avalonjohn

ok guys......need somoe help. I recently "rescued" a 68 that has been stored since 1982. I have spoken to the original owner (I'm now the second owner) who stated the car was running when stored. The engine will not turn by hand....we pulled the plugs (I think original plugs!) and shot in about an ounce of mystery oil in each cylinder. That was about a week ago and still no luck. I installed some long bolts in the harmonic balancer and am using a metal bar to to turn it maually. I was going to shoot some more mystery oil in there and let it soak some more but was wondering if there was a better way, or any other suggestions. The car was full with oil and antifreeze when I got it. There is no indication of any internal damage to the engine. Pulled the valve covers and heads look clean and intact. Any suggestions? Thanks, john

08vycpe

There could be a million reasons for you issue so it's difficult to diagnose from afar. If this is a 4 speed car there is the outside chance that the clutch pressure plates are frozen together. Even when you think it is in neutral the plates could be stuck preventing the engine from "turning over". I know it's a long shot but check it out anyway. When storing manual shift cars for long periods of time the clutch should be held in the depressed position before storing. I'm not talking about storing for the winter but for really long periods of time. If it is a 4 speed car you might try rocking the car back and forth with the tranny in reverse (your lowest gear).

One other thought. Loosen or remove all the belts, especially the A/C belt if equipped.

avalonjohn

thanks, interesting but reverse seems to be the only gear the car will not shift in to.......it moves through 1-4 and neutral easily but the t-handle will not budge up.

blueray72

try jacking up the rear and with the clutch engaged, spin the wheels. If the wheels turn then the lock up is at the engine.

halfmoontrail

I was going to suggest some other things until you said it won't go into reverse...my 74 4-speed was "stuck in two gears" and the starter was trying to move the car . Manually move the shift levers to the neutral position (way easier than it sounds).

Be careful with the long lever, I've broken a bolt off in the end of a crank...no fun. The suggestion to remove all belts is a good one, air pumps often freeze up. Also distributors have been known to get stuck.

I'd pull the distributor and remove the heads before using more leverage. If you find cylinder wall corrosion that is keeping the engine from turning, a friend of mine has successfully removed corrosion using a "reverse-battery" pretty cool but someone else will have to describe the process.

My money is on the tranny not being in neutral, followed by a stuck accessory, followed by stuck pistons (corrosion on rings/walls).

Steve

markids77

You'll not like my answer but doing this will save lots of grief later. I would pull and disassemble the engine at least far enough to replace every gasket and seal on it, and in the transmission as well before I even attempted to turn it over. If you are fortunate enough to get it to turn without doing this, it WILL leak oil and probably coolant from every seam and seal on it. Gaskets and rubber seals shrink and deteriorate over time and yours are well past their "sell by" date; plus you'll get to peek inside and see if there are other issues which may need attention while you're in there. Then clean, paint and it's ready to drive with no surprises lurking down the road.

avalonjohn

i've only owned this "barn rescue" for 2 weeks, but, what i can tell you is that if seems to go into neutral (we can roll it) and seems to engage in 1-4 (won't roll)....not sure about the whole reverse issue. The AC belt / fan assembly are all disconnected. I'm really curious about the trans idea though.....otherwise, needs a complete resto. 53k orig mile car, AC L-79. The owner kept detailed logs of every tank of gas he ever put in it. He kept every shred of paper that came with the car the day he bought it, including the window sticker, bill of sale, pop, radio/wiper tags, shim bag..everything, one of 350 68's with shoulder belts!...........too bad he had no idea how to store a car!! I'm gonna check the trans tonight. Thanks for all the advise. I know soon i'll be rebuilding the engine.

thatcorvetteguy

If the oil is clean i.e. no metal parts I think you'd better pull the heads and look before you brake something. I'm guessing you live in a high humidity area?

blueray72

I assumed you were just trying to get the car moving..my bad. If you're gonna restore the engine start tearing into it..if you're not worried about that engine, I would try to get it to turn over.

avalonjohn

the car was stored in Mass.....I live in Delaware

mrvette

Well, assuming what you say is really true, in that it has been stored for 30 years, obviously you can't prove that, but, it does happen, my mom's '63 Olds F85 4dr sedan sat for 25 years with ~35k on the clock, and so in '88 or so it was sold...

the thing that will kill a car is the temperature inversions....accumulated rust from just setting in a garage....barn.. the cold metal condenses moisture from the air, and so rusts, the entire underframe of Mom's car was just about toast....and that was in Maryland....

but here in Florida, my wife has bought a Class C motor home/camper and it's a '71....the rust is not all that bad....but it's a FLORIDA camper...and apparently not kept near the beaches for long...

as to the engine, I suspect it's time for the tear down, and complete inspection...coolant is not nice to iron...

