Category: Automotive

How do you free up a seized engine?

What Is a Seized Engine? What Causes a Seized Engine?

Before you can learn how to fix a seized engine or if the repairs are worth it, you need to understand what does seized engine mean. Engines seize from mechanical failure.

Oil Problems

In most cases, this comes from a lack of oil. The oil may not be circulating properly or you may have no oil. When this happens, there is no internal lubrication, so the metal parts create friction as they rub against each other. In extreme cases, this can even lead to various bearings welding against other parts.

This type of problem can occur if you let your engine run out of oil or if you do not take care of oil changes regularly. It is also possible to experience a no oil seized engine due to sudden interior failures of the engine or issues with the engine oil pump. In addition to situations where no oil seized up engines, this can also happen due to low oil. It will have a similar cause.

Not Running Enough

It is also possible that your engine will seize when it has enough oil. In this case, it would be because you did not run the auto enough. That particular cause occurs when rust “freezes” the piston rings onto the cylinder walls. You can prevent that cause of a seized engine by running your car occasionally.

Hydrolocked Engines

You may also be dealing with a hydrolocked engine. This happens if water enters the combustion chamber of the engine. This makes the piston unable to make the top of the combustion stroke since the water does not compress in the same way that the air-fuel mixture is designed to.

If your engine is hydrolocked, it will likely stop working suddenly. If you get lucky and this happens at a lower speed, you may have minimal damage to the engine. However, if the RPMs are greater when it occurs, expect damaged pistons or bent connecting rods at the very least. Hydrolocked engines usually happen when water enters the engine via the air intake. That is most common if you accidentally drove through high water.

Vapor Locked Engines

Your engine may also be vapor locked. When this happens, the engine will not start due to an issue with the fuel system. This problem is more common in older vehicles that have low-pressure fuel systems. The gas in your fuel pump or fuel lines converts to gas from liquid, but this takes fuel from the engine, starving it. You can recognize a vapor lock by the engine sputtering and losing power before turning off and refusing to turn back on.

How to Free a Seized Engine

Engines rarely seize, but when they do, it is almost always due to a long period of nonoperation. When an engine seizes, one or more pistons have literally become stuck against the cylinder’s wall. Thankfully, just because an engine has seized does not necessarily mean that the entire engine must be rebuilt. The keys to freeing the engine are to reduce the air pressure within the engine’s cylinders and to reduce the amount of force necessary to break the piston free by disconnecting the components that the engine turns, such as the alternator and power steering pump.

Step 1

Remove all of the engine’s spark plugs with a socket wrench to alleviate the air pressure within the engine’s cylinders. First, pull each spark plug’s wire off the tip of the spark plug. Attach an appropriate-sized spark plug socket to a socket wrench; then remove each spark plug by turning the wrench in a counterclockwise direction.

Step 2

Remove the accessory belts from the alternator, power steering pump, and any other belt-driven accessory. Each accessory attaches to the front of the engine with one or more brackets. The brackets are in turn attached to the engine with retaining bolts. Loosen the retaining bolts on each accessory bracket with a wrench; then slide the accessory toward the engine to reduce the tension on the accessory’s belt. Slide the loose belt off the engine to remove it.

Step 3

Remove the valve covers from both cylinder heads by removing each valve cover’s retaining bolts located on the lip of each valve cover with a wrench; then pull the valve covers off the cylinder heads to access the rocker arms.

Step 4

Remove the rocker arms and pushrods to remove the amount of force necessary to turn the engine. Each rocker arm is held in place with a single nut located in the center of the rocker arm. Remove the nut for each rocker arm with a wrench, then pull the rocker arms off the cylinder heads. Removing the rocker arms will free the pushrods, which can simply be pulled out of the cylinder head.

Turn the crankshaft to free the seized engine. Since the engine’s pistons are attached to the crankshaft, turning the crankshaft will free the pistons. The engine’s crankshaft can be turned with the single bolt located in the center of the circular harmonic balancer, which is located on the bottom of the front of the engine. Attach the appropriate-sized deep socket to this single bolt; then apply steady force to the socket with a socket wrench. The bolt should be turned in a clockwise direction to avoid inadvertently loosening the crankshaft’s bolt before the crankshaft turns.

