Get a 250 unstuck suggestions?

[Guest]

Might be working with Dad on his 72 Maverick. Motor on it is stuck, and we cannot get it free. While I understand that the motor will need a rebuild (probably a good idea for an origional motor with 96000 miles), I would like to know if there is a way to free the motor without taking off the cylinder head and banging on the pistons (a sure way to make it require a rebuild). So far we've tried Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders (poured through spark plug holes), and using a breaker bar on the flywheel bolt. Has anybody freed up a stuck solid motor on here, and if so, would you be so kind as to post how you did it? I would appreciate it.

In case you're wondering why we bother to try and resurrect the origional motor, this car is actually pretty rare in the Maverick world, and my dad has owned it since 1974 when he was in high school. It is somwhat rare in that it is a 72 but it has the Luxury Decor Option that wasn't technically introduced until 1973. On top of that it's a 2 door. If the origional motor is unsalvageable the car will probably become a hotrod anyway (Dad would probalby put a 302 in it)

 

[rbohm]

8) ok first, marvel mystery oil doesnt do the job very well when trying to freeup and engine, better would be to use pb blaster. let it soak overnight, and try in the morning. you may need to do it two or three times before the motor comes unstuck.

 

[mustang6]

When I worked in a wrecking yard we used diesel in all the cylinders, let it sit a few days, then used a breaker bar to free up rusted motors. 80% broke loose that way.

 

[69.5Mav]

06gerasimc

Like rbohm said use a good penatrating oil. Put alot in the cylenders and everywhere else like the valve stems the rockers and the exhaust ports. Try and spin the oil pump to distibute oil where needed. Lightly tap the block with a ruber or wooden malet to set up vibrations in the block to help the penatraiting oil creep into all the rusted spots of your engine. Then let it sit for a few days. If its going to come loose this should do it.

Good Luck
69.5mav

 

[mugsy]

"Liquid Wrentch" is a good penetrant. Pretty light weight too, so it should seep into the small holes in the rust.

 

[Anonymous]

If the engine is stuck, and if you are gonna rebuild it anyway, just tear it apart.

 

[Jamie Miles]

96,000 miles it should still run pretty good if it hasn't been abused. My '74 Maverick has the original 250 with 97, 500 miles, it's never been stuck but it did sit for 11 years which seized a few valves. Got the valves moving, put some new push rods and valve seals in and it now runs smooth as a sewing machine and is drivin daily.

If your going to rebuild the engine anyways, one of my friends got a 289 in an old Mustang loose by shooting a ton of PB Blaster in the cylinders, letting it sit several days and then dragging the car up to 30 MPH in neutral and pulling it down into 1st gear. If it's a manual, put it in 3rd gear and dump the clutch at about 20.

I would definately rebuild the engine after doing either of the above.

 

[Guest]

heh, I bet it was fun dropping the clutch with a stuck motor in a 30 year old car (if the motor was stuck I'd love to see what the tires looked like!) Even though it's possible to bump start an automatic , i don't think i wanna try it on this one. Think 15 year old tires, brakes that haven't been looked at in over 10 years, and a transmission that was dying when the car was last run about 12 years ago. My dad was working 2 jobs in those days and did not have the time to really keep the car going, so it sat in a shed. unfortunately some groundhog gnawed through the floor some years ago causing the rust to really set in and probalby allow the moisture to eventually rust up the motor.

I will try PB blaster and/or diesel fuel. Thanks. If you have other experiences please keep them comming.