7T1vette

If the car needs to be restored anyway, just pull the engine and don't take chances damaging it. Call or rent a flatbed hauler to get it to a shop, garage, or wherever. You will find [and fix] the problems as you disassemble it.

longbros

Man, I don't understand why a lot of members want you to tear the engine apart. Just keep doing what you are doing. I like to use Kroil to squirt in the plug holes, or automatic transmission fluid. When you try and rotate the crank, try going backwards if possible. Most always, the rings are just stuck to the cylinder. It may take a few weeks for the oil to free things up, so don't be in any hurry. I have freed up many engines this way, many that had sat for 25 years or more.

avalonjohn

it is true, I can prove it.....it sat since 82......if you saw it you'd understand

champs65

John, For what it's worth, I bought a 65 with the original 327/365 that has sat since 1974. Same situation, ran when parked, locked up now.

I bought it in September 09 and started trying to free the engine with every method and fluid known to man, and still no luck. I also had a long bar, drilled some holes in it and bolted it to the flywheel. (Engine out of the car, and bolted to an old frame) LOTS of leverage, still nothing.

Its been sitting at work undisturbed since Christmas, filled with used oil in all the cylinders with the plugs back in, and about 3 gallons down the intake.

As soon as the snow melts at the back door and I can get to it, I'm going to try it one last time. i'll keep you posted

Buddy1980

Another idea for the stuck engine. Spray some "Blaster" or similar rust penetrant into the spark plug holes and let it sit a few days. Also spray the same on the top side of all the valve stems, thru the valve springs. Valve stems get stuck in the valve guides after a long sit. The rust penetrant will usually loosen them. If the valves have umbrella seals under the valve springs, take a syringe and needle full of rust penetrant and inject thru the valve spring and seal to lube the top of the valve guide. I just used this method recently on a Ford Falcon that had been sitting since 1990 with no oil in the cylinders. It is running great now with no dissassembly. Also used the same method on a 1937 Packard. It had not been run since 1964, had been sitting outside in Ohio. Put the Blaster in the cylinders and on the valve stems and it started and runs good now. When you spray the rust penetrant into the cylinders, try to get it to spray on the complete circle of the piston top for complete coverage of the cylinder and rings.

Buddy1980

A few things I forgot. If the clutch is stuck to the pressure plate, just make sure the car is in neutral before you try to turn or start engine. Also, if you do get engine to start, watch the oil pressure carefully. You of course want some pressure, say 30 to 75psi, but if the pressure shoots up instantly and pegs out the gauge, say 100psi plus, the oil pump relief valve is stuck and usually the oil filter will blow off the engine in about 2 or 3 seconds. Ask me how I know this! I blew 3 oil filters off my engine before I figured out what was going on. And as far as the clutch being stuck, usually a little running of the engine which will provide some heat and vibration should unstick the clutch. One more thing, use the plastic straw to get the rust penetrant into the plug holes to lube the cylinders, the one that comes taped to the side of the rust penetrant cans. And I will swear by "Blaster" penetrant after it unstuck the Packard that had not run since 1964. Good luck, I think your engine can be unstuck with this method!

Attfay Elleybay

rvazquez

something else to consider, there is a oil priming tool, you can get it from Eastwood or even rent one from Autozone for a few bucks, remove the distributor and using an electric drill( a battery one doesn't have enough torque)insert the priming tool where the distributor was and spin it until you get oil pressure on the guage or you see it coming up under the valve covers, then you know that you have sufficient lubrication, don't forgrt to mark the position of the distributor so you can get it back in the same spot.
Regards
Roy

avalonjohn

i hear ya brother......keep the faith!