I have had a few stuck XK motors, its amazing they cannot be moved if even one piston has rings rusted to bores, and need to be at least partially dismantled.
Nothing to loose by letting it soak for weeks in penetrant…I have a couple that have been like that for years now…except that when I did remove a frozen piston/s, the rings were well stuck in their grooves, and would certainly have failed if the piston had not been removed and the rings freed . The bore/s had pitting. Waterways and oil sump full of skank
Hi guys. I’ve not got time to read all recent responses or make a proper post just now but I started stripping the spare engine last night and it’s going fine.
Will make me more confident about taking the original apart
Hi Mark
Nigel here not sure but think they’ve closed our thread! Please send an email to me nigelboycott@hotmail.co.uk from your own email address.unless you’re pissed if with my ramblings! Think it’s as we’ve hit 500 communications!
Best Regards
Nigel Boycott
Ok so things are going fine with the spare engine.
camchain-tensioner relaxed, sprockets removed from cams, cams removed from tappet block, tappet blocks removed from heads and heads moving up studs fine.
I don’t think it’s going to be as easy on the original engine tho
Check your spam folder. also, you’ll probably want to edit the post and remove your email address. Forums get scanned by web crawlers. Email addresses are then captured and sold off to spammers.
The crankshaft bolt isn’t broken. I don’t think you’re reading the posts closely enough. One of the thin bolts which holds the ‘engine-turning bolt’ to the pulley snapped. I’ve now removed that and can get a large spanner/socket on the crankbolt-proper. I think it’s 1-5/16" AF.
I’ve not tried turning the engine with the starter for following reasons:
The starter isn’t fitted to the engine and don’t have a large battery to hand
Didn’t want to break starter motor if the engine is locked solid
I’m happy to try it if you can cover the cost (up front) of a new starter and/or flywheel should anything break
**
I had the impression that during an attempt to turn the engine a bolt snapped. As it would be silly to attempt turning the engine by anything up front but the crankshaft bolt; I jumped to conclusions - sorry about that…
My prime concern is that unless the engine can be rotated, nothing of any consequence can be done. All preparatory dismantling action should start with the engine at TDC - and follow-ons usually requires some engine wriggling. And turning the engine is required if the big ends are to be unbolted to free pistons…
All of which means that if the engine cannot be turned by the crankshaft bolt; the second best option is by the starter. The starter delivers some 12kW, or 15 hp, to a stalled engine - with torque to match. And the starting set-up is dimensioned to take it. However; if such power is delivered for any length of time; the starter will certainly burn out - brief nudging at intervals will not…
That you have no starter fitted fully explains why you haven’t tried this…
If the pistons are stuck due to corrosion they can be brutally freed - if they are stuck due to overheating, they are ‘welded’ to the cylinders. The pistons have then literally melted - and affected pistons and liners are not fit for reuse. It is certainly unusual - it requires some serious drivers’ error to do it…
Filling the cylinders with thin oil is a proper preparations to free a stuck engine. However, the plugs should be removed; both to eliminate chances of hydraulic locking - and to ease cranking…
