Good Soak For Rings In an Engine That's Been Sitting A Long Time???
When I was a kid everybody said to dump a table spoon of Marvel Mystery
Oil down each spark plug hole amd let it set for a few days to reduce
the risk of cracking a ring when you start trying to move the engine.
From what I've heard and read they changed the formula of the snake oil
and is not so good anymore. I don't know.
Yesterday I heard a new one. Dump a mix of ATF and acetone in, and put
the spark plug back so the acetone will force the ATF through the rings
with pressure as it turns to vapor. I've never heard that one before. I
have some reservations.
I've got a 42 GPW (that was my dads) Jeep with a newer M38 Jeep engine
that eventually I'd like to sell. Its been parked for 40 years so there
will certainly be some tendency for the rings to stick. I'd prefer to
sell as is and let somebody more expert than me deal with it, but I see
no reason not to do little things to help that happen as time permits. Eventually being able to get compression on all cylinders might help... unless its bad of course.
Anyway I'd like to hear what you guys know or have heard about soaking
the rings in a sitting engine before trying to turn it over.
On 9/30/2025 10:51 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
Good Soak For Rings In an Engine That's Been Sitting A Long Time???
When I was a kid everybody said to dump a table spoon of Marvel
Mystery Oil down each spark plug hole amd let it set for a few days to
reduce the risk of cracking a ring when you start trying to move the
engine.
-aFrom what I've heard and read they changed the formula of the snake
oil and is not so good anymore. I don't know.
Yesterday I heard a new one. Dump a mix of ATF and acetone in, and put
the spark plug back so the acetone will force the ATF through the
rings with pressure as it turns to vapor. I've never heard that one
before. I have some reservations.
I've got a 42 GPW (that was my dads) Jeep with a newer M38 Jeep engine
that eventually I'd like to sell. Its been parked for 40 years so
there will certainly be some tendency for the rings to stick. I'd
prefer to sell as is and let somebody more expert than me deal with
it, but I see no reason not to do little things to help that happen as
time permits. Eventually being able to get compression on all
cylinders might help... unless its bad of course.
Anyway I'd like to hear what you guys know or have heard about soaking
the rings in a sitting engine before trying to turn it over.
I never turned it over. Somebody made a reasonable offer back in January
or February, and I accepted. I quit doing anything with it except get
the cheap tires I had already purchased for it slapped on so I could tow
it around front for the transporter. https://rumble.com/shorts/v77iym2?mref=1sqt4y&mc=42lue
They finally had it picked a few days ago. The new owner contacted me yesterday and said he had poured some ATF and acetone in it, and it
turned over just fine. Doesn't sound like he left it set very long since
it was the same day it arrived.
That's one old backyard queen gone. Half dozen more to go.
On 9/30/2025 10:51 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
Good Soak For Rings In an Engine That's Been Sitting A Long Time???
When I was a kid everybody said to dump a table spoon of Marvel Mystery
Oil down each spark plug hole amd let it set for a few days to reduce
the risk of cracking a ring when you start trying to move the engine.
From what I've heard and read they changed the formula of the snake oil
and is not so good anymore. I don't know.
Yesterday I heard a new one. Dump a mix of ATF and acetone in, and put
the spark plug back so the acetone will force the ATF through the rings
with pressure as it turns to vapor. I've never heard that one before. I
have some reservations.
I've got a 42 GPW (that was my dads) Jeep with a newer M38 Jeep engine
that eventually I'd like to sell. Its been parked for 40 years so there
will certainly be some tendency for the rings to stick. I'd prefer to
sell as is and let somebody more expert than me deal with it, but I see
no reason not to do little things to help that happen as time permits.
Eventually being able to get compression on all cylinders might help...
unless its bad of course.
Anyway I'd like to hear what you guys know or have heard about soaking
the rings in a sitting engine before trying to turn it over.
