Irish Mini Owners Club

My 1959 mini engine was starting before it was removed from the car, when i removed it about 4 years ago it was turning at the crank pully. I wraped the engine up in bubble wrap, about 18 months ago i stared top clean the engine up removing the grime and that, but i tried turning the engine over by hand and its locked solid..... Why is this??




Steven

just a guess our recent cold weather snap

it was stored in the garage, and i had another engine which was out in the snow and cold and i got that up to the garage last week and that turned over no bother...

ah right is the head still on it and all

it wasn't knocked back into gear while cleaning?? that would lock it up...

Should be no difference if it in gear cause with no drive shafts it can turn fine. Sounds like you might have to lift the head and inspect.

Sounds like it may just have been a good motor with good bores, quite common when they are like this that with simple condensation due to natural heat cycles from our weather. You may find that by removing the plugs and pouring a little lubricant (diesel is ideal) into the bores, then using a socket on the crank blot gently work the crank back and forward it should release, once released turn it over a few times without using a lot of force and that should get it sorted..... (Hopefully)

If it doesn't work then like Gareth suggest's you'll probably have to take the head off and inspect further...

Ian

I removed the plugs last night and sparyed a bit od oil down the plug holes and removed the starter and tryed turning the car at the fly wheel but it didnt even move a mm so tryed turning the crank with a socket and nothin happened, its just locked solid. the drive shafts turn freely so i dont no how it can just lock up it was starting before i removed it and turning by habd at the crank when it was removed so how or what causedit to lock up???

Sounds like your bores have rusted and locked against the rings, try the diesel instead of the oil - much better penetration, if this doesn't work then you will need to lift off the head and have a look. If in future you are leaving a motor for a long time, remove the plugs and spray WD40 into each cyliner and turn it over a few times, it helps also to do the head as well(valves). The next time you start it up it may smoke a little initially bu at least it won't rust. Unfortunatley if its that bad now you will be having to do a rebuild on it anyway as even if you do free it up the rust on the bores will damage the rings and you will loose compression.

If you have removed the clutch slave cylinder and screwed the mounting bolts back into the holes or put long bolts into the other two holes on the front of the bell housing they will lock the flywheel.

take the fan belt off these are known to stick to the pulleys like glue on old stored engines, and make it look like the lump is ceased, when in fact its the belt locking it all up, or maybe a ceased up water pump.

Diesel in bores is a good plan, if the no fanbelt has no joy go with diesel in the bores and rock it back and forth a little and then try it properly a week later, I had a old turbo lump I bought that had been sat outside for a year bores full of water no head on and freed it off like that.

Paul

i got some diesel last night and i put a good bit down each bore and rocked the engine around for a minute or two. So i will leave it till the 1st of march and i wil let you no what happens. I hope it works

Thanks for the advices



Steven