Cat 22 - what am I missing?

Patsdeere · Jul 1, 2021

Helping a museum with a cat 22. It hasn't run since late 2019. It now is locked.

Pulled the sparkplugs, they look normal (like out of a running engine).
Pulled the valve cover, 1 valve was stuck/stiff, that now bounces well after a little tapping.
Ran a paper towel down each cylinder, nothing on the towel. Maybe it didn't make it to the bottom, but if that was the case, then it balled up, but I think it went down.
Oil looks good, clean and quite transparent.
Water pump spins when pulling on the fan.

It lived in a carport, so no chance of direct rain intrusion.

What's the next step? Bite the bullet and pull the head? Or any chance atf mix would do some good?

old · Jul 1, 2021

I'd fill the cylinders with ATF not a mix of anything else. Also pour as much down the exhaust as you can till it leaks some place. Let it sit a week or so then see if it has freed up

Fritz Maurer · Jul 1, 2021

Depends on how fast you want to get it running. Im thinking 2 years to get stuck is awful fast. If water filled a cylinder and broke it, wouldnt you want to know that right away, rather than waste a week or more with some snake oil remedy and find out it still wont turn? Probably have the head off the thing in a 1/2 hour. If it isnt stuck bad, great. Then you can do a proper clean up instead of forcing the rings to scrape the rust off.

Gambles · Jul 1, 2021

Beg, borrow or steal a cheap borescope and look into each cylinder before you decide to soak the rings or pull the head.

Steve@Advance · Jul 1, 2021

I agree with the boroscope. If there is liquid coolant or water in any cylinder, might as well go into it.

If dry and just surface rust, it will probably break loose and live again with some ATF in each cylinder.

The stuck valve is a clue it is just stuck from sitting.

Phil-mar Farms · Jul 1, 2021

A spot of rust the size of a quarter across 3 rings will keep an engine from turning. My preferred penetrating oils are Kroil and Primrose 400 lube. That being said I always end up pulling the head and driving the stuck piston with a piece of hardwood. If its a sleeved engine you have to watch that the other sleeves dont push up

olddog · Jul 2, 2021

Beg, borrow, or acquire one of those little inspection
cameras that plugs into your phone. Make sure you get one that will
go into the plug hole.
Your prob is likely somewhere else, if it only sit 1 1/2 yrs under cover.

RedGreenGuy · Jul 2, 2021

ATF worked for me. Bought older Ford 3400 set outside unused for 7 years. Pulled plugs and filled cylinders with ATF. Refilled if needed about every 3 days for 3 weeks. Jacked up 1 rear wheel, put tranny in high gear and attempted rolling it every time I was close to tractor. 3 weeks and it rolled free.

Cat 22 - what am I missing?

Patsdeere

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old

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Fritz Maurer

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Gambles

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Steve@Advance

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Phil-mar Farms

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olddog

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RedGreenGuy

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