Pulling F4 engine question

[ncp546]

Hi everyone my name is Nick. I recently purchased a 1955 CJ5 from the original owner. It’s been in storage since 1975. Me and my dad are doing the project together and hoping to learn a bit more about these unique cars. It has a Koenig half cab on it as well as a plow. The family that owned it used to plow their golf business with it. I’m sure I will have many questions along the way! Currently the engine is froze up and we are pulling it to be rebuilt. I can’t get to two of the case bolts that are behind the engine. I think I need to remove the floor panels inside the Jeep to get to them? Thank you all for a wonderful site!

Nick

[gmwillys]

Welcome ncp546!

When you pull the floor section out, you will have access to the entire rear section of the engine. This will make setting the engine back in a breeze as well. The opening is large enough that if you were to pull the body off the frame, you do not have to remove the steering wheel. All you have to do is tilt the body and away you go. Please share more pictures of your project!

[ncp546]

Welcome ncp546!

When you pull the floor section out, you will have access to the entire rear section of the engine. This will make setting the engine back in a breeze as well. The opening is large enough that if you were to pull the body off the frame, you do not have to remove the steering wheel. All you have to do is tilt the body and away you go. Please share more pictures of your project!

Thanks so much for the kind words! We got the engine out. Would you recommend doing the rebuild or finding a new engine? I’ve never rebuilt a motor before but this could be a good start?

6667

[bmorgil]

Nick, the fact you "got the engine out" lends me to believe you are quite capable of rebuilding it. Some general mechanical skills and closely following all the steps in tear down and rebuild as published in the manual, will get you right through. A good machine shop is mandatory as most have to trust their finished machine dimensions. The tools to check them can be expensive and require some skill to use accurately. That said a careful by the book tear down, and then off to the machine shop. It is a Flat Head old school 4 cylinder. It had been around from the 30's I think and stayed around with a change to the intake valves, tilll around the mid 50's. I find them a fun rebuild. A couple of tricky spots, but nothing impossible. I think a few of the boy's on here will tell you, if your handy with tools this is a good one to start on. It is just like 4 water cooled lawn mower engines hooked together.

[gmwillys]

I agree with Bmorgil. A reprint of the original shop and service manual is a must because it is written in plain language. As Bmorgil said, do your research on your local machine shops. Talk to them to hear for yourself that they have experience with machining these flat head engines. A good shop will show off their handy work through the interwebs or their customers will tought them up.

[ncp546]

Wow thank you both for the reply! May be an odd question but is the manual available on the forums here? (I’m not too amazing with navigating forum sites) something tells me this engine was parked because cylinder #2 valve is sticking up and the push rod is bent. Could this be a lifter that failed? Unfortunately the original owner is no longer with us as well as his son so reasons for unknown the Jeep was parked. I was told it was because they bought a 76 CJ5 to start doing work around the golf facility but another reason could be because of this valve. I cannot for the life of me get the engine to un stick. I had the cylinders soaking for weeks but it won’t budge. That’s what lead me to pull the motor. It was a fighter but it came out. I see kaiser sells the rebuild kit which is awesome, just need to find this Manual now!

[gmwillys]

Here is a link to the service manual;

https://www.kaiserwillys.com/category/literature/mechanics-manuals/mechanics-service-manual-fits-46-65-cj-2a-3a-3b-5

To un-stick an engine, I use a combination of penetrating oil, diesel fuel and ATF, (automatic transmission fluid). Pour the mixture on top of the pistons about a half inch worth then let soak overnight. If the level of the mixture drops overnight, it is getting down and through the rings, and is working. Then take a block of wood and a healthy hammer and go over all four of the pistons, hitting all four pistons starting with the highest ones in the engine block first. Use the wood block to prevent damage to the pistons and continue until she starts to move. This may take some time adding some mixture then beating on the pistons. Stubborn engines have taken up to a couple of weeks to get fully unstuck.

[bmorgil]

Here is the link to the manual in PDF on this Forum. https://willysjeepforum.kaiserwillys.com/showthread.php?2394-53-71-Service-Manual-4-Wheel-Drive-CJ-3B-5-5A-6-6A-2-Wheel-Drive-DJ-5-DJ-6

[timandzack]

Reading the thread and remembering the days way back when we were rebuilding flatheads one-a day I remember finding an old block which I brought back to my shop to send out for servicing (boiling, boring, valve guides, etc) but it had pistons stuck in it. I put it in a press and cranked it up to 5000 pounds of pressure, and left it there. A week later, still in the press, a salesman came in selling Justice Brothers lubes and whatnot. He saw the block on my press and sprayed his JB-80 on each cylinder. The next morning all 4 pistons were on the floor.

Tim

[bmorgil]

I am going to try some! The thing that caught my eye was no silicone.

https://justicebrothers.com/products/automotive/specialty-products/jb-80/

[cmanderson79]

I'm definitely going to look into the JB-80. GM, the mixture sounds interesting as well.

Hey Nick, you are way ahead of me. My F-Head is still sitting in the my CJ-3B.

Chuck