The Ford Barn

1950flathead · 08-09-2016, 03:34 PM

My father passed away last year and I inherited a 1950 F1 with a locked up flathead V8. The truck has been indoors with oil and anti-freeze for 30 years, the last time it ran was 18 years ago. I've added about $60 worth of marvel mystery oil down in the plug holes and it's been soaking for about a month now. I've removed the starter and all the belts, but it still won't turn over. Any suggestions on bringing this flathead back to life?

slowforty · 08-09-2016, 03:49 PM

Try some acetone and auto transmission fluid 50/50 mix . Works better and cheaper. also diesel fuel is good too. Patience is a virtue. It did not get stuck overnight.

Bruce in southern OH · 08-09-2016, 03:50 PM

I have done several cars that have not moved in 30 plus years, pull the fuel pump stand, add automatic transmission fluid, remove the center head, spray all the lifters with PB, also use diesel fuel and a brush to clean the valley out and lube the lifters. Make sure the transmission is in neutral. Take the belt off the generator and water pumps. The clutch has been stuck several times on two cars I have done. Pull the distributor, add oil, automatic fluid oil, anything you can remove to lube up, it needs to be done. Put car in gear and rock it back and forth, gentle. Add oil to everything you can think of. You will need to drop the mix of fluids out of pan after you break the engine loose. I have always dropped the oil pan and cleaned the sludge out of pan that is always in it and the oil sludge you washed from valley. See if screen on pump is clean. Sounds like a big job, but goes quick. ( yes pull the starter and make sure it spins on the floor with power, it can be froze ) you will need later to spin after it frees up. Drain the radiator, see if the water pumps are stuck.

Mart · 08-09-2016, 03:50 PM

Pull the heads - pull the intake. Have a good look around. When you can properly see whats going on you might be in a better position to decide how to proceed.

alanwoodieman · 08-09-2016, 03:55 PM

most of the time I soak them with a mixture of atf and acetone 50/50. usually for two weeks. try to spray upward so that the valves get some of this mixture. then take a pull handle and socket on front crankshaft bolt and attempt to turn over engine, just a little, if it moves back up more than you came forward. leave alone with more of the mixture for a day or so. I have also found that valves stuck in the guides can be the culprit. If so remove the valley cover and soak the valve guides with same. I just unstuck one that had been sitting since 1972--good luck and go slow

RalphM · 08-09-2016, 04:42 PM

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It takes as long as it takes.
I once freed up a sleeve valve engine, only took me six months.

Willit Stop · 08-09-2016, 05:05 PM

Mine sat in a garage for 20+years and it started within 2 seconds.Yours might not be stuck as bad as you think.Best of luck.

Tony, NY · 08-09-2016, 05:17 PM

I read of guys putting a breaker bar on the crank pulley bolt and jack under it applying pressure and leaving it for days. Of course, the cylinders had their dose of your favorite concoction. Check for movement, daily, weekly or whenever.

tubman · 08-09-2016, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony, NY

I read of guys putting a breaker bar on the crank pulley bolt and jack under it applying pressure and leaving it for days. Of course, the cylinders had their dose of your favorite concoction. Check for movement, daily, weekly or whenever.

I have found that this works. We've been fighting gravity all of our lives. It's time it did something for us.

1952henry · 08-09-2016, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RalphM

It takes as long as it takes.
I once freed up a sleeve valve engine, only took me six months.

Willys?

RalphM · 08-09-2016, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1952henry

Willys?

Yes, Willys-Knight, it had been sitting for 25 years. Bad part was after I freed it up and got it running it had a rod knocking. When I told the owner, he suddenly remembered why it was parked 25 years before!
I did fix it and it is drivable now.

Straightpipes · 08-10-2016, 12:06 AM

All of these methods may get it loose but you still dont know whats going on inside. Pull the manifold and heads and inspect it properly.

1952henry · 08-10-2016, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RalphM

Yes, Willys-Knight, it had been sitting for 25 years. Bad part was after I freed it up and got it running it had a rod knocking. When I told the owner, he suddenly remembered why it was parked 25 years before!
I did fix it and it is drivable now.

When I lived out west there was a fellow who rebuilt old engines. He had a lot of NOS parts for various makes. I had read about the sleeve valve engines, but hadn't actually seen one. He takes out a NOS sleeve assembly and explained how it worked

RalphM · 08-10-2016, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1952henry

When I lived out west there was a fellow who rebuilt old engines. He had a lot of NOS parts for various makes. I had read about the sleeve valve engines, but hadn't actually seen one. He takes out a NOS sleeve assembly and explained how it worked

This one was a learning experience for me too. I had never seen one before, but thanks to a past car club member who is no longer with us, Rudy Domke, I was able to repair it. I replaced a connecting rod. The piston/ rod sassy actually came out the bottom of the engine.

FlatheadTed · 08-09-2016, 05:12 PM

After soaking remove the starter and lever of the fly wheel teeth with a crow bar if there's room ,if its real stuck heads need to come of .Maybe soak the pots in Vinegar ,then stripe it all down ,Ted

rotorwrench · 08-09-2016, 05:46 PM

I always caution folks that are trying to break an old flatty free. Most things have been touched on to a point. Some folks think it's just a piston or three but any metal to metal surface can corrode and sieze up. Pistons to cylinder are common but stuck valves are just as common. You can break a stuck piston loose a lot of times with a long cheater bar but you will break a cam or follower if it's stuck valves. As was mentioned too, clutch plates can rust to the flywheel and they sometimes take a good bit to break that bond even though it's not technically a metal to metal surface and it realy doesn't lock up the engine. If the vehicle is in neutral it will spin the input & countershaft freely along with the crank but it won't disengage.