I never turned it over. Somebody made a reasonable offer back in January
or February, and I accepted. I quit doing anything with it except get
the cheap tires I had already purchased for it slapped on so I could tow
it around front for the transporter. >https://rumble.com/shorts/v77iym2?mref=1sqt4y&mc=42lue
They finally had it picked a few days ago. The new owner contacted me >yesterday and said he had poured some ATF and acetone in it, and it
turned over just fine. Doesn't sound like he left it set very long since
it was the same day it arrived.
That's one old backyard queen gone. Half dozen more to go.
In other news new/double gaskets on the headers of my truck ('86 GMC
1500 High Sierra with built 305) finally solved my "lifter tick" that
I've been chasing for a couple of years .
On Fri, 27 Mar 2026 16:45:23 -0700, Bob La Londe <none@none.com99>
wrote:
On 9/30/2025 10:51 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
Good Soak For Rings In an Engine That's Been Sitting A Long Time???
When I was a kid everybody said to dump a table spoon of Marvel Mystery
Oil down each spark plug hole amd let it set for a few days to reduce
the risk of cracking a ring when you start trying to move the engine.
From what I've heard and read they changed the formula of the snake oil >>> and is not so good anymore. I don't know.
Yesterday I heard a new one. Dump a mix of ATF and acetone in, and put
the spark plug back so the acetone will force the ATF through the rings
with pressure as it turns to vapor. I've never heard that one before. I
have some reservations.
I've got a 42 GPW (that was my dads) Jeep with a newer M38 Jeep engine
that eventually I'd like to sell. Its been parked for 40 years so there
will certainly be some tendency for the rings to stick. I'd prefer to
sell as is and let somebody more expert than me deal with it, but I see
no reason not to do little things to help that happen as time permits.
Eventually being able to get compression on all cylinders might help...
unless its bad of course.
Anyway I'd like to hear what you guys know or have heard about soaking
the rings in a sitting engine before trying to turn it over.
I never turned it over. Somebody made a reasonable offer back in January
or February, and I accepted. I quit doing anything with it except get
the cheap tires I had already purchased for it slapped on so I could tow
it around front for the transporter.
https://rumble.com/shorts/v77iym2?mref=1sqt4y&mc=42lue
They finally had it picked a few days ago. The new owner contacted me
yesterday and said he had poured some ATF and acetone in it, and it
turned over just fine. Doesn't sound like he left it set very long since
it was the same day it arrived.
That's one old backyard queen gone. Half dozen more to go.
"Back in the day" we used half an ounce of "oil of wintergreen" from
the pharmacist in a quart or so of diesel fuel and put an ounce or so
in each cyl and put the plugs back in and left it sit ivernight then
topped up with an ounce a day for 2 days or so, wiggling the crank
back and forth a little every 12 hours or so. Freed up some very
seriously stuck engines that way Once broken free a couple ounces of
Dexron A tranny fluid and spin it over with the plugs out. The tranny
fluid flushed rust particals out as it blew out the plug hole.
The 'wisdom' of the Net is that an 8V battery was to compensate for poor cranking, instead of upgrading the cables. This shows the regulator
voltage adjustment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJa2nuTUhFA
The 'wisdom' of the Net is that an 8V battery was to compensate for poor >cranking, instead of upgrading the cables.
"Jim Wilkins"-a wrote in message news:10q98mv$sdrs$1@dont-email.me...
The 'wisdom' of the Net is that an 8V battery was to compensate for
poor cranking, instead of upgrading the cables.
If you have a fairly accurate way to measure DC current, measuring the millivolt drop in a cable with 1A to 10A DC flowing through it gives a
good reading of its resistance. For example 10mV at 10A indicates 1 milliOhm, a foot of 10 AWG wire. Headlight bulbs make good load
resistances for this.
This gives wire resistance per foot in milliOhms, which is also the milliVolt drop per foot at 1 Amp. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge
It lists the diameter of solid wire for identification, stranded wire is somewhat larger. The size table I found doesn't quite match my wire.
Neither does the solid actually, my recently bought wire is at the
minimum tolerance limit.
