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57 dodge truck 251 flathead
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Six Pistons
Posted 2017-10-17 6:51 AM (#550449)
Subject: 57 dodge truck 251 flathead


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Location: St.Catharines, ON CANADA
looking for best way to un stick the motor? Truck has been sitting outside since 1984. Pulled and broke plugs out, filled with ATF and diesel fuel. When facing truck engine, I am pulling clockwise on front bolt with 1 3/4 socket. 2 nd day and no movement?? Should I be doing something else? Or just wait.
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LostDeere59
Posted 2017-10-17 7:26 AM (#550450 - in reply to #550449)
Subject: RE: 57 dodge truck 251 flathead



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There are as many different witches brews of fluids to use as there are members of this board, but ATF and diesel (or kero) are pretty popular.

When attempting to turn the crank you should be using both forward (clockwise) and backward movements. Obviously you don't want to use so much counterclockwise force that you loosen the crank bolt. On the other hand if it's stuck then re-tightening the bolt is pretty simple

Patience is you best tool. It can take weeks to get a really stuck engine free.

And sometimes you have no choice but to take it apart, and sometimes even sacrifice the pistons . . .

Good luck


Gregg
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Powerflite
Posted 2017-10-17 8:28 PM (#550512 - in reply to #550449)
Subject: Re: 57 dodge truck 251 flathead



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Try a 50/50 combo of Acetone and ATF. This is the best combo I have tried. The acetone evaporates really easily so put the plugs back in and the Acetone will carry the ATF past the rings. Give it like 3 days to soak before you try moving it.
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local2Ed
Posted 2017-10-24 3:05 PM (#550952 - in reply to #550449)
Subject: RE: 57 dodge truck 251 flathead


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Very good chance the valves are stuck in the valve guides which will require removing head and tappet covers and removing valves. If you get that far DO NOT try to free the valves by twisting the valve heads as you will be surprised at how easily they twist off.

Remember on the flathead the spark plugs are over the valves so unless both valves are closed any penetrant will likely go down the valves and not end up on top of the piston unless you fashion a small tube, bent, to spray the penetrating oil on top of the pistons.

If you end up needing valves, Terrill Machine, somewhere in Texas sells a nice stainless steel valves for a decent price. I think I paid $10.00 a piece but that was maybe 5 years ago.
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56D500boy
Posted 2017-10-24 3:52 PM (#550964 - in reply to #550952)
Subject: RE: 57 dodge truck 251 flathead



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local2Ed - 2017-10-24 3:05 PM
Very good chance the valves are stuck in the valve guides which will require removing head and tappet covers and removing valves. If you get that far DO NOT try to free the valves by twisting the valve heads as you will be surprised at how easily they twist off.


Back in the fall of 1966, when I was 15, I got my 1955 Canadian Dodge Regent flathead 6 (3 on the tree) (it was my Dad's and he had just bought a 65 Plymouth Fury III). I probably started a few times in the fall and drove it in the country until the snow came. Over the cold Prairie winter, the car sat all winter When spring came, we could NOT get it to start, neither on the battery or by dragging it around on a chain (rope?) behind the 65 Plymouth. Eventually we figured out that at least some of the valves were stuck open. I don't know where this solution came from but we had a cheap ping-pong set with a net and two brackets similar to those shown below.

We took the spark plugs out (or already had them out to check the compression - too long ago to remember exactly). I do know that we took the clamp bolt out of one of net brackets and then wiggled the bracket through the spark plug hole and were able to a) contact the valves that were stuck open and b) lever them down. Shortly thereafter we got the engine fired. I drove that car on Sunday afternoons in the country until I got my learners license and 10 days after my 16th birthday I passed my driving test (I had been driving it since I was 12 in the country (took many weekends to get out of first gear)).

Bottomline: It might be possible to bend a piece of steel bar stock small enough to fit through the spark plug hole and lever any valves that are stuck UP, down. Not sure about if the valves are stuck down. Don't think that can happen without breaking the cam.

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