Ford 2000 Engine Seized

[Mearntain]

I parked my Ford 2000, 3 cyl gas, for about a year and a half and it is now seized. I poured ATF in after removing spark plugs last night to let it soak and was going to try to break her free this evening.

Any tips you could offer? I was going to try rocking it while in gear (3rd gear high) and if that doesn't work, try to pull it with my truck while in gear. I was hoping to avoid putting a pry bar on the flywheel.

I believe these are my only options I have correct? Open to any input. Thanks

 

[lennyzx11]

I brought a neglected farm all back to life by pouring a 50/50 mix of acetone/atf fluid in each cylinder to cover the piston head completely. Shake well or will separate over time.
Then leaving in third gear like you, I would walk by and try to roll the rear tire back and forth daily or when I was in the area. And give it a top off.
Like the proverbial story, “And on the 7th day..” it worked!
Once starter would spin it, I drained the oil. Refilled with fresh and proceeded to get it started.

 

[Mearntain]

Sounds good, I appreciate it! Actually had someone else reccomend the Acetone mixture to me last night, but didn't have any on hand so I went with straight ATF. I halfway pushed it out it's rut and threw it in gear with the fluid sitting in there. I probably won't get that lucky, but I'm hoping I come home to find it sitting back in the rut with a free motor, otherwise ill try what you said. Much appreciated!

 

[Tinhack]

I could never get ATF and Acetone to say mixed. It wants to separate almost immediately. I kept shaking and shaking to no avail. I think the mix is an old wives tale. I don't see how it's going to help. If you want to thin the ATF, just use paint thinner. Or...Just use WD-40 straight!

There's plenty of YT videos showing the mix separating also.

 

[Texasmark]

I parked my Ford 2000, 3 cyl gas, for about a year and a half and it is now seized. I poured ATF in after removing spark plugs last night to let it soak and was going to try to break her free this evening.

Any tips you could offer? I was going to try rocking it while in gear (3rd gear high) and if that doesn't work, try to pull it with my truck while in gear. I was hoping to avoid putting a pry bar on the flywheel.

I believe these are my only options I have correct? Open to any input. Thanks

I think the folks who use AF for penetrating oil also mix Acetone with it! The Acetone dissolves the AF and lets it get in the little tiny cracks and crevices so it can get to what you want to lube!

 

[Texasmark]

In breaking loose an engine, I give the penetrating oil time to work and then get on the crankshaft front bolt and start rocking motion back and forth...CW...CCW...CW...CCW etc. etc.......If it won't move give it more time, more lube and back at it. Once it moves just slightly, you are good to go...just keep at it back and forth till it cleans up.

 

[Mearntain]

Thanks for the good explanation, I appreciate it. After getting it unstuck, would it be sufficient to use a shop vac on the holes to get as much leftover fluid as I can, and then just crank a bit with no plugs in to clear the rest? Really trying to avoid hydrolocking, first time I've ever done this on a motor that was installed.

 

[Texasmark]

I don't see you filling the cylinder with penetrant. A few ounces would/should do the trick to get it to roll over and the holes are open for you to get the penetrant into the cylinders, just leave them open for the time being.

So, yes on your question about opening the plug/injector holes and roll it over but I'd change the crankcase oil before I put more than a few RPMs on it....rolling it over by hand. While the holes are open, next thing is to change the oil and filter, and fill the filter with crankcase oil before installing to ensure oil starts getting pumped immediately...I do that every time I change oil on any engine! thing is to change the oil and filter....

Then I'd get a freshly charged battery and spin it as fast as the battery will spin it for several minutes. Then close her back up and light her off. Once it's running on it's own, I'd put into the crankcase, something like Sea Foam (any auto parts store, 16 oz can, contains Naptha....solvent), the whole can, in with the crankcase oil on that first runup for about 30 minutes with the tractor parked and at about 1k RPMs....purpose is to dissolve the sludge in the bottom of the pan.

Then drain the oil and stick your finger in the drain hole and see if all the sludge is gone from the bottom of the oil pan....if not, do it all again. If ok, new oil and filter again and you're ready to go.

 

[Mearntain]

I don't see you filling the cylinder with penetrant. A few ounces would/should do the trick to get it to roll over and the holes are open for you to get the penetrant into the cylinders, just leave them open for the time being.

So, yes on your question about opening the plug/injector holes and roll it over but I'd change the crankcase oil before I put more than a few RPMs on it....rolling it over by hand. While the holes are open, next thing is to change the oil and filter, and fill the filter with crankcase oil before installing to ensure oil starts getting pumped immediately...I do that every time I change oil on any engine! thing is to change the oil and filter....

Then I'd get a freshly charged battery and spin it as fast as the battery will spin it for several minutes. Then close her back up and light her off. Once it's running on it's own, I'd put into the crankcase, something like Sea Foam (any auto parts store, 16 oz can, contains Naptha....solvent), the whole can, in with the crankcase oil on that first runup for about 30 minutes with the tractor parked and at about 1k RPMs....purpose is to dissolve the sludge in the bottom of the pan.

Then drain the oil and stick your finger in the drain hole and see if all the sludge is gone from the bottom of the oil pan....if not, do it all again. If ok, new oil and filter again and you're ready to go.

Sounds great, thanks again. Actually already drained the oil once and surprisingly was still rather clean from the last time I used it, so I suspect sludge will be minimal but definitely worth being sure its clean anyways. Will certainly do everything you said.

She's been soaking 3 days now and still no luck rocking. Would you advise against hooking my truck up to it in gear and putting engine idle pressure on it only to see if it'll break loose?

 

[John0829]

You will better off doing the slow way of letting it soak and trying to turn it by rocking the wheel with it in gear, using something to pull it may just break something big time making it necessary to open the engine for repair.