JD R stuck

[Dan The D Man]

i just bought a R which has been sitting outside the farmers shed for about 30 years and he can't remember why he parked it. theres oil in the big engine but no coolant and the water ports are full of rat crap, the pup has oil and its free. The clutch was stuck in the engaged position and the engine is stuck forsure so my question is whats the best was or easiest way to get this big beast unstuck????

 

[Paul from MI]

Hate to say it, but I'd start taking it apart. At least pull the head before you try to free it. Maybe best to pull the cylinders and work n cylinders and pistons as a unit. It's been stuck a long time, so clean the cylinders as best you can and soak in your favorite potion for a few months.
Paul

 

[JD_720lp]

when my dad bought a john deere 830 with the pony start it was stuck. so he took of the pup motor and the sheet metal on it and removed the exhaust manefold and head on the big motor. the took a 2x4 and a sledge hammer to the stuck piston. next he removed the piston and replaced the piston and rings. once he replaced the rings my uncle had to pull the 830 down the road with his jd r at top speed to get the new rings to seal properly.

 

[David from Kansas]

Went through that ordeal recently. Disassembled the cluth first. Then removed head. Soaked with PB Blaster for several months. Put a chain through the flywheel, inserted a 6" bar through the chain and proceeded to work at loosening the engine. Finally got just a "wink" of movement. Kept working back and forth, let soak for days at a time with more PB Blaster, finally got it worked all the way through a full stroke. Cylinder that was stuck had gotten water in it and was very pitted at the bottom in front of the piston. This whole process probably took me close to a year. Next step will be to remove the pony and then the pistons and block to repair/replace the block. Hope both pistons are still good.
Take your time. Good Luck.

 

[RobMD]

Pour a lot of ATF into the cylinders and let it set for a month or two, BEFORE you go whacking at it with a 2x4 like an insane monkey.

 

[HaroldJD60]

Rob, This is the easyest way that I have found to remove stuck pistons. I have done two 70s, two 60s, four ARs, a B and a H this way. Remove caps from both con rods, remove head and then the block with pistons and all. Set the block on tall blocks with front of pistons up and rods hanging down. Now pour your loosen all on top of pistons and let soak for a week or more[I use a 50-50 mixture of turpentine and ATF]never fails. A round wooden block and a sixteen pound post hammer and out the bottom they come. The back end of the block is never rusted as bad as the front so the come out much easyer. The long way around is often the shortest way home. I also did a 29 D that way last year and it sat longer than yours. Good luck.------Harold