Higher resistance than the gauge and length suggest may indicate
corrosion in the end terminals or under the insulation. Sometimes it
reveals substandard wire, like copper-clad aluminum (CCA) made from
scrap rather than pure aluminum, or copper wire (OFC) thinner than advertised.
Connect the power and measurement leads separately to the end terminals
so the power contact resistance drop doesn't add to the reading.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TweDOmmE83Q
My experience is similar. A hammer crimped welding cable terminal needs several good whacks on my 36 Lb anvil to settle at lowest resistance. A
bolt through the crimper base and hardy hole kept it from flying. This
is the sort of work anvils of less than hot forging weight are good for. Apparently I got the old price for old cable at the welding store,
battery cable cost 3x as much at NAPA.
The 'wisdom' of the Net is that an 8V battery was to compensate for poor cranking, instead of upgrading the cables. This shows the regulator
voltage adjustment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJa2nuTUhFA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TweDOmmE83Q
My experience is similar. ...
"Bob La Londe"-a wrote in message news:10q9dvn$u99m$1@dont-email.me...
On 3/28/2026 1:26 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TweDOmmE83Q
My experience is similar. ...
I am somewhat familiar knowing things like putting the batteries in the
front of a boat for the front trolling motor makes more difference than bumping up a wire size.-a (It also may have a negative affect on
performance on the gas motor depending on all other factors of load,
hull design, and balance)
The thing to remember is the Jeep is no longer mine, and its no longer
in close proximity currently since its now living in Florida.-a I can't
apply any of those practical exercises without excess expense for no
personal gain.
"Bob La Londe"-a wrote in message news:10q9k4n$10f2h$1@dont-email.me...
I currently use a single LiFePo battery for my 36 volt trolling motors,
and just swap it to whichever boat I am using. If I fished 3-4 days a
week like I used to I might put one in each boat.
Bob La Londe
---------------------------------
How do you charge it?
There are varying opinions on the right way to charge them, and off
season storage.
On 3/28/2026 10:23 AM, Clare Snyder wrote:6 will crank it "open" - or 12 will spin it real fast as long as you disconnect the ignition and wverything else except the starter.
On Fri, 27 Mar 2026 16:45:23 -0700, Bob La Londe <none@none.com99>
wrote:
On 9/30/2025 10:51 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
Good Soak For Rings In an Engine That's Been Sitting A Long Time???
When I was a kid everybody said to dump a table spoon of Marvel Mystery >>>> Oil down each spark plug hole amd let it set for a few days to reduce
the risk of cracking a ring when you start trying to move the engine.
From what I've heard and read they changed the formula of the snake oil >>>> and is not so good anymore. I don't know.
Yesterday I heard a new one. Dump a mix of ATF and acetone in, and put >>>> the spark plug back so the acetone will force the ATF through the rings >>>> with pressure as it turns to vapor. I've never heard that one before. I >>>> have some reservations.
I've got a 42 GPW (that was my dads) Jeep with a newer M38 Jeep engine >>>> that eventually I'd like to sell. Its been parked for 40 years so there >>>> will certainly be some tendency for the rings to stick. I'd prefer to
sell as is and let somebody more expert than me deal with it, but I see >>>> no reason not to do little things to help that happen as time permits. >>>> Eventually being able to get compression on all cylinders might help... >>>> unless its bad of course.
Anyway I'd like to hear what you guys know or have heard about soaking >>>> the rings in a sitting engine before trying to turn it over.
I never turned it over. Somebody made a reasonable offer back in January >>> or February, and I accepted. I quit doing anything with it except get
the cheap tires I had already purchased for it slapped on so I could tow >>> it around front for the transporter.
https://rumble.com/shorts/v77iym2?mref=1sqt4y&mc=42lue
They finally had it picked a few days ago. The new owner contacted me
yesterday and said he had poured some ATF and acetone in it, and it
turned over just fine. Doesn't sound like he left it set very long since >>> it was the same day it arrived.
