Golden Jubilee - engine locked?

[catldavis]

Hello all…Newbie here, I have a GJ that has been parked for many years. I want to see if I can get it running. First, I’m pretty sure the engine is locked. What’s the best procedure to see if the engine is locked? I did a forum search and it appears put it in 3rd or 4th and try to pull it to see if that unsticks it? Or, take the starter off and try the crowbar method? Should I remove the plugs and put some Marvels Mystery Oil in the cylinders and let it sit for a few days first? Should I try to pull it in gear with the plugs out? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[NDIHC]

First thing I'd do is take out the spark plugs, squirt some oil in each hole, type isn't really that important. MMO is a light weight oil that will creep into the tight spots fairly quickly so it is a good choice in my opinion. With the plugs out I'd shift the transmission into high gear and try rocking tractor back and forth by pushing and pulling on the rear tire, assuming the tires hold air. See if the engine will turn at all by rocking.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Finesse over brute force. Brute force bends connecting rods. Take the plugs out, fill the cylinders with some kind of oily substance. You can jack up a wheel, put the tractor in high gear, and rock a wheel back and forth, pull the starter and use a pry bar... it's all good.

If it doesn't come free fairly easily or within a few days, it's time to pull the head and see what's going on.

 

[JIM MN]

Spark plugs out-- Marvel mystery oil--starter off--can you bar turn the flywheel? If not, let soak?

 

[560Dennis]

Do not pull it !
take it apart clean ,measure and reassemble to spec. best way , least costly

 

[RedMF40]

Yes. You can try those things but a basic borescope will quickly let you know what’s going on inside the engine. I see Vevor has one for $36. If your tractor is a pushrod motor then you can look inside the cylinders through the spark plug holes. If not, you can still look at the bottom end and cyl walls from the oil drain plug. You should drain the oil anyway to see if only oil comes out or also water. A borescope is a handy tool for assessing the condition of dead machines.

 

[old]

Hello all…Newbie here, I have a GJ that has been parked for many years. I want to see if I can get it running. First, I’m pretty sure the engine is locked. What’s the best procedure to see if the engine is locked? I did a forum search and it appears put it in 3rd or 4th and try to pull it to see if that unsticks it? Or, take the starter off and try the crowbar method? Should I remove the plugs and put some Marvels Mystery Oil in the cylinders and let it sit for a few days first? Should I try to pull it in gear with the plugs out? Any help would be appreciated.

Over the years I have freed up 100 plus locked up engine due to sitting. I fill each cylinder with ATF and if it has a vertical exhaust after putting the plugs back in I fill the exhaust till it starts leaking some place. Almost all the engine I did that to freed up

 

[used red MN]

Over the years I have freed up 100 plus locked up engine due to sitting. I fill each cylinder with ATF and if it has a vertical exhaust after putting the plugs back in I fill the exhaust till it starts leaking some place. Almost all the engine I did that to freed up

Luckily most Jubes had horizontal exhaust so that will save you all that mess. However, I won’t dispute that ATF (automatic transmission fluid) isn’t a bad choice for a lubricant for this process. Another thing worth mentioning is something the horizontal exhaust helps with is checking for water in the cylinders before the lubricant is added. If there is water above a piston the lubrication you add will just float on top of it.

 

[Jim.ME]

Try simple first. BarnyardEngineering gave you a couple good suggestion to try to turn in. Try those before diving in deep.

 

[scootergmc]

Why do you think it's stuck? Put power to it and spin it over. Have faith.

Otherwise, just pull the starter and use a pry bar on the ring gear, or give it a tug.

 

[catldavis]

Well, the plot thickens..I put MMO in the cylinders yesterday and let it sit for about 24 hours. I jacked up the rear end today. I attempted to put it in gear but it seemed to only want to go in to two gears. The problem is, I don’t know which two gears as the shifter can go over a lot to the left and a lot to the right. The clutch goes down, but doesn’t seem to help in gear selection. I slipped it down in to whatever gear ( it would be 2nd or 3rd) and attempted to spin a back wheel. The wheel spun easily and freely. I moved the gear shifted to the gear that would be up, and same thing, rear tires spin freely with some effort, but not too much. I know there was nothing wrong with the trans or rear end when it was parked. What should I make of this? I guess I was anticipating there would be a restriction on the rear tires as it went through the compression stroke of the engine.

 

[J.Wondergem]

I bought a tractor that someone tried to get it started by pulling it. All the push rods were bent because the valves were stuck.

 

[Jim.ME]

Well, the plot thickens..I put MMO in the cylinders yesterday and let it sit for about 24 hours. I jacked up the rear end today. I attempted to put it in gear but it seemed to only want to go in to two gears. The problem is, I don’t know which two gears as the shifter can go over a lot to the left and a lot to the right. The clutch goes down, but doesn’t seem to help in gear selection. I slipped it down in to whatever gear ( it would be 2nd or 3rd) and attempted to spin a back wheel. The wheel spun easily and freely. I moved the gear shifted to the gear that would be up, and same thing, rear tires spin freely with some effort, but not too much. I know there was nothing wrong with the trans or rear end when it was parked. What should I make of this? I guess I was anticipating there would be a restriction on the rear tires as it went through the compression stroke of the engine.

You say you jacked the rear end up. You only want to jack one wheel up. One wheel needs to stay on the ground if you want to turn the engine using a wheel. The differential will just allow the opposite wheel from the one you are turning rotate freely, if it is not on the ground. When that happens, it will not try to turn through the transmission to the engine.

 

[catldavis]

You say you jacked the rear end up. You only want to jack one wheel up. One wheel needs to stay on the ground if you want to turn the engine using a wheel. The differential will just allow the opposite wheel from the one you are turning rotate freely, if it is not on the ground. When that happens, it will not try to turn through the transmission to the engine.

Thank you, wasn’t aware, I’ll try again.

 

[catldavis]

Undate, lowered one wheel and tried to rotate other tire back and forth..At first limited movement, but I stuck with it and it slowly started turning the engine. I was able to get almost a full rotation before I stopped. I put some more MMO in the cylinders to soak and will try again in a couple days.

 

[scootergmc]

Heh heh, it was never really stuck. Glad you got it.