Itinerant Air-Cooled

In an attempt to learn more, I picked up a cheap motor from a restorer - motor was 99% complete - but has been sitting outside (in a typical Canadian environment) under a tarp for years .... so many bits will go into garbage, some hopefully fixable / rebuild-able (carb., disti., generator etc)

Have been able to tear it down to the "longblock" without any major trauma (except to rusted tin) - aside from a few tin bolts that seized in the case and sheared off.

Anyway, I have removed the nuts (and consequently a few studs) that attached the heads to the case / cylinders ... but they will not budge. It seems the inner, upper studs are seized to the heads ... all other 6 seem to have some wiggle.

Any tips to get the heads off the cylinders? I am not sure they are salvageable - but do not want to mess things up - and there are no good leverageable spots that will not bend cooling fins.

Any other tips to tear this down and beyond? My goal is to make this run for cheap - on a bench - not in a vehicle. If I can do that, later on I'll build a motor up with new, delicious parts ... maybe ... or just be happy with the education.

slow.bus wrote:I have removed the nuts (and consequently a few studs) that attached the heads to the case / cylinders ... but they will not budge. It seems the inner, upper studs are seized to the heads ... all other 6 seem to have some wiggle.

Any tips to get the heads off the cylinders?

Spray PB Blaster rust penetrant on the studs and the joints between the heads and the cylinder barrels, and wait for a day, do it again, hit the studs with nuts installed flush with the ends of the studs and tap tap tap. Put hammer handle or broomstick in intake ports and exhaust ports and try to pry or hammer.
Colin

Amskeptic wrote: Put hammer handle or broomstick in intake ports and exhaust ports and try to pry or hammer.
Colin

ahhh ... that makes sense ... I have some cutdown dowels / broom handles just for that ... never thought to use the ports. Been spraying and soaking for the last few nights

Would a cylinder stuck to the head benefit from a compression stroke (plugs installed) with the head nuts off to break the seal? Or am I guessing madly?

engine is seized ... due to sitting (or so I was told) ... hopefully it is just the pistons seized to cylinder walls ... but time will tell if I have a rebuild-able motor or just an educational exercise on dissasembly

Get a rubber mallet and smack around the heads, being careful to not break any fins. Sometimes the blows will break the seal as well.
If there is a lot of thread on the studs going thru the heads and cylinders, you can try to double nut them and back them out of the case as well. It may free things up.

asiab3 wrote:Would a cylinder stuck to the head benefit from a compression stroke (plugs installed) with the head nuts off to break the seal? Or am I guessing madly?

Only combustion events would help . . .

Amskeptic wrote:

slow.bus wrote:I have removed the nuts (and consequently a few studs) that attached the heads to the case / cylinders ... but they will not budge. It seems the inner, upper studs are seized to the heads ... all other 6 seem to have some wiggle.

Any tips to get the heads off the cylinders?

Spray PB Blaster rust penetrant on the studs and the joints between the heads and the cylinder barrels,

Since you're in Canada, you have the much better option of using Lloyd's Moovit penetrant. Lordco carries it. Beats the pants off of PB Blaster.

Thank you for the tips - no success yet - but still trying each night.

Worried I may just need to crack the cylinders - which the guy I bought it from suggested - from a time / money point of view. This is primarily a learning exercise - so I am trying hard to not throw money at it ...

slowlane ... I de-californiated my 1981 vangon - so may have some spare bits if you are in need.

Put some PB down in the thru the spark plug holes and let it sit for a day. Try to turn the crank to break the rings free with a bar on the flywheel.

Heads still will not budge - tried everything and more ...

Going to keep spraying them, but moving on to other things - rebuilt disti last night - will try carb, then generator ...

slow.bus wrote:Heads still will not budge - tried everything and more ...

Going to keep spraying them, but moving on to other things - rebuilt disti last night - will try carb, then generator ...

Keep them doused with penetrant. Tap them to allow better infusion.
Colin

Will do - I plan to douse them nightly all week - but not attempt to remove until next week at the earliest.

Been thinking about this differently ... has anyone tried or had success or feels strongly etc about trying to use some rust killing stuff ... Metal rescue ...por15, vinegar etc to try and eat away at the rust presumed to causing the issue ...

Internet shows this stuff magically unsticking carbs, bolts, nuts, linkages, lost treasures and restoring ones faith in politicians and VW CEO's ....

slow.bus wrote:Been thinking about this differently ... has anyone tried or had success or feels strongly etc about trying to use some rust killing stuff ... Metal rescue ...por15, vinegar etc to try and eat away at the rust presumed to causing the issue ...

Internet shows this stuff magically unsticking carbs, bolts, nuts, linkages, lost treasures and restoring ones faith in politicians and VW CEO's ....

Have you gotten the heads off yet? I've never failed to knock the heads loose with an overnight PB blaster soak and some nice blows with a rubber mallet in key places w/out breaking them. Now, the cylinders? Yup, I've had some that refused to break free no matter what I tried before getting aggressive with a steel hammer and shattering them.