shop-talk
[Top] [All Lists]

[Shop-talk] how to loosen stuck pistons?

Subject: [Shop-talk] how to loosen stuck pistons?
From: tr3driver at ca.rr.com (Randall)
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:13:26 -0700
References: <006801cbfc49$d8e17ee0$8aa47ca0$@cablespeed.com> <6.2.5.6.1.20110416120300.04e0bb20@cox.net> <008401cbfc56$4dcc9030$e965b090$@cablespeed.com> <6.2.5.6.1.20110416155842.04c579f0@cox.net> <00a501cbfc99$21bb7400$65325c00$@cablespeed.com> <6.2.5.6.1.20110417093246.04b760c8@cox.net> <4DAB475E.5030106@tx.rr.com> <6.2.5.6.1.20110417184838.04c504f8@cox.net> <4DAB8040.1050109@tx.rr.com>
> I'm not
> sure the pistons can be reused anyway.

Which was my initial thought when you said it had been run out of oil, and
all 4 cylinders were stuck.  At some point you're probably going to have to
give up on the pistons, and concentrate on trying to break them out without
damaging the rods or cylinder walls (beyond being able to bore them
oversize).

One thing that has worked for me before is to find a piece of steel that
will fit over the crown of the piston and rest on it near the cylinder
walls. (ISTR I used a big iron pipe cap).  Then hit that as hard as you can
(5 lb BFH).  The idea is to get over the strongest part of the piston, and
get the maximum impact into the skirt.  If you just hit in the relatively
thin center of the piston, it will absorb much of the impact (and break much
easier as well).  Once you've managed to drive the piston down, clean up the
exposed cylinder wall, and drive it back up.

-- Randall 

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>