Stuck Block (SBC 350 '83)

[Burban]

Let me preface this by saying, I'm not looking to build a bogger, rock crawler, or any kind of performance machine, I just want to get this old sucker running again, for fun, and maybe occasional trips to the lumber store.

This is a carbureted '83 350 with a Q-Jet, that mice nested in, and pissed all over the choke plates. I let it sit, for several years, and now it's stuck, the starter can't kick it over, I can't turn the pulleys.

My current plan is to remove the plugs, pour a mix of acetone and brake fluid down a funnel and tube into each plug hole, put the plugs back in loosely, let it sit, repeat the process, and let it sit a bit more, then try and turn it over.

If anyone has suggestions, I'm all for it. Ideally, if I could just pour 10 gallons of diesel into the oil filler, go on vacation, come back, drain it, add oil, and start it, I'll do that

Was kind of surprised my search didn't find any other stuck block threads.

 

[Georgeb]

You have a good starting plan. You should also prime the oiling system.

 

[Burban]

Bugger, does that mean I have to pull the distributor?

 

[Georgeb]

Yeah, I mean you don't have to but It would help to have oil up everywhere before you start it once it is free.

 

[Burban]

Ah OK. I have to fit a new carb, maybe take off the intake too, figure out a temp fuel system before I start it, start it. I just want to turn it over first before doing all that.

 

[Georgeb]

I got ya. For what its worth I had an old stuck motor I worked loose. It turned out it had some stuck valves too. That in turn caused me some bent push rods. It would be good to at least spend some time soaking the valve train in penetrating oil with the valve covers off.

 

[Burban]

I got ya. For what its worth I had an old stuck motor I worked loose. It turned out it had some stuck valves too. That in turn caused me some bent push rods. It would be good to at least spend some time soaking the valve train in penetrating oil with the valve covers off.

That almost sounds like you approve of my plan of filling the block with diesel, it's a penetrant right.

 

[Burban]

Just ordered a pulley adaptor, knowing my luck, I'd break off the bolt trying to turn it.

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[highdesertrange]

skip the acetone and brake fluid. use diesel or ATF. fill the crank case to the top, pour it in each valve cover and in the cylinders let it sit awhile, then turn it over by hand until you can turn it over easy, back and forth helps. then drain the crankcase refill with oil and 1 quart of ATF. use old plugs fire it up and let it idle, DO NOT REV IT. let it get warm. then drain it again. this time fill it with just oil. start it and let it idle checking everything especially oil pressure. if everything seems fine drive it. highdesertranger

 

[Burban]

That sounds like my, drain oil, fill block to top with diesel plan

I can't run it, until I replace the carb, which I don't want to do until I know the block is free.

I now have the radiator out for better access to the flywheel, and one of those adaptor plates waiting collection at the store.

When you say fill the crankcase, you mean via the oil filler?

 

[highdesertrange]

fill the crankcase. pull the carb fill the bores until it will not take anymore. pull the PVC and the oil fill one is on each valve cover fill these up. this should fill the engine. then try to work it back and forth. it's going to hydrolock on the cylinders that get full of fluid, pull the plugs on those cyl. keep filling the carb bores. do this to try to fill each cyl. with fluid let it sit awhile in each cyl. keep doing this by pull one plug at a time. leave the plugs out. this takes awhile but you should be able to get it to spin over. just as long as something is not broken jamming it. highdesertranger

 

[da_raabi]

Damn this thread is friggen SHADE TREE!!!! I've never heard of someone doing something like this, but I gotta be honest - I'm friggen loving it! Get that motor running!!!

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[Burban]

Fun

 

[Burban]

Well I got down to filling the cylinders today. Plugs all looked fine, except for the #2 (front left as you stand at front of engine) which was rusty on the end, I'm betting this is a sign that this is the problem cylinder.

Going to wait a few days and try and move it a little, if that works, I'll fill the block with penetrant and turn it a bit more. Then get started on changing the carb and putting it back together.

HDR, I used acetone/brake fluid on the first lot, and ATF on the back, as I already had bought a bunch of acetone and brake fluid. Being a lot less viscous it was easier to get it into the cylinder thru the plug holes than the ATF, I imagine the ATF will cling longer, but the viscosity might make it less likely as a penetrant? To me penetrants are usually more or less of a water consistency. I'll look to doing your startup procedure with ATF in the oil when I get it all together.

A pox upon the man who said it was OK, to put the plugs under the manifold.

 

[Burban]

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Well that sucked.