Subject: Re: [Tigers] Removing frozen pistons

From: "[email-masked]" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2012 20:48:41 -0500

50/50 mix of acetone and ATF from the topside, let it pool about an inch
deep and sit overnight.
Next day, it's 2x4 cut to fit bore size and big a$$ rubber hammer time.

If that doesn't work, you can try heating the cylinder walls with a propane
torch ( while trying to keep the piston cool ) thus allowing the walls to
expand a tiny bit while piston remains the same size and bang on it some
more.

Good Luck

Michael Shortt
On Dec 19, 2012 8:13 PM, <[email-masked]> wrote:

> I am disassembling a 289 but have two pistons that I can't get to slide
> out.
> I thought my fellow Tiger experts might give a few suggestions on the best
> way to "nudge" them loose.
>
> Here's what I've done so far.  I had a few others that didn't want to move
> so I sprayed PB Blaster on top of all piston edges and let sit.  Then the
> next day I flipped the engine over and sprayed PB Blaster between all
> cylinder walls and piston skirts and let sit for a day.  On third day, with
> connecting rod caps off, I used a heavy screwdriver and hammer to tap the
> connecting rod at the cap mating surface to ease the piston out.  I took
> great care to protect the crank surfaces from damage.  This worked well but
> when slipping the caps back onto connecting rods after removal, I found
> that
> one cap wouldn't slip back onto the connecting rod.  Hopefully just a bent
> bolt but I want to make sure that the rods don't get messed up.  I'm still
> working on the front balancer bolt with PB Blaster and my impact wrench for
> removal.  Any suggestions for the two pistons still not moving?
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From: "Smit, Theo" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2012 03:34:21 +0000

Hi John,
You shouldn't go banging on the rods with a screwdriver... that will mark up
the surface of the rod, and there is pretty much no place on a connecting rod
where that is okay. On the one that didn't go back together, if you didn't hit
the cap bolt and it came apart without problems, then you've almost certainly
bent the rod.

The only way that it's even remotely safe to hit the rods to try and get the
pistons out, is to use a block of wood or maybe a brass drift, and hit it on
the bearing surface (leave the old bearing in, you're replacing that anyway)
directly in line with the beam of the rod. This would probably require removal
of the crank in the first place.

As was suggested, ATF and acetone is a powerful rust penetrant. When you do
get everything all apart, send your rods to the machine shop and have them all
checked for straightness and squareness and then resized on the big end.

Years ago I had to remove frozen pistons from a block... it took a lot of
penetrating oil and other lubricants, plus some pounding back and forth (going
down first is likely more effective at getting things unstuck - then you can
try to budge them out as a second step). I don't think I reused any of the
reciprocating parts afterwards. If you do whack the pistons to the bottom of
the bore, you can then go into the bore with a glaze breaker hone and clean
out the worst of the rust before trying to move the pistons outward.

Good luck,
Theo

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email-masked] [mailto:tigers-
> [email-masked]] On Behalf Of [email-masked]
> Sent: December 19, 2012 6:09 PM
> To: [email-masked]
> Subject: [Tigers] Removing frozen pistons
>

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From: "Dave Munroe" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:56:46 -0400

John:

If I understand correctly that you were beating on the rod cap mating 
surface with a hammer and screwdriver, I don't think that's a good idea. I 
would use a large piece of wood as suggested by Mike, cut to fit the top of 
the piston. Rotate the crank off the rod, put a rag between it and the crank 
journal, and beat on the top of the piston until it breaks loose. (after 
soaking it in the acetone/ATF mix of course).

If you can't beat the piston all the way out because of rod/crank 
interference (can't remember), once the piston rings are broken loose, use a 
wooden drift, a dowel or old broom handle shaved to get to the underside of 
the piston head and beat it out through the top.

Shouldn't mess with the rod cap surfaces unless you are going to replace 
them. Hard rubber or dead-blow hammers are good if there is little 
resistance to movement once broken loose.

Dave

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "[email-masked]" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Cc: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2012 9:48 PM
Subject: Re: [Tigers] Removing frozen pistons

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