<VV> Free 140

[Tony Underwood]

At 01:06 PM 12/25/2009, DON W HILTPOLD JR wrote:

>That beast needs to be submerged in a 55 gallon drum of cutting oil 
>for another 10 years. I have a seized engine that was just sitting 
>for 35 years and even that is locked up tight. I have loaded it up 
>with WD40 and it has now sat for the last 3 years and still won't turn.
>Don Hiltpold
>




...I'm gonna casually suggest electrolytic corrosion removal for 
stuff like this.


FIRST:   degrease the engine, make sure it's clean.   Flush it 
out.  Soapy water, Gunk degreaser, purple clean, whatever.

Sodium carbonate aka "washing soda" in water, in a metal tub... 
enough to submerge the engine but make sure no metal parts of the 
engine contact the metal tub.   A piece of plywood or a couple pieces 
of board, whatever.   Add enough water to cover it all, then add 
about two tablespoons of the soda to each gallon of water and make 
sure it's well mixed.

Bring out the battery charger.   Connect the negative cable to the 
engine, the positive cable to the metal tub.   Then (optional) add a 
little bit of dishwashing detergent to help cut the oily 
spots.   Power that sucker up.  Watch it begin to bubble...



It's best if the heads are removed.  Trust me.   Electrolytic 
corrosion removal works best via "line of sight".   If it's stuck 
cylinders that are causing grief, the heads have to be off.   Don't 
worry about the engine's steel parts being submerged in what looks 
like soapy water, with current applied it will NOT rust.  In fact, 
the rust already there will begin to dissolve.


Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) will work in a pinch if you can't 
find sodium carbonate aka washing soda.


If anything is gonna remove corrosion and allow the engine to free up 
(hopefully) this will do it.   Might take a while... as in several days.


You can decrud the heads this way as well.   A plastic tub will also 
work although you will need a sheet or two of steel for the anode, 
stainless works better since mild steel will tend to eat itself up 
during the process while stainless simply discolors.



I've done this.   It works.   I often do it with a coffee can for 
derusting small stuff by hanging the rust-covered part from a HEAVY 
piece of wire (coathanger works ok) through the plastic lid making 
damned sure the part doesn't touch the can.   Remember... 
ground/negative to the work piece, positive/anode to the metal 
container or sacrificial anode plate.  I once recovered a pair of 
scissors I found in the dirt, looked like they were carved from 
clay.  After a day's soak with the soda they were pitted but clean 
and rust-free, and after resharpening they worked fine.  Don't forget 
to oil the work after, to keep it from rusting again.

This will also remove corrosion from nonferrous metals.




In worst case scenarios when nothing else seems to help, give the 
electrolysis thing a shot.




tony..