D2 - Stuck diesel - suggestions to get her turning

Arthropod,
I don’t think there is ever a straight / clear answer for that question.

I’ll give you a (my) short story on this… My D2 was stuck when I got it also.

The main clutch was stuck also.

I separated / hoisted the diesel from the bell housing to fix the clutch.

While I had the diesel separated from the rest of the tractor - I made up this 10ft long bar – with lugs that fit into the flywheel teeth.

That way I could really pull on it and not have to worry about harming anything.

I did get it to move – and then turn. But it was pretty “crunchy”.

I did eventually take the head off – and when I did I found LOTS of rust & crud.

I don’t know how rusty these things can get and still run OK after being broken free.

I can’t imagine I would ever have had a decent running machine in that condition - had I tried to start it.

The rings were even rusted fast in the ring grooves.

If yours is stuck and you managed to free it up externally without a lot of trouble – I would say go ahead and try and start it.

Otherwise tear it down.

Bill Glenn

It has been for me at least the best bet to take the head off then you will be able to see whitch cylinder is stuck also get some diesel oil on top of all pistions in the morning if some cylinder stills have oil on top that is the stuck cylinder plus the rings probaly stuck to pistion.some guys swear by coke cola never had any luck with it but taste better than diesel.

The only one I never had to pull the head off from was "Flash Rusted", it ran and did an OK job for its purpose but eventually the compression got worse and harder to start. I pull heads, that way you can check the condition of all the parts that will wreck the engine if they are in poor condition and fail. (drop a valve while running and see who destroys what!)

I've freed up several "frozen" engines by pulling the head and finding out which cylinder was rusted up, then pouring in several ounces of diesel, tossing in a small rag and lighting it. After it's burned all the diesel, let the piston cool to body temp and put a block of wood slightly smaller than the bore on top of the piston and whacking it gently 😆with a 12 lb molecular realignment instrument, also called a beater.

As soon as there's movement, I start turning the crank to get the piston down a ways and use a flap wheel to get most of the rust off the cylinder walls and clean the crud out. I use a mix of either acetone and two stroke oil or Coleman fuel and two stroke oil as a "loose juice" and start turning the engine over by hand. If the heat and cool cycle doesn't work the first time, try again.

Ol Grump - what's a flap wheel (and do you have a photo)? I might need to do the same to my D2
Cheers,
Neil.

is a mandrel with short strips of sandpaper attached to it for use on a power drill. I see them all the time in the wood finishing area of your local Home Depot.
Jeff

http://www.3m.com/product/information/coated-abrasive-flap-pg-wheel.html

There are the ones I use. .I'd guess the ones for wood would work too but as I'm not a sliver picker😆 I use the ones for metal. 80 grit seems to work well without getting too loaded up.

I welded up a cradle out of square tubing attaching it to the head bolts, machined an aluminum plug to 3.950 diameter and put light pressure on the piston with a small bottle jack, filled the cylinders with some PB and marvel mystery oil. I let it soak and kept adding a little pressure and it broke lose. I then took my cylinder hone with progressively finer stone and cleaned the bores up. I ended up pulling the pan, changing the rings as well and having the head rebuilt with Cat valves. I'm glad I did the rings as when I pulled the pistons I had stuck and broken rings.
Dennie