Removing Stuck Pistons In A 1960 430 MEL & Sonic Test Result

[Chris430]

Bought this from a 58 Lincoln. The heads and intake were gone but it looked like the hood has stayed closed for the most part. Been soaking diesel in the cylinders for a 3 weeks. Today I wire wheeled the tops and cylinders then hit it with a rosebud. Beat pistons with a 2x4 and a dead blow as it cooled. One more round of heat and hammer then I will take the crank out and nock them out one at a time. This one has seen some miliage. Ridge cylinders, a mixed piston, an oil pump and several valves have kissed the bumpers.

[Chris430]

Soaked again till Thursday and beat out the other five pistons. Number 6 & 8 were not budging. I poped out the freeze plugs to warm over the cylinders cateful not to get them too hot and run the risk of distortion. Soaked overnight with WD40.

[Chris430]

Friday more heat and hammering did nothing. Two things you want to be weary of when beating out pistons. One is not to beat on the combustion side to the point of concaving the piston spreading it and causing it to wedge tighter. Another thing to be mindful of when beating out stuck pistons is the rust and debris being packed in between the rings. As the piston moves trash can pack in between the rings running the risk of splitting the cylinder walls.

By drilling out the piston I was able to safely chisel out sections and eventually free them.

[Chris430]

This is not the super thick cores I have read about but the thickest I have seen in person. The 61 C1VE 430 was a safe .030 bore with core shift in the same area as this 1960 B9ME casting.

[Chris430]

I am spraying UV dye on the main saddles, camshaft tunnel and lifter valley. Is there any crack prone area in particular I need to check for?