Frozen engine and rebuilding

[15468]

Well, I managed to get my hands on a tartan 34. With an atomic 4 that doesn't move. I've squirted MMO into the cylinders a few times, and PB blaster a few times, added and removed oil (there was some water, still is, but I'm working on it.)

I know that the engine ran a few years ago, and that it stopped running during storage on the hard, and that the bilge got pretty full at times during that storage.

I know that the engine was not totally ignored during service life and was upgraded at least with an electric fuel pump (I'm a ways away from even thinking about that) - everything I have removed, plugs, flywheel cover, alternator mount, everything has been properly greased and torqued.

So far I have tried moving the flywheel, by hand and with a fairly short prybar - I have not taken the starter off and tried to get at the flywheel teeth nor have I put a dowel in the cylinders. What are the best, or possible ways to try and unstick the engine?

I may need help with this- I realize it's a simple enough engine and a tartan 34 has amazing engine access. But I'm still stuck on step one - not even sure if that is step one - and not sure if I should be taking parts off to get the engine out of the boat, or looking for a mechanic near enough to me (Lottsburg/Callao/Kinsale , VA) to get the project moving along.

I would do the day drive up to PA, of course, if I had $7000 - but I don't, and I would need to install in major parts anyway.

So what are my steps, anyway? start pulling parts until I get to some point where I can figure out what is stuck? or keep soaking and get some oak dowels and whack at it? or.....?

[Dave Neptune]

Do pull the starter and work the bar against the teeth carefully. Most important is to work in both directions. Keep working in both directions even when it starts to move if it does. Then you can use the starter. Patience and back and forth works best!!!!

Get as much of the water sucked out off the bottom as you can and be sure to shut off the water intake when you are ready to get it started. If the water came up to the carb you may need to address it too. Also have a bit of "motor crack" (starting fluid) to spray into the carb when trying to start..

NOTE a dowel will not work in the plug holes as they sit mostly over the valves and not the piston. If you have to get to beating on a piston to get it to rotate you will need to remove the head. Use a soft piece of wood and a "dead blow" hammer if you have access to one.

Dave Neptune

[15468]

I'm working on the bottom oil draining and flushing part. .. . I think there's a plug in the block that might help me flush it but I'm not positive and I don't know what size the square head is exactly (looks like maybe 3/8 NPT but... pipe sizes are weird. it could be 1/4 NPT) I'll need to find a 12 point socket or something to fit it, I guess.

We'll get the starter off today and start working on things.

Carb will be coming off an getting a full cleaning (at least) once I get things moving. I also have to drain some gas out of the tank, redo the filters there, figure out what to do with 7/8 tank of 5 year old gas.....one step at a time