

 

[Mearntain]

I don't see you filling the cylinder with penetrant. A few ounces would/should do the trick to get it to roll over and the holes are open for you to get the penetrant into the cylinders, just leave them open for the time being.

So, yes on your question about opening the plug/injector holes and roll it over but I'd change the crankcase oil before I put more than a few RPMs on it....rolling it over by hand. While the holes are open, next thing is to change the oil and filter, and fill the filter with crankcase oil before installing to ensure oil starts getting pumped immediately...I do that every time I change oil on any engine! thing is to change the oil and filter....

Then I'd get a freshly charged battery and spin it as fast as the battery will spin it for several minutes. Then close her back up and light her off. Once it's running on it's own, I'd put into the crankcase, something like Sea Foam (any auto parts store, 16 oz can, contains Naptha....solvent), the whole can, in with the crankcase oil on that first runup for about 30 minutes with the tractor parked and at about 1k RPMs....purpose is to dissolve the sludge in the bottom of the pan.

Then drain the oil and stick your finger in the drain hole and see if all the sludge is gone from the bottom of the oil pan....if not, do it all again. If ok, new oil and filter again and you're ready to go.

Sounds great, thanks again. Actually already drained the oil once and surprisingly was still rather clean from the last time I used it, so I suspect sludge will be minimal but definitely worth being sure its clean anyways. Will certainly do everything you said.

She's been soaking 3 days now and still no luck rocking. Would you advise against hooking my truck up to it in gear and putting engine idle pressure on it only to see if it'll break loose?

 

[John0829]

You will better off doing the slow way of letting it soak and trying to turn it by rocking the wheel with it in gear, using something to pull it may just break something big time making it necessary to open the engine for repair.

 

[Mearntain]

You will better off doing the slow way of letting it soak and trying to turn it by rocking the wheel with it in gear, using something to pull it may just break something big time making it necessary to open the engine for repair.

I'm glad I saw your reply, I was literally about to walk to the truck now but won't anymore.

I started with about 1/3 qt of atf spread between all 3 cyl. Then added some PB last night, not sure if it'll do anything with the ATF in there. Think I'm fine keeping what's already in there in it?

 

[fried1765]

I could never get ATF and Acetone to say mixed. It wants to separate almost immediately. I kept shaking and shaking to no avail. I think the mix is an old wives tale. I don't see how it's going to help. If you want to thin the ATF, just use paint thinner. Or...Just use WD-40 straight!

There's plenty of YT videos showing the mix separating also.

Laquer thinner combines readily in solution with ATF, and is a better substitute for Acetone than paint thinner.

 

[Mearntain]

Laquer thinner combines readily in solution with ATF, and is a better substitute for Acetone than paint thinner.

I actually have some lacquer thinner, but couldn't get any thumbs on that so I never tried it.

I'm about to suck whatever fluid I put in there and try some Sea Foam Deep Creep for a day or 2. If that doesn't work, I'll switch to the lacquer/atf mixture. Glad to know I can use that now.

 

[Mearntain]

No luck yet, still rocking away a few times a day. Tried sucking as much ATF out as I could and used about a half a can of Seafoam Deep Creep spread between all 3 cylinders. Maybe tomorrow will be the day I get lucky and she breaks loose. I know I got blisters from rocking it so often and hard now ha.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Any possibility of directing a salamander heater to the block to help get fluid moving? I never had luck getting a seized tractor engine moving by pulling it.

 

[Texasmark]

I wouldn't force it either. If you can't get it loose, pull the head and work directly with the cylinders. With the head off I'd shoot some down the holes where the push rods come out and get some on the cam...maybe will migrate to the cam bearings.

One would assume the lower end (crankshaft bearings) are ok as they were oil soaked but one never knows. I'd drop the pan and inspect mains and rod caps to ensure they are lubed and while the cap is off, I'd put some Lubriplate 105 {engine rebuilding grease) in the white tube, turquoise cap at any auto parts store on the bearing inserts before replacing the caps. On that note, I would snug them up and after you get it broken come back and torque to spec or replace if worn down to the copper.

One other thought is while you have the rod caps off for inspection, after inspecting, leave 3 of them off and try to break it with only one cap reatached...connecting that rod to the crankshaft...... the piston at TDC or nearest to it. Once that one breaks, just enough to get it moving. more PO to it and then leave it be, cap a second one and break it loose and so on.

On the cylinders with the piston at the lower portions of the cylinders, maybe take some fine sand paper and PO and take the rust film off the cylinder wall before adding that cylinder to the ones already broken free. Once you get them all broken free, I'd get out the hone and do a light honing with that piston at the bottom....then flush out everything and in doing that, move that piston to TDC making it easier to get all the "finds" out of the cylinder.

