Stop Me Before I Try This.....

rumblefish351
rumblefish351 Member
in HUDSON
Thanks to everybody for helping me out so far. I'm working on '51 Hudson Hornet 308 that's been sitting for 30 years and hasn't been started. I got the electrical part figured out. My main focus is to soak the cylinders, pistons, rings etc for a few days to help loosen up the engine. I've seen people pull the spark plugs and completely fill the cylinders and top them off with various concoctions (tranny fluid, kerosene, oil. Marvels Mystery Oil, etc). They fill the cylinders and let them set for few days, essentially doing a 'leak down test'. The cylinders that don't drain are stuck. The others drain down into crankcase. Is there any reason I shouldn't do this since I'm gonna change the oil and drain crank case anyways? At this point, I've sprayed some Rust Buster/PB Blaster and dumped maybe a Tablespoon of MMO down the cylinders and last night, I got the engine to turn a little bit with my inch and half socket/breaker bar last night. I think I'm gonna top them off and see what happens. 

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  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    Keep us posted on your progress!
  • rumblefish351
    rumblefish351 Member
    Thanks RL. I'm gonna cocktail a quart of tranny fluid and a quart of kerosene and fill 'em up and let 'em soak for a few days. Will keep you posted. 
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    Just a heads up.  If the crankshaft moves a little, then the pistons are not stuck and it's probably the valves that are stuck, so take the valve covers off and spray solvent on the valve stems.
  • Browniepetersen
    Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
    I did all that with mine and shortly thereafter I was up and running.  Made it about 500 miles and one morning on the way to breakfast I spun a rod.  My advice, pull the engine, break it down and go through it.  Most likely less work/expense if you start from scratch.  Of the cars I have built, to date, they always end up with a new engine--well, except the woody wagon I did twenty years ago.
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Plus, the inlet manifold will be full of oil and will have to be removed before you could run  the motor.
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    I agree, take it out, take it apart all the way to the mains, clean it and make it right.

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