Stuck pistons

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Princess Valiant

Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
Joined
Dec 14, 2011
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How do you guys get stuck pistons out of rusted engines?

I just beat the the living **** out of 3 slant six pistons and one came out in pieces after I got the air hammer on it. (Pics to follow)

A Jack handle and sledge hammer helped get about a 1/2 inch gain even after soaking it with oil and ATF.


There has to be a less barbaric way...... that was a dang workout and then some
 
No not really. Sometimes the parts rust together becoming fused and only separated through brute force. The use of ATF is normally very good. It is an insidious liquid that will find a way out the smallest of paths. But if the metals are fused......

Use a bigger, BFH.
 
I have found a great product in Sea Foam Deep Creep. The last one I had to beat apart was probably the worst one ever. A 396 Chevy. What's worse is, when I took the block in to have it check out, it was cracked in three places, so all that for nuthin.

Tell you how I did it though. I sprayed Deep Creep on top of the pistons and let them all sit a couple of days. Came back with a 2x4 and beat them with a sledge hammer with the 2x4 on top of the piston until they loosened up. Went through several 2x4s. I got them all out though.

I've even pressed them out before. I have a press now and if I ever have to do this again, that's what I'll do.
 
Never tried it myself as my 273 car is still in storage, but was thinking of trying white vinegar. On Uncle Tony's you tube channel he did this on a 318 in a cople of his 'bottle rocket' series. He filled the cylinder and let it sit a few days and then used the 2x4 and hammer...
 
Man! I hate that you're still having to fight that one... Know anyone with a hydraulic wood splitter that you could rent or borrow? It works with enough configuration and fixturing.
 
Screenshot_2018-06-27-15-05-38-1.png
 
What ever happened to the post on the big block that was all rusted out?
Someone must know what I'm talking about
 
diymirage said:
What ever happened to the post on the big block that was all rusted out?
Someone must know what I'm talking about
Click to expand...

I`d have to go look in the garage, but I have some off the shelf rust dissolver that works like a charm, will about rust melt/clear a BOLT IN A MATTER OF MINUTES.
 
I have spent approximately 40 hours labor knocking pistons and rings out of an old Desoto hemi. Must have been fermenting for 50 years.
I now have a 318 that's. 030 all seized up . Trying to save the pistons. Using some evapo-rust this time. Hope it works better.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I have found a great product in Sea Foam Deep Creep. The last one I had to beat apart was probably the worst one ever. A 396 Chevy. What's worse is, when I took the block in to have it check out, it was cracked in three places, so all that for nuthin.

Tell you how I did it though. I sprayed Deep Creep on top of the pistons and let them all sit a couple of days. Came back with a 2x4 and beat them with a sledge hammer with the 2x4 on top of the piston until they loosened up. Went through several 2x4s. I got them all out though.

I've even pressed them out before. I have a press now and if I ever have to do this again, that's what I'll do.
Click to expand...


Press...

 
I got a 318 apart this past winter using Aero Kroil.
It was a bust in the end, the wrist pins were tight on the pistons, (engine ran hot with rusted soft plugs in the heads). But I did save the block.
 
Use Evaporust or any rust dissolving means You wish first. You're simply making Your life more difficult and risk damaging the block if You don't. I had the skirt of a piston blow-out on a 340 that sat half buried when I was going gorilla on it and it popped a hole right through the cylinder wall. Once the rust is gone, it will be much more cooperative.
 
Rainy Day Auto said:
How do you guys get stuck pistons out of rusted engines?

I just beat the the living **** out of 3 slant six pistons and one came out in pieces after I got the air hammer on it. (Pics to follow)

A Jack handle and sledge hammer helped get about a 1/2 inch gain even after soaking it with oil and ATF.


There has to be a less barbaric way...... that was a dang workout and then some
Click to expand...
I have done it using "fire" and a block of oak to help me. 12 Steps to free a stuck piston - SmokStak
 
I used acetone and ATF(50/50) on my slant, let it sit in there. But take note at where the piston is at its travel because if the whole cylinder is rotted, say if the piston is closer to TDC then try to hit it up.
 
I don't know just how rusted Rainy's cylinders are, but I know what I posted above is gospel no matter what, and I've knocked 'em out where the pistons were more white than light gray by far. Don't F around, make the rust disappear first.......
 
Rainy Day Auto said:
How do you guys get stuck pistons out of rusted engines?

I just beat the the living **** out of 3 slant six pistons and one came out in pieces after I got the air hammer on it. (Pics to follow)

A Jack handle and sledge hammer helped get about a 1/2 inch gain even after soaking it with oil and ATF.


There has to be a less barbaric way...... that was a dang workout and then some
Click to expand...
Soak it with Panther Piss.
50/50 mix of cheap ATF and mineral spirits.
Let it sit over nite for best results.
 
Last edited:
Stick it in the hot tank... The acids in the tank will make that stuck piston disappear. You'll have a rod and wrist pin left in the cyl the next morning.

Had a shivi guy show up at work one day with a set of rare fuelly ribbed valve covers, that someone painted, and wanted them raw aluminum like factory. He heard a hot tank will eat all of the paint off and wanted the favor of using ours...
My boss said, 'well, ok, but you can't leave them in there, the caustic is kinda hard on aluminum" , "..come back in an hour and pull them out, we don't have time to baby-sit them".
OK! he said, and tied a wire to them dunked them in.
Well, the next morning, he pulled up and found nothing on the ends of the wire !
Opps!
 
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