engine locked tight

A cpl months ago I picked up a 72 AMX with 26K miles on it, it had been sitting since 77, the car was in pretty decent shape and during disassembly it came apart pretty easy. Now down to the motor a 360 and I have it completely tore down, but for the life of me I can't get the pistons/rods out of the bore. Cylinder walls above and below the piston look awesome, still see the original crosshatching, but the pistons are stuck tight. I've been spraying and cleaning and filling the bore with PB but have no luck making any of them move. Does anybody out there have any info or tricks they can pass along? I've been soaking and with a maul and a piece of hardwood been trying to jar the piston loose but no luck yet. any ideas??? thanks guys

I can tell you how I did this on a Jaguar in the car once.
Take the rod caps off, insert some threaded rod. Place some strong angle across the bottom of the block, and run the threaded rod thru that. Tighten the nuts once a day while soaking the cylinder.
Took me about a week before I heard a "tink." Out she came.

big2bird said:

I can tell you how I did this on a Jaguar in the car once.
Take the rod caps off, insert some threaded rod. Place some strong angle across the bottom of the block, and run the threaded rod thru that. Tighten the nuts once a day while soaking the cylinder.
Took me about a week before I heard a "tink." Out she came.

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Thanks Bird, I got sort of the same rig going now...piece of angle iron with threaded rod and I filled the cylinders with deep creep...

Take a propane torch and add a touch of heat around the piston perimeter. A little expansion/contraction action goes along way in getting the penetrent all the way through. It's amazing how much hold rings can have rusted to the cylinder walls.

big2bird said:

Take a propane torch and add a touch of heat around the piston perimeter. A little expansion/contraction action goes along way in getting the penetrent all the way through. It's amazing how much hold rings can have rusted to the cylinder walls.

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OR a rusty nail in wood.....


:crap::crutches:

Yep, what Bird said. I recently had the same problem with a Harley motor, made a similar set up pushing on the piston. It took three weeks, giving the nuts a little twist everyday & smacking & heating it every couple days, but one morning when I torqued it again it gave and I was able to get it apart.

JPhil said:

Yep, what Bird said. I recently had the same problem with a Harley motor, made a similar set up pushing on the piston. It took three weeks, giving the nuts a little twist everyday & smacking & heating it every couple days, but one morning when I torqued it again it gave and I was able to get it apart.

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What did you end up doing with that bike? I remember you talking about stripping it but can't remember anything else...

let it soak....let it soak..... let it soak...let it soak

thanks guys, I'm on week 2 with the soaking, will continue, so far none of them have broke loose, have gone through 2 different set ups with the pusher, now using 1/2 inch rod with a large thick fender washer welded on the end, have heated the cylinder with no noticable difference, but I'll be patient. I keep cleaning out the old penetrating oil every day and replacing with new. ( I'm using deep creep right now 1st week was PB blaster) man this thing is stuck, and I keep thinking only 7 more after this one. Hope everybody had a great thanksgiving!!!!!

Kroil is another product I've had good results with...

it soak.....soak soak soak.....these all broke free

Wow, that's some ugly pictures Bob.... :amazed:

Is that the 1st eco friendly engine? One that runs on mud?

Bob77, you nutz man, NO WAY, that is a holey terror....recycle....

:cussing::rofl:

this is a 49 ford flat head and after taking it all apart it only needs 3 cylinders to be resleeved which is very common for flat heads because of core shift during the casting, and the critical areas around the valves are fine.....we took it all apart as a precursor to rebuilding the flattie in the 37 ford, its sitting in the garage corner now all cleaned up and ready for something to be done with it.... and depending on what we find with the 37 it will either replace it or be sold.