Miller Trailblazer 55G further updates.....

Ouch. Sorry to hear this.

You can weld on nuts to the studs that are at the surface of the block as well. Using MIG, just place a nut over the broken off stud and fill in the inside hole. It can take a few tries before the stud comes out instead of just breaking the weld when you turn the nut.

You can also use the trick of placing a washer over the stud hole and welding the top of the broken off stud to the washer. That's easier than trying to weld inside a deep nut. Then weld the nut on top of the washer (inside mostly, but outside if you need to as well).

There's also the trick of using paraffin wax to get a rusted bolt out. It's like magic when it works. I've seen it used on oil galley plugs. Plugs that couldn't be budged with massive force, and WD-40 or BP-Blaster and heat came out so easy you could turn them out with your fingers using paraffin wax.

The trick is to heat the stuck bolt with a torch until it's almost red hot, then simply touch the block of wax to the bolt so it melts and wicks down into the threads. Let it cool down until the wax hardens, and then try to turn out the bolt. It comes out so easy it's absolutely shocking. I have no idea why it works.

I don't know where you get paraffin wax. It's used in cooking for chocolate and has been used for sealing caned food so I think you can get it in blocks at some grocery stores. I don't know if it has to be paraffin wax or if it will work with any old type of candle wax. I've only seen it done with paraffin wax.

I've not seen this used for getting broken head studs out, but if I had rusted bolts that weren't coming out with the welded on nut trick and PB Blaster, I'd try it for that as well.

For an engine as badly messed up with rust as the one you are playing with, I'd try the wax trick on anything that was frozen and not coming out.

This is fairly typical damage due to lack of a simple rain hat, many people put a 90 elbow on the top of the exhaust stack to prevent this type of destruction.

It is a little hard to tell without seeing the actual block, but the #1 cylinder seems to have very very serious pitting and will probably require a sleeve or boring (best boring is actually done with a Sunnen power hone) and oversize piston, get guidance from a good engine machinist. I suggest you remove the welding generator and strip the block down for complete cleaning and inspection. I expect you will find the #1 exhaust valve will be rusted and seized and maybe the intake also depending on the cam position.

Warning, Continental parts are not cheap, I suggest you shop carefully.

This may be a good time to consider replacing the engine with a diesel. The current favorite welder in my area is the Red-D-Arc? Lincoln which IIRC has a Kubota? diesel which burns far less fuel. (.44gal/hr IIRC)

Good luck, YMMV

Looking at the pictures it looks like #1 will need some repair. Pull the pan and see if you can get the piston to move up, then see if you can get it to go down so you can clean out any rust and crud above it. Then remove it. If the piston is OK and the rest of the bores check out as OK I would probably bore #1 out and sleeve it back to the current size. Then all you would need is a set of rings and gaskets. Being a Continental they are easy to find sleeves that will fit. A LOT of tractors used similar engines. For the boring if you have a way to do large holes you could DIY. Just buy the new sleeve and bore for a press fit. Then freeze the new sleeve and install it. Hone it to ensure it's true and clean up all the swarf. Put it back together and run it. If you don't have the proper boring bar it isn't hard to find them. I have bored a few engines while they were installed. Not real hard as long as you pay attention during the set-up.

For the broken studs, HEAT them up, then stick a cheap candle into the threads, the paraffin will melt and wick into the threads. Then clamp on them and remove them.

Try the grocery store. It is sold with the canning supplies as 'canning wax'. A one pound box was only a couple dollars about three years ago. The box of paraffin I got was made by Gulf Oil. It looks like some True Value hardware stores carry it, as well:

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I think you're beat on this engine. it will cost you more than its worth to restore if your time is worth a plug nickel.

Now, this engine was in everything from 30 years ago. start scrounging, you'll find a running engine in an otherwise broken machine. BTW, you don't know a good scrounge, do you?

Karl

Lots, and lots, of work here....

xman

We've already discussed that your homestead doesn't have the power service you need to run a "real" welder - the nice thing about an engine driven is that it makes it's own power, you don't need to beef up to a 200A service.

