i have poured oil down into the bores and tried turning it with the starter motor and a ratchet on the end of the crank at the same time and it still wont turn, turns about half a degree and then i turn the starter off and it goes half a degree backwards.

anyone know what mite be stuck?

its not the cam as the slack in the belt isnt even getting taken up and the starter motor is working because iv taken it of and ran it to make sure it is working

is the engine still in car if so can you not try towing it

Take the head off. If the pistons are halfway down the bores whack the tops of them with a bit of wood and a lump hammer. Depends whats siezed up.

If its badly siezed it will probably need a complete strip, rebore and rebuild.

David

probaly just the pistons siezed in the bores, try pouring coka cola into the bores amd leaving it over night,

also be very carefull with a ratchet on the end if it does free off and goon the starter it will probably tear your arm off!!

Ray

Is it seized from being stood? or is it an engine you've been using ?

Diesel is about the best for freeing up seized
bores, but it can take a while.

Al


[Edited on 8/3/07 by Wadders]

Was it timed up and has it ever turned over? Has the belt got all its teeth and does it turn the wrong way with a spanner on the crank pulley nut ?

well the idea of the ratchet is so that if it does turn it wont rip the arm of me.

the engine has stood in the shed for a couple of years now, dont understand why its so stuck

its a vauxhall 1.6 ohc engine out of a mk2 caviler

Not suprised its siezed up if its stood in a shed for 2 years!!

Would *definately* strip it and have a look.

The bores will have gone very rusty more than likely. And the valves are likely to be rusted into their seats on the ones that are closed, and the others wont seal if they have been open.

David

Fill the bores with diesel and leave it for a while

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probaly just the pistons siezed in the bores, try pouring coka cola into the bores amd leaving it over night,

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take the belt off and use a spanner on the cam and one on the crank to see if the timing is out if you dont know it was a runner before

well iv started engines havent gone for 14 years, didnt change the oil or oil filter even and it goes perfectly, infact it was put into a car and used for 6 months by my father who does high mileage

but that was a completely different engine

i think ill do the diesel trick if the engine oil i put in doesnt work

i way of freeing an engine ive heard of is 2 take the head off, and fill the cylidnder with parrafin leave it to work its way past the ring and then a good wack with a block of wood, ok this is on old tractor engines but it may work, same as the diesal idea but parrfin im told will work better

You need to leave it for a nice while for the oil to seep through (particularly if you use something thick like diesel or paraffin)....

I'd give it a week then gentle tapping on the top of the pistons whilst someone gently tried to turn the end of the crankshaft.... Amazing how far penetrating oil penetrates once you give it time to work!!! Can remember my old technology lab tech telling me that penetrating oil is "good but it isn't F'ing magic"

I wouldn't even think about using the starter motor... You'll either burn out the starter motor or strip the teeth...

try vinegar ive used this to free a seized blade engine after trying parafin plus gas oil etc.it worked and cheap

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Originally posted by higgsti
try vinegar ive used this to free a seized blade engine after trying parafin plus gas oil etc.it worked and cheap

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remember seeing a trick on Salvage squad, where an old boy heated up oil in an old pan and poured it into the bores of a seized engine- worked too!!!
best using a camping stove rather than the wifes hob!!

i remember that one they were restoring a old gyrocopter

the acid trick sounds like a good shot as well be it coke or vinegar

i want to do this without going to the trouble f taking the head of

I once asked about the ratchet idea - the consensus was the ratched isn't designed to spin at the 400rpm the starter spins at and would break - which would then risk taking your arm / hand with it.

More than likely the rings are seized to the bores. If you force it, the rings will break, and may score the bores badly. Definitely, take the head off, give it a couple of days' soak in oil, then use a stout piece of wood and a mallet to tap first one, then another piston down a little. You should see two pistons partway down the cylinders - tap these alternately. One will be on the upstroke, and one will be on the downstroke. Alternately tapping them down will move the crank one direction and then the other. This helps to work the rings up & down a little at a time, rather than trying to force them through a full revolution in the same direction. If you're VERY careful and do this judiciously, you may not even need to rebuild.

I've had good success with this method - on one occasion, on an outboard motor that was submerged in saltwater when running, left there for a few days, then brought up and left in a box (saltwater still in the motor) for 4 years....

Never try to turn it with the starter motor until it can be turned by hand.

as other have said, I've read that diesel into he bores, let it stnd for a couple of days then a block of wood hit with a hammer.

I would not consider trying to run an engine that had beed seized without a complete stripdown. If it is seized rings in the bores, the bores will probably have a slight groove in them where they have corroded away & the rings are likely to be stuck in the piston ring grooves. Regds
Ian

DON'T TOW IT


Most of the advice you have been given in good but try this trick before lifting the head and removing the sump.

With a suitable freeing agent down the bore try rock the the crank back and forth, don't use massive force it just keep rocking it.

I don't think so!!!

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You should see two pistons partway down the cylinders - tap these alternately. One will be on the upstroke, and one will be on the downstroke. Alternately tapping them down will move the crank one direction and then the other

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