How to unfreeze a D4 Diesel Engine which most like has rust from water in engine

Setting the decompression lever on START opens the intake valves a little bit. So you could pour whatever you want down the intake after removing the pipe to the air filter. I did this with a 5J D2 and just poured diesel in it until it filled up to the top of the air filter. It's still sitting now for several years, so not sure what good I did. I did see that diesel came out the oil pan drain which I left open to check, so I know it got into the cylinders and some made it down into the ring area.

I've heard folks that swear by Coca-cola (the soda) poured into the cylinders to dissolve the rust sticking the rings to the cylinder walls. The Coke has phosphoric acid in it which attacks the rust. Now as to how you would get it in there, the best way would be to remove the injectors and pour it down the precombustion chambers. Just a safer and more effective way to get it in and back out after you get the engine turning.

You will need to make a socket to remove the injectors. It is a 3/4 drive 12 point socket cut in half (take top off) and welded back together with a piece of pipe in between. Then a section of the lower part is cut out to allow the injector nipple to stick out the side and then the socket to turn at least 1/12 of a turn before the nipple hits the edge of the cutout. I would cut a slot big enough to fit the nipple first and then cut again after you see which side of the slot you need to remove to get the turn. If you don't have 3/4" drive ratchet etc, just weld a little longer pipe on and drill a hole for a rod etc through it where it will clear the top of the injectors.

To turn the engine, as others have said, nudging the whole tractor forward and backwards may be the easy way. Make sure that the decompression lever is set to Start or the injectors are out! Sometimes you can get a bar on the flywheel through the clutch inspection and adjustment covers. Do not pry on the clutch linkages, instead pry on the notches of the flywheel that hold the clutch disk or on protrusions of the pressure plate that won't break off. Depending on what is mounted on the front, you may have a driveshaft or coupling you can get access to or there may be a dog for a turning crank or a large nut in the center of the crankshaft pulley that you could get a purchase on. If you have a drive coupling, that would be covered up anyway.

carb cleaner is heavier then water so it will soak down past the piston and liners. time is your best friend because the longer you let it soak the easier it is get to turn. i don't like pulling a siezed engine because the tracks just slide. i use my "bar starter" which is a big lever and it will break the rusted pictons free.

thansk
KoO
Published Author