I'm not going to get too carried away with it at the moment. As you know I've only got a few weeks before I've got to leave Sydney for 6 months for work, so if I can't get it out, I'll just leave it soaking for the 6 months I am away and see how I go when I get back.
But having said that - I think I've got it to budge about 1-2mm - diesel, penetrating oil, Rust Remover, block of wood and a hammer.
Normally once it breaks free, you've got it beat, but this thing is still putting up a fight.
It's soaking now - so we'll see how it goes tomorrow.
The good news is I don't think the bearings are seized inside the crankcase - I can get the barrel to lift about 3mm up the studs, but no further. I can see that as the barrel moves up the studs, the piston remains stuck fast in the bore, so the bearings/crank must be turning, if only a little bit.
I get the feeling that if I stick a couple of screwdrivers between the barrel and the crank case and lever the barrel up (don't panic, I won't!! ), I could get it to travel further, but of course I would destroy the crank cases, so I won't be doing that - although maybe a couple of soft wood wedges
Patience is a virtue - especially to the mower restorer with a seized piston.
Polybus
