Mk2 Engine Siezed - Help!!

[mk2panelvan]

Went to start up my Mk2 Panelvan, left it too long... engine has siezed. Any tips to unseize it (preferably without taking the engine out of the car)?

[ajg193]

Pull out the spark plugs and spray some oil/penetrating oil down into the cylinders. Give the starter a flick every day for a week or so and it should come free.

[tortron]

Take out all the plugs, bang some auto trans fluid in there, soak overnight

Breaker bar on the crank and turn it over by hand a few times.

Drain the sump and use fresh oil

 

If you pull the plugs and the engine is totally full of water then well it's gona be bad

[mk2panelvan]

Will try that ajg193 - thank you! Is WD40 OK?

[tortron]

Have used crc on a flathead that had been left outside, worked alright. Just sprayed it every time I walked past it in the shed

[mk2panelvan]

Choice, thank you. Will let you know how I go

[tortron]

How long has it been sitting? Inside/covered?

Usually there's just a small lip of rust and once it's past that it moves freely

[mk2panelvan]

Its been sitting about 6 years, but I regularly started it to stop it from seizing. Haven't started it in the last year though, got slack! It's been sitting in the garage all of that time though.

[RUNAMUCK]

I'd say drop a bit of diesel down the plug holes (not like half a litree or anything) 

After a fewhile days try tow start it.

[Carsnz123]

 The sad fact is you'll need to pull the engine down later because there will be a small rust groove in the bores causing compression loss and oil burning. If it goes well and you don't give two shits about oil consumption you'll be fine.

 

[tortron]

11 minutes ago, mk2panelvan said:

Its been sitting about 6 years, but I regularly started it to stop it from seizing. Haven't started it in the last year though, got slack! It's been sitting in the garage all of that time though.

Probably barely stuck then. Won't need much

[tortron]

Just now, Carsnz123 said:

 The sad fact is you'll need to pull the engine down later because there will be a small rust groove in the bores causing compression loss and oil burning. If it goes well and you don't give two shits about oil consumption you'll be fine.

 

Nah she'll be right, itl help rebreakin the rings. 12months will be hardly any rust

[Ghostchips]

Tablespoon of acetone, tablespoon of ATF and a tea spoon of diesel is better than WD40.  If you have doubts about the oil level, or the oil level has gone up, can you drop the sump in the car?  From memory you can't in a MK1 idk about MKII though.

[66gt]

You sure it's just not a flat battery or dodgy starter?

[8ball]

Valves haven't rusted/seized in the head?

2L have a tendency to pinhole the bore aswell.

[kyteler]

9 hours ago, 66gt said:

You sure it's just not a flat battery or dodgy starter?

This.

 

See if you can put a ratchet drive or strongarm on the crank pulley and try get it to turn.  If it's still got a fixed fan you may even be able to rotate it with that if it doesn't slip on the belts.  Don't put a whole lot of pressure on it, just see if it moves easily.  If it does then it's likely either the starter or the battery.

I would be super surprised that a car left in a garage for only a year without starting wouldn't even spin.

[KKtrips]

Yup as above, check if you can turn it over by hand to eliminate a dodgy starter or battery. If it is seized then be a kinda gentle swinging on the strong arm.

If this makes sense, put some strength behind it and "prise" it free rather than shocking it. Shock loading it can break a compression ring.

Oil, diesel, CRC/WD40 down the bores will help a lot too.

 

[mk2panelvan]

On 5/14/2017 at 07:20, rustisize said:

Tablespoon of acetone, tablespoon of ATF and a tea spoon of diesel is better than WD40.  If you have doubts about the oil level, or the oil level has gone up, can you drop the sump in the car?  From memory you can't in a MK1 idk about MKII though.

 

Yep oil level has gone up. Spark plugs are on pretty tight, haven't managed to get them off yet, been spraying crc around them. Any tips to get these off? Also can't rotate the fan at all. 

[Adoom]

I would be getting a longer/bigger breaker bar on the crank pulley bolt. This is from my no experience freeing a seized engine.

Also, it's a cast iron head right, it's not like you are going to strip the spark plug hole threads like an alloy head if you just use a longer breaker bar or a bit of pipe on the handle to make it longer. Maybe see if you can just crack them a little, then spray it with CRC. I don't think much/any crc is going to get down in the threads if the plugs are done up tight as.

 

[Seedy Al]

fuck if engines were seizing after a year of garage life I would be fucked.