Subject: Re: [Tigers] Tiger MKII Coming out of Storage

From: "Smit, Theo" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:46:39 +0000

HI Carl,
If it won't rotate with a breaker bar, it's not going to do you much good to
try to just free up the pistons and then run it like that. Most likely you're
going to have cracked valve stem seals, stuck lifters, and a bunch of other
teething problems that will keep you from enjoying the car.

Pull the engine, take it apart, and recondition everything. That way you'll
find out what it is that's really keeping it from turning over as well as
putting new seals and gaskets in so it doesn't spray crap everywhere. You
should be able to keep the original block - at worst you'd have to bore it
.030 over and put in new pistons. You might be able to get away with just
honing the cylinders and cleaning the varnish off everything.

Good luck,
Theo

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email-masked] [mailto:tigers-
> [email-masked]] On Behalf Of Carl Halgren
> Sent: June 19, 2013 1:36 PM
> To: [email-masked]
> Subject: [Tigers] Tiger MKII Coming out of Storage
>
> All,
> I am finally attempting to get my Tiger back on the road after 35 years
> in the garage.
> I have removed the radiator. (I think it leaks.) I have removed the
> water pump - completely frozen up!
> The transmission is in neutral.
> The
> dipstick shows the oil looks good, no sigh of water.
> I have removed the spark
> plugs.
> I tried to rotate the engine, but it is frozen and will not turn.
> (Tried to turn it using a long breaker bar.) I am assuming the old
> gasoline has varnished and frozen the engine.
> Is there a way to free up the pistons?
> What other steps can I take to free it up? Since the engine is
> original, I would prefer to keep it, rather than get a new short block.
>
> Any advice would
> be greatly appreciated.
> Carl Halgren
> [email-masked]
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From: Tom Parker <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:07:57 -0400

Carl, I'm sure you'll get lots of advice from the group; they're well
versed in all things Tiger.

If it was me I'd change the oil and filter, pull the distributor and try to
spin up the oil pump to get oil to the bearings. Rotation, if memory
serves, is counter-clockwise. You can oil the cylinders (more or less) with
a good penetrating oil like maybe Marvel Mystery oil or type A transmission
fluid - keeping in mind you really don't want to run the engine without
another oil change once it is freed up... And, assuming the pump will spin
and oil the bearings, try again to break the engine loose. If that doesn't
work a rebuild is in order. 289 cranks are available if needed, but may be
hard to find. Pistons, bearings, etc. are readily available. If you do have
to tear it down, have the innards balanced, and remember to work clean.

Just because the transmission is in neutral doesn't mean is isn't frozen.
Pull the drive shaft the try to spin it from the rear. That eliminates
everything except the front shaft / bearing as a potential bind. I'm sure
you'll hear from guys who'll say you can pull the transmission without
moving the engine. I have a missing knuckle that says it's damn near
impossible to do. If you decide to try, put the car on jack stands to the
frame (un-sprung) and use a transmission jack.

If you haven't already, get to know Rick McLeod at Sunbeam Specialties,
he's your new best friend. Lots of Tiger specific parts and a wealth of
knowledge. Also, if you haven't, consider joining C.A.T. (The California
Association Of Tiger Owners) and get to know Bill Graf, their parts guru.
Summit Racing and National Parts Depot (among others) are good places for
Ford engine parts.

And, if questions arise (they always arise), ask here. There's more
expertise on this site than almost anywhere.

Tom
'67 Mark 2

On Wed, Jun 19, 2013 at 3:36 PM, Carl Halgren <[email-masked]> wrote:

> I have removed the radiator. (I think it leaks.)
> I have removed
> the water pump - completely frozen up!
> (Tried to turn it using a long breaker bar.)
> I am assuming the old gasoline
> has varnished and frozen the engine.
> What other steps can I take to free it up? Since the engine is original, I
> would prefer to keep it, rather than get a new short block.
>
> Any advice would
> be greatly appreciated.
> Carl Halgren
> [email-masked]
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/tigers/[email-masked]

[email-masked]

---

From: "Thomas Witt" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:16:15 -0700

The other option  is to try and free the engine.  I warn that there is the 
risk of breaking piston rings and/or the lands on the piston. Remember you 
have a rather rare 5 bolt block (I think).  There are many method that can 
be found on the internet. But typically something like "Marvel Mystery Oil" 
is put in the cylinder. I would recommend about a cap full or two.  Then 
with an air hose in the spark plug hole (and a rag to prevent platter) give 
it a blast to spread it around the cylinder walls.  This will help to ensure 
it works its way around the hole piston. The MMO is allowed to sit for a 
period of time - maybe 24 hours. Then try the rotation again.

If it gets you anywhere repeat the process until everything rotates 
decently. Once there is some movement I would alternate (back and forth) the 
direction of rotation to hopefully "pump" the MMO between the rings.  Having 
said all that, why was the car parked 35 years ago? If it had a spun bearing 
there is no advantage to attempting to free it up.

Tom 

[email-masked]

---

From: "Paul R. Breuhan" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:00:40 -0400

Carl,
Getting it to run can be done...but I wouldn't recommend it.

Years ago my dad put his Corvette into storage. Basically parked it in the
garage and it sat for about 35 years.

10 Years ago as my dad neared retirement, my mom decided she wanted to move
and sell the house, since it was becoming a physical burden to maintain...so
the light went off in his head to get his old car running again.

Like Carl's Tiger he had a laundry list of issues and things to check before
he could get it running with his goal of driving it my parent's new condo.

He spent hour ...after hour ...after hour ...after hour ...after hour ...after
hour (do I have enough hours here????) ...he finally got it to turn over and
run a bit on it's own power. He ended up trailering it to their new place.

2 more years of working  ...after hour ...after hour ...after hour ...after
hour ...after hour...it was finally road worthy. I was amazed and thought he
just might pull this nonsense off.

About 500 miles later...and 2 broken rings...and a camshaft that was wiped
out...my dad pulled the engine.

For all his time and effort...he just should have pulled it in the first
place. He still isn't driving the car a lot...he is just too darn cheap and
stubborn to get the fuel injection unit rebuilt. I told him to go out and get
a cheap carb and intake temporarily.

Carl, good luck with whatever you decide and do.

Paul

> Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:36:27 -0700
> From: [email-masked]
> in the garage...............
>
> Carl Halgren
> [email-masked]
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/tigers/[email-masked]
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