Also inspect the cylinder walls and valves for condition whereby you may be ok to put it all back together or will need to do an OH on all or at least the head??????

You are going to to a lot of time and trouble here so you have to ask yourself is it worth your time. If so, stay with it. I have done an inframe without having to pull the engine but that was on an engine that had upper problems....aluminim piston related primarily, with the cylinder walls and crankshaft journals in usable condition. The head did go to the machine shop for typical head work. That tractor is in use today, some 20 years later and still works like a charm. If you have to pull the engine it means a split and then you might as well do the clutch, pressure plate, starting ring gear (probably worn), throwout bearing and all that too.

One is assuming that you have the tranny in N. But to be on the safe sice, have somebody push in the clutch while trying to break it.

On penetrating oil, when in industry, the mechanical guys used Kroil brand penetrating oil. Comes in a pint can or 16 oz aerosol. Pricy, but a high quality penetrating oil that works....just ping the www.

 

[Mearntain]

Sounds great, thanks you 2 for the great tips. Luckily, and unfortunately,.it started raining today and will be for a few more days. I say luckily, because that gives stuff more time soak before I try to rock it again. Thanks again for the tips and much appreciated! I feel like I have a good plan of attack now if the "easy" way doesn't work out.

 

[TimberHole]

Seems strange it would be locked up after sitting only 1 1/2 years. Engines sit that long all the time with no lasting effect.

 

[crazyal]

I put a small Chinese Briggs on a snow blower a couple years ago (the clone to what Harbor Freight sells) and it got left outside during the summer for a few months. The design of the muffler basically channels water to the exhaust valve. Not sure if it was open or if someone tried to start it and gave up but water got on top of the piston. What a mess. I was able to get it running but a bit water made it's way down to the lower end which required several oil changes to get it out. I had to take sandpaper to the cylinder walls and remove the exhaust valve to derust it and the seat.

Is there a chance that water wend down the exhaust pipe? If so I would stop trying to force it to turn over. I agree with TexasMark about pulling the head to get a better idea of what's going on. On that small Briggs even though I could turn it over if I hadn't pulled the head and managed to get it started the piston would have destroyed the cylinder wall. A replacement for it was less than $100 so not a big loss. But damaging your block, possibly beyond what can be removed by boring, could easily turn your Ford into a parts machine.

 

[fried1765]

I wouldn't force it either. If you can't get it loose, pull the head and work directly with the cylinders. With the head off I'd shoot some down the holes where the push rods come out and get some on the cam...maybe will migrate to the cam bearings.

One would assume the lower end (crankshaft bearings) are ok as they were oil soaked but one never knows. I'd drop the pan and inspect mains and rod caps to ensure they are lubed and while the cap is off, I'd put some Lubriplate 105 {engine rebuilding grease) in the white tube, turquoise cap at any auto parts store on the bearing inserts before replacing the caps. On that note, I would snug them up and after you get it broken come back and torque to spec or replace if worn down to the copper.

One other thought is while you have the rod caps off for inspection, after inspecting, leave 3 of them off and try to break it with only one cap reatached...connecting that rod to the crankshaft...... the piston at TDC or nearest to it. Once that one breaks, just enough to get it moving. more PO to it and then leave it be, cap a second one and break it loose and so on.

On the cylinders with the piston at the lower portions of the cylinders, maybe take some fine sand paper and PO and take the rust film off the cylinder wall before adding that cylinder to the ones already broken free. Once you get them all broken free, I'd get out the hone and do a light honing with that piston at the bottom....then flush out everything and in doing that, move that piston to TDC making it easier to get all the "finds" out of the cylinder.

Also inspect the cylinder walls and valves for condition whereby you may be ok to put it all back together or will need to do an OH on all or at least the head??????

You are going to to a lot of time and trouble here so you have to ask yourself is it worth your time. If so, stay with it. I have done an inframe without having to pull the engine but that was on an engine that had upper problems....aluminim piston related primarily, with the cylinder walls and crankshaft journals in usable condition. The head did go to the machine shop for typical head work. That tractor is in use today, some 20 years later and still works like a charm. If you have to pull the engine it means a split and then you might as well do the clutch, pressure plate, starting ring gear (probably worn), throwout bearing and all that too.

One is assuming that you have the tranny in N. But to be on the safe sice, have somebody push in the clutch while trying to break it.

On penetrating oil, when in industry, the mechanical guys used Kroil brand penetrating oil. Comes in a pint can or 16 oz aerosol. Pricy, but a high quality penetrating oil that works....just ping the www.

Kroil is the very best, but often difficult to find.
50/50 ATF and laquer thinner is a poor man substitute for Kroil.