560 Stuck engine

Bob And · Mar 26, 2013

I just got a 560 gas tractor in my shop on which the engine is stuck. According to the owner he had it apart last spring and it was loose then. Anyway I"ve heard about several kinds of mixtures of fluids that have been used to free up the pistons but I"m wondering what some of you guys have used and how successful it was. Thanks for your help--again!

old · Mar 26, 2013

Gas or diesel?? If gas I use ATF and out of over 20 locked up engines only 2 or 3 did not free up. If diesel I use a mix of turpentine and ATF but do the turpentine first then add ATF

rustred · Mar 26, 2013

what are you doing with this tractor? getting it unstuck and just running it? or disassembly to overhaul?

mkirsch · Mar 27, 2013

There are about as many concoctions and magic potions as there are people who work on tractors. Automatic transmission fluid, ATF, is probably the most commonly recommended among all of them

Some people like old will report overwhelming success. Others will report 100% failure. Your results may vary.

It all depends on how badly stuck the engine is. If it's been covered up in a building there's a chance that it's just lightly rusted and after soaking in some ATF for a few days it'll come loose.

Engines that have been sitting with the exhaust open outside are completely lost causes. There's water in at least one cylinder and oil products FLOAT on water. You can dump ATF or whatever in there until you die of old age, and nothing's going to happen.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 27, 2013

50/50 mix of ATF fluid and acetone

Bob And · Mar 27, 2013

Thanks guys. The tractor has been sitting inside and was loose probably a year ago. All I have to do is get it running again so I'll try the ATF and maybe a little acetone and see what happens. The owner just passed away and it looks like maybe the head was off and work was never completed on it as there is plastic on top of the head with the valve cover just sitting on top of it. I also thought of using Marvel Mystery Oil, but I'll try the ATF and see what happens. Thanks again.

old · Mar 27, 2013

Yep I have been lucky but then I also look them over good to find out why they are locked up before I buy one that way. If I find water in the cylinder I know from the get go they are parts machines and are not likely to free up but if the cylinders are dry and locked up from sitting a long time most I have got to run with a simple ATF treatment

D beatty · Mar 27, 2013

Before starting check valves to make sure everything is free. If it was free last spring it shouldn't take much to free it up.

El Toro · Mar 27, 2013

Pull the sparkplugs and look into each cylinder with a borescope light for rust. I would drain some oil from the oil pan to see if any water is there. Hal

F-Dean · Mar 27, 2013

Really makes me feel old when I read about stuck 560s! I"m used to F-20s being stuck but a 560 is too new!

dej(Jed) · Mar 28, 2013

did you see if the starter is hung up?

Bob And · Mar 31, 2013

lots of good information here. I put in a mixture of ATF and enamel thinner in each cylinder, let it set for an afternoon, jacked up the left rear wheel, put it in 5th gear and started rocking the wheel back and forth. It took about ten cycles and finally I saw the fan blades starting to move. Put in the battery, hit the starter and it was free.
So it wasn't stuck all that bad.
Thanks guys and hope maybe this will help someone else sometime.

560 Stuck engine

Bob And

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old

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rustred

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mkirsch

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Anonymous-0

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Bob And

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old

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D beatty

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El Toro

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F-Dean

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dej(Jed)

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Bob And

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