Or worse, try to talk Pacific Greed and Extortion into bringing in a

Having 400 Amps on tap is sweet, you can keep cranking up the amps to get penetration - when you start blowing holes, that's the cue to back it off a notch. That spare tire wouldn't have gone anywhere if you'd have used this puppy, but you might have needed extra time with the grinder to clean up the backside of the frame rail where it was just starting to burn through.

(Cribbed from that Chinese Curse:) May you always find interesting problems. And develop interesting solutions to them.

Get it running, stick it on a trailer and rig basic fenders and lights, a hoop frame for a tarp and keep it covered. CA Permanent Trailer tags are cheap now - something like $20 every five years.

I can use a motor driven unit occasionally - but only occasionally. You could always make it the RCM Loaner Machine - it goes out on rental, it comes back better than it left - If I had it for example, it would come back with the taillights totally reworked and rewired "Universal" - any car with the right connector cable.

(And powered equipment with a battery can also get stand-alone 4-way flashers really easy if it ever needs to be left by the side of the road, and you don't want it getting plowed into.)

The book says it's also a 3KW 120/240V generator, so that's another reason to keep it handy.

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I'd second the wax trick, use alongside WD40/Plusgas/whatever. For the wax I've used household candles. If you quench the stud (not the block) after welding with cold water it should contract slightly. Gorilla welds are great for this ;) Also a pre-heat with a blow torch seems to work Wack a Stielson on to undo it.

I have old VW exhaust studs to thank for this trick.

Rec.crafts removed as I can't crosspost to it, sorry.

Further update:

Id put this beasty on hold shortly after this thread expired in August. I was too busy to do much with it. Id put a bit of Kroil in the offending cylinder every couple months and walk away.

Yesterday, I was walking past it, and on a whim, decided to put the wrench to the crankshaft..put my foot on it....and it MOVED! Rocking back and forth on the wrench, I got the cylinder to finally move to the top of the stroke and back down. The crank wouldnt turn more than one full turn, and Id have to reverse directions,..it appears that at least one valve is still frozen in place....but the rusted cylinder is now moving. I pulled the rod cap and turning the crank around, the rod is now hanging free. I dont know if I should try to get it out the bottom of the cylinder, or the top. Anyone know what would be best? It seems to get really snug when its all the way up..probably the rings are getting packed full of Stuff, but I can , using a block of wood and a hammer, tap the cyliinder back to the bottom of the bore. I didnt go all the way down, not knowing if I could get the piston itself past the crank. Anyone know if it will come out the bottom in such a fashion?

Now I need to find out which valves are sticking. I thought Id gotten them all free in July..shrug perhaps one has re rusted again

When Im back down in So. Cal next week, Ill try getting the piston out, based on what the general opinion is on which direction to try.

Getting it out the top is going to be more problematic..as I cant get a good hammer blow on a wooden dowel from the bottom, though I pehaps could put a jack under the engine and try jacking out the piston ith a block of wood in the end of the con rod or a dowel inside the piston itself.

I would try using a cylinder hone to clear any top ridge that their might be before pulling the pistons.

Ill then pull all the pistons and clean the bores using the brushes Tom Gardner sent me and see bout gettting the valves out for a good wire wheel cleaning. and see about replacing the broken valve and valve guide

Can I buy a single valve and a single valve guide? Or do I have to buy and entire set of valves etc?

Thanks

Gunner

"Upon Roosevelt's death in 1945, H. L. Mencken predicted in his diary that Roosevelt would be remembered as a great president, "maybe even alongside Washington and Lincoln," opining that Roosevelt "had every quality that morons esteem in their heroes.""

All bow down before the mighty Kroil, savior of all things rusted...

Kroil is magic! My brain says that the piston won't come out the bottom for some reason, I can't put my finger on it. I've done a number of Continentals, the last one kept breaking valve springs, never could figure out why. I sure was glad to see that old girl go to the bone yard!