by ffkiwi » Sat Oct 21, 2006 12:26 am
A good way of shifting siezed engines is with heat-I find this far more effective than soaking in thinners methanol or kerosene. Put the engine in a domestic oven at about 150C at leave it for about 15-20 mins. Remove,(using an oven mitt) and fit a prop to the hot engine, tighten up in the normal way, and turn the engine over (slowly) using the prop as leverage. Once you have the engine moving, generously hit it with afterrun oil and keep turning it over-several dozen times until freed up. Then whilst still warm-and while any congealed castor gunk has been softened by the heat-start dismantling to whatever level you require. I've never known this approach to fail with an engine that is simply stuck solid with old fuel residues. [If there is a mechanical problem and/or damage-then this approach may not work] The reason for turning the engine over slowly the first time is simply insurance against there being a mechanical problem-you should be able to feel this while turning it over slowly, and not make matters worse.
If the needle is only stuck in the housing, the heat aproach should work-if it is broken off flush in the housing, the only option would be to machine off some off the spraybar to expose a portion of the needle shank and then carefully unscrew this using small gripping pliers or the like