Stuck Rings Maybe

Good Soak For Rings In an Engine That's Been Sitting A Long Time???

When I was a kid everybody said to dump a table spoon of Marvel Mystery Oil down each spark plug hole amd let it set for a few days to reduce the risk of cracking a ring when you start trying to move the engine.

From what I've heard and read they changed the formula of the snake oil and is not so good anymore. I don't know.

Yesterday I heard a new one. Dump a mix of ATF and acetone in, and put the spark plug back so the acetone will force the ATF through the rings with pressure as it turns to vapor. I've never heard that one before. I have some reservations.

I've got a 42 GPW (that was my dads) Jeep with a newer M38 Jeep engine that eventually I'd like to sell. Its been parked for 40 years so there will certainly be some tendency for the rings to stick. I'd prefer to sell as is and let somebody more expert than me deal with it, but I see no reason not to do little things to help that happen as time permits. Eventually being able to get compression on all cylinders might help... unless its bad of course.

Anyway I'd like to hear what you guys know or have heard about soaking the rings in a sitting engine before trying to turn it over.

Jim, you are a treasure to this group. I'll try really hard not to tease you about your tangents in the future. Nah I'll forget ten minutes from now, but I will remember you provided some solid intel.

Thank you.

That ATF/acetone mix is known as "Ed's Red" and it works great for rusted/stuck bolts and such - some add a bit of lanolin . Have you even tried to turn the motor over ? It might surprise you , as dry as the climate is out there I doubt rust would be a problem . If it turns you can check compression for a quick read on stuck/not stuck rings .

I've been very careful not to risk turning the motor. Even dragging it on the trailer with tires that won't turn (because they are flat and hard) I took it out of gear just to be safe. I'm not in a hurry. Soaking the rings for a while is not a big deal. I was more concerned with volatiles in the ATF or acetone causing other problem. I know the old formula MM was pretty much shade tree mechanic approved, but the ATF and acetone was a new one on me.

I've been very careful not to risk turning the motor. Even dragging it on the trailer with tires that won't turn (because they are flat and hard) I took it out of gear just to be safe. I'm not in a hurry. Soaking the rings for a while is not a big deal. I was more concerned with volatiles in the ATF or acetone causing other problem. I know the old formula MM was pretty much shade tree mechanic approved, but the ATF and acetone was a new one on me.

Bob La Londe

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I've sprayed much more Engine Stor and starting fluid into a spark plug hole than I meant to without causing a problem.

Next time I'll go off on a cosine, which is orthogonal (unrelated) to the main subject and can be in the Imaginary dimension.

Bob La Londe

----------------------------------- Acetone and ATF are suggested to soften and remove Indian Head gasket shellac.

No specific comments about piston rings, but one about acetone: It's surprisingly hygroscopic (absorbs water from air) and if it picks up too much water it's reluctant mix with automatic transmission fluid. I don't know the exact percentage of water that causes trouble, but getting near the bottom of a 1-gallon can (so, years old) I had some trouble. Got a cloudy liquid that wouldn't mix with ATF.

Other than that, ATF/acetone is a very effective penetrating lubricant. I'd be a bit more cautious with it than other penetrating oils in cases involving heating with a flame; the flash point is -4F, so heating a stuck joint and hitting it with a squirt wants the torch well away.

bob prohaska

Acetone and ATF were by and large the biggest agent suggested with Marvel Mystery Oil being a close second. This doesn't mean Mystery Oil is still good. Nearly all of those who said they used it admitted they have an old can that may not be the same as the new stuff.

Looks like acetone and ATF are the new shade tree mechanic approved concoction. I have Acetone and ATF on the shelf. I don't have any Marvel Mystery Oil.

Acetone and ATF were by and large the biggest agent suggested with Marvel Mystery Oil being a close second. This doesn't mean Mystery Oil is still good. Nearly all of those who said they used it admitted they have an old can that may not be the same as the new stuff.

Looks like acetone and ATF are the new shade tree mechanic approved concoction. I have Acetone and ATF on the shelf. I don't have any Marvel Mystery Oil.

Bob La Londe

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I still use MMO and have current stock - seams to be the same as what I used 40 and 50 years ago.

What worked 60 years ago in a REALLY badly seized Wisconsin VG4 on a swather was about 16 oz of diesel fuel and an ounce of "oil of wintergreen" purchaced from the local pharmacy. Pulled the plugs, put about an ounce or so in each cyl and replaced the plugs. Let it sit and add an ounce to each cyl every day for the next three days, wiggling the crank a bit each day. By the 4th day the engine was freed up enough to move. We then poured a couple ounces of MMO in the cyls and cranked it over - chamged the oil, cleaned the carb, filed the points and away it went, smoking like a fiend.

Have you compared the ingredient list - or msds- between Canadian and USA formulations ? A lot of consumer chemicals have been californicated in the last few years ... and not for the betterment of the product .

I have both Canadian and American - was quite some time we could not buy it here because it didn't have french labels - they are the same - and the American stuff is about 10 years old

Check the label on a container of current production and get back to me ... It's not a product i use very often . I think I've bought 2 quarts in the last 30 years or so .

Oil of wintergreen is methyl salicylate, a cousin of aspirin. It's good to know that it relieves pain and inflammation of the piston.

Have you compared the ingredient list - or msds- between Canadian and USA formulations ? A lot of consumer chemicals have been californicated in the last few years ... and not for the betterment of the product . Snag

-------------------------- MSDS content listings aren't as helpful as they were originally because active ingredients can be hidden as "proprietary" or under generic names.

The canadian container isa less than 6 months old.

The latest has a synthetic oil base instead of regular dyno squeazings - otherwise it is the same - group 4 pao.

I never turned it over. Somebody made a reasonable offer back in January or February, and I accepted. I quit doing anything with it except get the cheap tires I had already purchased for it slapped on so I could tow it around front for the transporter.

That's one old backyard queen gone. Half dozen more to go.