Engine locked up

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   Just acquired a 1946 CJ2A and the engine is locked up. It has about 2” of oil on the dipstick and I can get it to roll in neutral. But the engine will not turn. Any advice would be helpful.

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PastorHazz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 19 Oct. 2019 Location: Tennessee Status: Offline Points: 5	Post Options Post Reply Quote PastorHazz Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Engine locked up Posted: 19 Oct. 2019 at 1:31pm
	Just acquired a 1946 CJ2A and the engine is locked up. It has about 2” of oil on the dipstick and I can get it to roll in neutral. But the engine will not turn. Any advice would be helpful.

RSR_MK Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Sponsor Member Joined: 22 May 2009 Location: Cabool Mo Status: Offline Points: 657	Post Options Post Reply Quote RSR_MK Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Oct. 2019 at 2:33pm
	Welcome to the page PastorHazz. To answer your question, I would drop the pan and pull the head. I’v dealt with three stuck 134’s and one I was able to free up by soaking the cylinders with PB blaster and fuel oil and waiting. If it’s stuck from sitting most likely the rings will be froze in the groves and will need replaced. With the head off check for ring grove at the top of the cylinders, if it’s excessive it will need to be cut out before you can drive the pistons out the top, that could also lead to a full rebuild but the ones i’v dealt with had very little ring grove. Inspect the bearings and crank as you go, i’v been able to keep the parts in order and reuse the bearings but it’s a guessing game until you can inspect them. If your lucky it will cost you the gaskets and rings and you will know a lot more about your engine when your done. It can be done with the engine in the jeep and really takes less that 8 hours not counting waiting on parts to show up. Again welcome to the madness and we love pictures, please let us see you new find. Mike

PastorHazz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 19 Oct. 2019 Location: Tennessee Status: Offline Points: 5	Post Options Post Reply Quote PastorHazz Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Oct. 2019 at 2:37pm
	mike thanks for the response. What do you mean by “drop the pan”? This will be the first time we have gone into an engine. We rebuilt a T90 and TC but this will be a first for an engine.

RSR_MK Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Sponsor Member Joined: 22 May 2009 Location: Cabool Mo Status: Offline Points: 657	Post Options Post Reply Quote RSR_MK Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Oct. 2019 at 2:55pm
	Sorry for not being clear. It’s one of those things, you don’t want to write a book but need enough information to be clear. Drop the oil pan, that will give you access to the connecting rods and a way to drive the pistons out. I take the rod caps off, remove the bearings one at a time and drive the pistons out with a rubber hammer handle. Note that the rod caps need to go back the way they came off, you can get them backwards. Mike

PastorHazz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 19 Oct. 2019 Location: Tennessee Status: Offline Points: 5	Post Options Post Reply Quote PastorHazz Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Oct. 2019 at 2:57pm
	Mike thanks so much. I wish we had willys lovers running mechanic shops everywhere it would be a much better world.

CJ2atlas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 02 Sep. 2019 Location: Monterey, TN Status: Offline Points: 31	Post Options Post Reply Quote CJ2atlas Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Oct. 2019 at 3:02pm
	If you don't have a manual already I would get one and give it a good study before you do anything else. These are pretty simple engines but it's easy to miss important details if you're unfamiliar with them. Edited for redundant information. Edited by CJ2atlas - 19 Oct. 2019 at 3:37pm

RSR_MK Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Sponsor Member Joined: 22 May 2009 Location: Cabool Mo Status: Offline Points: 657	Post Options Post Reply Quote RSR_MK Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Oct. 2019 at 3:05pm
	Glad to be of some help. It’s always a guessing game on an engine you know nothing about. If you have deep pockets and want to be sure to get it right the first time then pull the engine and have it rebuilt. I don’t have deep pockets and am willing take the risk of fixing what has to be fixed. It’s a hobby I enjoy and as long as it does the job I ask of it I’m happy. Mike

2ADave Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 07 Aug. 2017 Location: east pa Status: Offline Points: 17	Post Options Post Reply Quote 2ADave Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Oct. 2019 at 3:11pm
	Try removing the starter. Sometimes they jam in the ring gear.

athawk11 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 18 Jan. 2012 Location: Arvada,Colorado Status: Offline Points: 4151	Post Options Post Reply Quote athawk11 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Oct. 2019 at 5:14pm
	If you want to try something that's initially a bit less invasive, I had success freeing up an L-134 by removing the spark plugs and feeding in some automatic transmission fluid mixed with acetone. It's a 50-50 mix and you need to feed it through a tube of some type to reach the piston tops. Let it soak for some time and keep adding more. Start working the front pulley nut with a wrench. With some time and effort, the engine may start to turn. It took mine a day of soaking and working the wrench before it started moving.
	1- 1946 CJ2A 2- 1949 CJ3A

RA472A Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 15 Nov. 2005 Status: Offline Points: 367	Post Options Post Reply Quote RA472A Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 Oct. 2019 at 1:53am
	I've also had the starter jam and cause same symptoms of "lock-up". I would sure try the simpler stuff first, then follow the other tips posted as they are all headed in the right direction. Good luck. Edited by RA472A - 20 Oct. 2019 at 1:56am

PastorHazz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 19 Oct. 2019 Location: Tennessee Status: Offline Points: 5	Post Options Post Reply Quote PastorHazz Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 Oct. 2019 at 2:15am
	Many thanks to all of you for taking the time to post assistance. We will incorporate all the ideas over the next month and report back and document progress.

Ol' Unreliable Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 25 Sep. 2016 Location: CO Springs CO Status: Offline Points: 4226	Post Options Post Reply Quote Ol' Unreliable Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 Oct. 2019 at 12:30am
	Welcome to the page, PastorHazz! I will second the possibility of the starter locking up on the flywheel. Ol' Unreliable does that a lot, although I thought I had that fixed once... Put a socket on the crankshaft nut with some extensions and an 18" breaker bar and try to turn the crank (clockwise from the front). That usually makes the starter release. Once--no, twice--I had to remove the starter to get it to let go, though. It's annoying, but not enough to make me get rid of the Jeep.
	There's a reason it's called Ol' Unreliable

3A Steve Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 10 June 2016 Location: West Virginia Status: Offline Points: 879	Post Options Post Reply Quote 3A Steve Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 Oct. 2019 at 2:37am
	Here is one way to unlock your engine. Spray brake fluid (the flammable type) into the open cylinders and bake. This actually worked. I spent a couple of weeks using various fluids and still had troubles getting an L226 freed. This photo is from the recent Colorado Fall Colors Tour.