Locked motor

[kswillie]

In 1977 I helped a friend put a 390 in an old pickup. He never finished the project. It set in his pole barn untill he let me have it last week. The motor has set with a plate on the intake all this time. I know for a fact that the motor ran fine when we took it out of his accident prone T-bird. The motor will not move using the fan belt. Could a guy expect a motor that has set this long to be good? It has oil in it and he said he used to put some fuel oil in the intake "once in a while". What"s a guy do here take it apart or try to get her free and running? Any of you had any luck with a project like this.

 

[ericlb]

the first thing is to pull the spark plugs and squirt some diesel or atf or marvel mystry oil into each cylinder then put the plugs back in and let it sit a few weeks, after that take a breakover bar and a socket that fits the big bolt holding the crank pulley on the front of the engine and try working the engine first one way then the other, with the plugs back out if it does start moving, then work it in the same direction as it would normally turn when running, to free it up once it turns freely, then put a little more diesel or whatever you used in the cylinders and put the plugs back in untill your ready to install it in a vehicle, if its going to sit awhile again every few months turn it over by hand again to keep it free

 

[old]

Fuel in the intake not good since it would wash down the oil in the cylinders and leave it ope t rust. I would pull the plugs out and fill each cylinder with ATF and then fill the intake with ATF. Let it sit a good week pull the plugs and try to give it a spin over with the starter. BTDT and have freed up many engine by doing as I said and the starter does not have enough torque to hurt parts just do not hold the ignition in the start position long

 

[Pops1532]

The other suggestions will help to free up a stuck engine. Don't try to start it once you get it freed up. Pull the valve covers, then pull the rockers, shafts and all. Use a brass hammer to tap the valves to make sure they're not stuck. After 36 years I suspect that could be a problem.
Once you get everything freed up, change the valve springs and umbrella seals. You should be able to do that without pulling the heads but you'll need a special tool to compress the springs so you can remove the keepers. You'll need a fitting that screws in the spark plug hole to hook an air hose to as well. Some of those springs have been compressed for 36 years. They're junk. Better to change them now than to wait until you drop or float a valve. It will get expensive then.
Clean the oil drain back holes while you've got the valve covers off.
Also replace the rubber fuel line between the steel line from the fuel pump and the fuel filter at the carb. It was somewhat common for gas to leak from the deteriorated rubber line and spray on the distributor car and plug wires and catch on fire.
Button everything back up, change the oil, filter. Make sure the ignition system is in good shape. You might have to replace the plug wires.

 

[cole in mo.]

If you plan to use it, and want it to run right, take it apart and overhaul it.

 

[cole in mo.]

If you plan to use it, and want it to run right, take it apart and overhaul it.