JSeery · 08-09-2016, 05:59 PM

And the one thing not touched on yet is animal infestation. Might be hard to believe but they seem to find a way into an engine.

slowforty · 08-09-2016, 08:32 PM

I had a friend of mine find mouse nests in the cylinders. Little Bastards crawled down the carburator, through the valves into the cylinders.

34pickup · 08-09-2016, 08:48 PM

Mine was mostly frozen by the valves stuck and the oil pump stuck. Pistons came out ok.

swanwaco32 · 08-09-2016, 08:55 PM

You will break rings if you don't take it easy.

08-09-2016, 03:34 PM	#1
1950flathead Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 4	How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? My father passed away last year and I inherited a 1950 F1 with a locked up flathead V8. The truck has been indoors with oil and anti-freeze for 30 years, the last time it ran was 18 years ago. I've added about $60 worth of marvel mystery oil down in the plug holes and it's been soaking for about a month now. I've removed the starter and all the belts, but it still won't turn over. Any suggestions on bringing this flathead back to life?

08-09-2016, 03:49 PM	#2
slowforty BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Tinley Park Ill Posts: 1,200	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? Try some acetone and auto transmission fluid 50/50 mix . Works better and cheaper. also diesel fuel is good too. Patience is a virtue. It did not get stuck overnight.

08-09-2016, 03:50 PM	#3
Bruce in southern OH Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Proctorville Posts: 1,606	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? I have done several cars that have not moved in 30 plus years, pull the fuel pump stand, add automatic transmission fluid, remove the center head, spray all the lifters with PB, also use diesel fuel and a brush to clean the valley out and lube the lifters. Make sure the transmission is in neutral. Take the belt off the generator and water pumps. The clutch has been stuck several times on two cars I have done. Pull the distributor, add oil, automatic fluid oil, anything you can remove to lube up, it needs to be done. Put car in gear and rock it back and forth, gentle. Add oil to everything you can think of. You will need to drop the mix of fluids out of pan after you break the engine loose. I have always dropped the oil pan and cleaned the sludge out of pan that is always in it and the oil sludge you washed from valley. See if screen on pump is clean. Sounds like a big job, but goes quick. ( yes pull the starter and make sure it spins on the floor with power, it can be froze ) you will need later to spin after it frees up. Drain the radiator, see if the water pumps are stuck.

08-09-2016, 03:50 PM	#4
Mart Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Solihull, England. Posts: 9,239	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? Pull the heads - pull the intake. Have a good look around. When you can properly see whats going on you might be in a better position to decide how to proceed.

08-09-2016, 03:55 PM	#5
alanwoodieman Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: upstate SC Posts: 3,006	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? most of the time I soak them with a mixture of atf and acetone 50/50. usually for two weeks. try to spray upward so that the valves get some of this mixture. then take a pull handle and socket on front crankshaft bolt and attempt to turn over engine, just a little, if it moves back up more than you came forward. leave alone with more of the mixture for a day or so. I have also found that valves stuck in the guides can be the culprit. If so remove the valley cover and soak the valve guides with same. I just unstuck one that had been sitting since 1972--good luck and go slow

08-09-2016, 04:42 PM	#6
RalphM Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 2,681	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) It takes as long as it takes. I once freed up a sleeve valve engine, only took me six months.

08-09-2016, 05:05 PM	#7
Willit Stop Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Eureka Calif. Posts: 1,007	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? Mine sat in a garage for 20+years and it started within 2 seconds.Yours might not be stuck as bad as you think.Best of luck.

08-09-2016, 05:17 PM	#8
Tony, NY Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Capital of Corruption , NY Posts: 877	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? I read of guys putting a breaker bar on the crank pulley bolt and jack under it applying pressure and leaving it for days. Of course, the cylinders had their dose of your favorite concoction. Check for movement, daily, weekly or whenever.

08-10-2016, 12:06 AM	#12
Straightpipes Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ballston Spa, NY Posts: 790	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? All of these methods may get it loose but you still dont know whats going on inside. Pull the manifold and heads and inspect it properly.

08-09-2016, 05:12 PM	#15
FlatheadTed Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Auckland Posts: 4,755	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? After soaking remove the starter and lever of the fly wheel teeth with a crow bar if there's room ,if its real stuck heads need to come of .Maybe soak the pots in Vinegar ,then stripe it all down ,Ted __________________ http://www.flatheadted.com Flathead Ted brake Floaters ,

08-09-2016, 05:46 PM	#16
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 18,006	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? I always caution folks that are trying to break an old flatty free. Most things have been touched on to a point. Some folks think it's just a piston or three but any metal to metal surface can corrode and sieze up. Pistons to cylinder are common but stuck valves are just as common. You can break a stuck piston loose a lot of times with a long cheater bar but you will break a cam or follower if it's stuck valves. As was mentioned too, clutch plates can rust to the flywheel and they sometimes take a good bit to break that bond even though it's not technically a metal to metal surface and it realy doesn't lock up the engine. If the vehicle is in neutral it will spin the input & countershaft freely along with the crank but it won't disengage.

08-09-2016, 05:59 PM	#17
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? And the one thing not touched on yet is animal infestation. Might be hard to believe but they seem to find a way into an engine.

08-09-2016, 08:32 PM	#18
slowforty BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Tinley Park Ill Posts: 1,200	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? I had a friend of mine find mouse nests in the cylinders. Little Bastards crawled down the carburator, through the valves into the cylinders.

08-09-2016, 08:48 PM	#19
34pickup Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Huntsville Al Posts: 1,551	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? Mine was mostly frozen by the valves stuck and the oil pump stuck. Pistons came out ok. __________________ Matt 24:36-41

08-09-2016, 08:55 PM	#20
swanwaco32 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: KC Posts: 270	Re: How long does it take to unlock a flathead V8? You will break rings if you don't take it easy.