That's one old backyard queen gone. Half dozen more to go.
"Back in the day" we used half an ounce of "oil of wintergreen" from
the pharmacist in a quart or so of diesel fuel and put an ounce or so
in each cyl and put the plugs back in and left it sit ivernight then
topped up with an ounce a day for 2 days or so, wiggling the crank
back and forth a little every 12 hours or so. Freed up some very
seriously stuck engines that way Once broken free a couple ounces of
Dexron A tranny fluid and spin it over with the plugs out. The tranny
fluid flushed rust particals out as it blew out the plug hole.
It might take him a day or two to spin it over under power. It had a >modified voltage regulator and ran an 8 volt battery. When I was
looking I didn't find many 8 volt car batteries. There are a couple,
but I would have had to order one.
On 3/27/2026 9:03 PM, Snag wrote:
In other news new/double gaskets on the headers of my truck ('86 GMC
1500 High Sierra with built 305) finally solved my "lifter tick" that
I've been chasing for a couple of years .
I have a hard time hearing the difference between a lifter tapping, and
a small exhaust leak, but my dad could listen to an engine and tell you
what the noise was almost every time.-a I bought a pickup truck once that sounded pretty much okay to me, and he told me, "Tear it down.-a It's got
a wrist pin slapping."-a He was right.
Another time we beached a boat in a back cove at Lake Powell, and hiked
up to the highway.-a (I don't recall why exactly.)-a Walking back towards Wahweap Marina we played a game guessing what the vehicle was
approaching by the sound.-a I was amazed how accurately he identified them... Sounds like a big block v8.-a Probably a Ford pickup... sounds
like a moderately high reving 4 cylinder, but its funny.-a Maybe an
opposed four like a VW beetle...-a He was probably right 4 out of 5
times.-a Vehicle 6 or 7 gave us a ride up to the marina.-a Later in life
his time spent around aircraft caught up with his hearing and he had to
wear hearing aids.
...why the converter lockup ain't lockin' up .
"Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:10q9k4n$10f2h$1@dont-email.me...
I currently use a single LiFePo battery for my 36 volt trolling motors, ---------------------------------
How do you charge it?
On 3/28/2026 12:32 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
On 3/27/2026 9:03 PM, Snag wrote:
In other news new/double gaskets on the headers of my truck ('86 GMC
1500 High Sierra with built 305) finally solved my "lifter tick" that
I've been chasing for a couple of years .
I have a hard time hearing the difference between a lifter tapping,
and a small exhaust leak, but my dad could listen to an engine and
tell you what the noise was almost every time.-a I bought a pickup
truck once that sounded pretty much okay to me, and he told me, "Tear
it down.-a It's got a wrist pin slapping."-a He was right.
Another time we beached a boat in a back cove at Lake Powell, and
hiked up to the highway.-a (I don't recall why exactly.)-a Walking back
towards Wahweap Marina we played a game guessing what the vehicle was
approaching by the sound.-a I was amazed how accurately he identified
them... Sounds like a big block v8.-a Probably a Ford pickup... sounds
like a moderately high reving 4 cylinder, but its funny.-a Maybe an
opposed four like a VW beetle...-a He was probably right 4 out of 5
times.-a Vehicle 6 or 7 gave us a ride up to the marina.-a Later in life
his time spent around aircraft caught up with his hearing and he had
to wear hearing aids.
-a I've been chasing this "lifter tick" for a couple of years ... but I knew it couldn't be a lifter because it varied with throttle changes .
Then one day I noticed a small spot of rust just above the center
exhaust ports on the passenger side head . The leak had burned the paint
off that small spot on the head and it had just a wee bit of flash rust .
