Saving Old Seagulls

Gentlemen,
Down here in the sweating and heaving industrial hub that is the Wallingford Naval Yard, 'tis time to review a bit of 'Gull fettling

Fulsome advice sought...
Piston siezed in block ...
Now i thought i had heard many years back from some wise 'Gull wizard that it was possible to fill the combustion chamber with diesel, like right to the brim, re-insert spark plug, and then gently warm the block...

Idea being as expanding fluids are not compressible, and will force the errant piston to give up and behave ...and slide nicely up and down the block as those clever chaps in Poole intended

Now contrary to the more lurid imaginations out there, and goodness there are a few, I had NOT intended to be waving around a flat roofers burner torch on full unregulated flow straight off the gas bottle, mirroring the flaming pits of Hades ....
Sorry and all that, but the inevitable loss adjuster visit might be less than sympathetic when viewing the smouldering ruin of the workshop...."you did it HOW?"

had thought to use a controllable hot air gun of the paint stripper variety to provide heat source ..like slowly slowly catchee monkey
Or course I'm not a complete idiot ...not completely,.. and aware that a naked flame is not necessary to initiate combustion... Farenheit 451 and all that

So, ..any views ? experiences ?...easy fixes ?
Neal

I use diesel mixed with 2 stroke oil, the diesel is only to thin the 2 stroke, so it penetrates the seized area better when the pressure starts to rise.

If you don't like heat, use a spark plug grease nipple as a method of raising pressure, but first completely fill the cylinder with something that will lubricate well.

We're not talking a lot of heat, and the piston must be in the top half of the cylinder.

Aluminium oxide is way better than Loctite for holding things fast!

Which cylinder are you talking about?

Before you get into hot compessed fuel in the cylinder. Try just heating some oil. In a pan and pour it into the cylinder through the plug hole. Chip pan hot oil. You could Make dinner while your at it.
Then let the hot oil hav 5 minuites while you eat your chips and give it a little turn. Back and forth.
Worked for me and i didnt need a risk assesment or the fireman on standby

We're only talking about 100 C maximum, Liam.

How hots a hot chip pan.I Didnt measure it. Nxt time i will. Whats the flash point of cooking oil?

230deg C.

I use ATF and brake fluid.

EDIT: I've just been informed that ATF can destroy RTV sealant so might not be the best idea if you arent stripping down the motor.
I used it in a Grey Fergie that sat in a field for 40 years and it worked a treat!

Neal, What model seagull is it?

Jacob

Everyone has their own special syrup but they all seem to contain some sort of slippy liquid and some heat if you feel necessary. How much heat is all down to how stuck it is.
I hav in the past boiled stuck things in kerosene on a camping stove in the middle of the garden with a piece of wood over the top of the bucket
With a brick on top. Nothing happened no fire no flames. If theres no oxygen it shouldnt burst into flames or hav i just been lucky

Ahhhhh....
I see....
Good...

well, thanks for all the help so far

<< disappointedly replaces thermonuclear trigger device back in transit case>>

I’m sure a small bit of C4 on the top of the piston, head back on and boom will sort the problem! Don’t tell Charles though, he will want to try it to squeeze a few more horses out..

Well it is bonfire nite tomorrow so that should mask the sound of the bang when the c4 goes off. It definetly wont be stuck in the bore then. But if that doesnt work give me a shout we could always chain it to the front of my cannon and shoot the ball through the bore to clear it

My little big toy

Now that's a nice toy,would it be any good for pheasants?

I think it would fair 'intercourse' them... no point having a 2nd or 3rd drive though
one bang, and you've made the bag

But this would be the appropriate tow vehicle for your 'galloper gun' Liam

Its only 40% scale napoleon. One shot and then ten minuites to clean and reload. 43mm steel ball goes a fair distance but its not very precise. out of 10 shots aimed at the same target with a scope mounted on the barrel only 1 hit the spot the others all missed. But thats smooth bore canons for you. Good fun tho