-a I think I'll be driving the truck more now , that damn tick always bothered me . Got some under dash stuff and need to figure out why the
"new" drivers side window regulator is failing and why the converter
lockup ain't lockin' up . Then it'll probably be rocker panel and floor
pan repairs . Truck actually has surprisingly little serious rust considering it came out of Ohio
On Sat, 28 Mar 2026 10:35:04 -0700, Bob La Londe <none@none.com99>
wrote:
On 3/28/2026 10:23 AM, Clare Snyder wrote:6 will crank it "open" - or 12 will spin it real fast as long as you disconnect the ignition and wverything else except the starter.
On Fri, 27 Mar 2026 16:45:23 -0700, Bob La Londe <none@none.com99>
wrote:
On 9/30/2025 10:51 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
Good Soak For Rings In an Engine That's Been Sitting A Long Time???
When I was a kid everybody said to dump a table spoon of Marvel Mystery >>>>> Oil down each spark plug hole amd let it set for a few days to reduce >>>>> the risk of cracking a ring when you start trying to move the engine. >>>>>
From what I've heard and read they changed the formula of the snake oil
and is not so good anymore. I don't know.
Yesterday I heard a new one. Dump a mix of ATF and acetone in, and put >>>>> the spark plug back so the acetone will force the ATF through the rings >>>>> with pressure as it turns to vapor. I've never heard that one before. I >>>>> have some reservations.
I've got a 42 GPW (that was my dads) Jeep with a newer M38 Jeep engine >>>>> that eventually I'd like to sell. Its been parked for 40 years so there >>>>> will certainly be some tendency for the rings to stick. I'd prefer to >>>>> sell as is and let somebody more expert than me deal with it, but I see >>>>> no reason not to do little things to help that happen as time permits. >>>>> Eventually being able to get compression on all cylinders might help... >>>>> unless its bad of course.
Anyway I'd like to hear what you guys know or have heard about soaking >>>>> the rings in a sitting engine before trying to turn it over.
I never turned it over. Somebody made a reasonable offer back in January >>>> or February, and I accepted. I quit doing anything with it except get
the cheap tires I had already purchased for it slapped on so I could tow >>>> it around front for the transporter.
https://rumble.com/shorts/v77iym2?mref=1sqt4y&mc=42lue
They finally had it picked a few days ago. The new owner contacted me
yesterday and said he had poured some ATF and acetone in it, and it
turned over just fine. Doesn't sound like he left it set very long since >>>> it was the same day it arrived.
That's one old backyard queen gone. Half dozen more to go.
"Back in the day" we used half an ounce of "oil of wintergreen" from
the pharmacist in a quart or so of diesel fuel and put an ounce or so
in each cyl and put the plugs back in and left it sit ivernight then
topped up with an ounce a day for 2 days or so, wiggling the crank
back and forth a little every 12 hours or so. Freed up some very
seriously stuck engines that way Once broken free a couple ounces of
Dexron A tranny fluid and spin it over with the plugs out. The tranny
fluid flushed rust particals out as it blew out the plug hole.
It might take him a day or two to spin it over under power. It had a
modified voltage regulator and ran an 8 volt battery. When I was
looking I didn't find many 8 volt car batteries. There are a couple,
but I would have had to order one.
The reason inductance limits the rise is because current change creates a >changing magnetic field that generates a somewhat weaker opposing current >and voltage. This is why motor starting current surge is much higher than >running current.
"Jim Wilkins"-a wrote in message news:10qc8fl$1v6hh$1@dont-email.me...
The reason inductance limits the rise is because current change
creates a changing magnetic field that generates a somewhat weaker
opposing current and voltage. This is why motor starting current surge
is much higher than running current.
If anyone is interested and knows Calculus this is a good beginner explanation, though the steady state examples it uses are rare, usually
the change is an abrupt step, sinusoidal or exponential and the circuit
math model is a differential equation.
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/direct-current/chpt-15/inductors-and-calculus/
The corresponding formula for a capacitor is current = C*dv/dt.
I remember "ELI the ICE man" from my military training in electrical ... plus other extraneous bits and pieces that come in handy from time to time
. I doubt I'll ever need to calculate inductive reactance for a vector analysis of the total resistance of a circuit though .
Snag
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