Two things you can’t have too much of in freeing a seized engine.

• Patience
• Penetrating oil.

Usually there is a nut or bolt on the crank end that can be used to try and turn the engine but the danger of breaking it off means a safer alternative is to use a lever on the ring gear through the starter motor aperture. The engine will need to be out of gear,resist the temptation to force things quickly by using a socket and a long breaker bar,if the bolt breaks off it will be an added complication to extract the remains. If the engine seems to have locked up remove the spark plug holes and squirt or pour some releasing fluid like Plus Gas or diesel fuel in the plug holes trying to get as much as possible on the cylinder walls. Leave the plugs out and try and move the engine. With some engine designs it is quite difficult to wet the bores but spoonfull of oil or fluid should be enough,it will have to be removed before the plugs are back in and serious attempts are made to start the engine.Hopefully it will get to the stage where it can be spun over on the starter with the plugs out which should eject the oil.Some people advocate the use of petrol and two stroke oil mixed or even petrol and ATF fluid.Thin oils like WD40 are really designed to chase off water,redex or thin penetrating oils can be used. Penetrating fluids will take a while to have any effect,dont expect an instant result..

If possible fill the radiator or the block if the engine is not in a vehicle with some hot water,this will expand the block slightly.Whilst waiting it might be an idea to remove the rocker covers and air filters etc if they are still in place to see if corrosion is present deep inside the engine.It’s possible the engine might now have some movement on the crankshaft ,if so try and turn it back and forth gradually building up to a full revolution,if not try again with the release fluid and hot water but if it resists any attempts to turn after a few more goes more work will be needed.

Understanding water damage

If the water is from an external source such as rain, and it came into the air cleaner via the butterfly stud on the air cleaner, chances are there is only a small quantity in only a few of the engine bores. You can only have so many intake valves open at one time, and the water would have only migrated into those cylinder bores. Therefore, you could only have two or three stuck pistons at the worst, not all of them. In such a case, the likelihood of freeing the engine is much better. On the other hand, if the engine had been flooded by rising flood waters, water could have entered via the exhaust system. To make matters worse, water may have also entered through the oil breather and is now (or was) present in the oil pan. Flood waters also have a large presence of silt, chemicals of unknown nature, and varying pH.

Flood water damage

The silt particles present in flood water could accumulate deep inside of the engine and hang on to the rough casting surfaces of all the internal workings. These particles are so small that when they are in solution they will infiltrate the oil clearance of a bearing. When the water dries, they will form a layer of dust within the bearing. The dust will wick up the oil from the surface and water vapor from the air will start to rust the steel surface over time. The dust may also have acids and alkalies (caustics) attached to it, and together with water vapor will etch the bearing and journal surfaces.

After a flood, newer, essential and operational vehicles take priority for being repaired, others will have to wait. Many flooded engines will just have to wait, sometimes until after the winter freeze-up, sometimes even longer. Internal damage and cracked blocks and heads are often the result of frozen water. Sometimes they will end up being junked for the cast iron. If these engines are gotten to before such damage occurs, it may be possible to salvage them intact.

How do I fix the engine that is seized?

Lots of good answers to this question have been provided, but the engine seized for a reason … usually either because the rings rusted to the cylinder bores or because the bearings have fused or become stuck to the crankshaft. Neither situation is good, and forcing it to turn isn’t likely to make it better.

Using methods like pouring ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) or Diesel Fuel or WD-40 into the cylinders and crankcase may enable you to rotate the crank eventually, but I’d never trust the engine for any long trip, and I’d even question it for around-the-town driving. But I’d concede that if it were the zombie apocalypse and you really needed a car to get away … and maybe had several days to let the fluid work its magic … that such a solution might work fine. Indeed, I’ve heard of several such stories from friends and relatives that suggests that it can work.

But in most such cases, the engine actually has fairly significant damage internally — or will once you force it to run.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DIAGNOSE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM?

Therefore, you want to check your transmission for problems, but are on a tight schedule. Do not worry; it happens to the best of us.  The truth is that the transmission is a very complicated machine, and prone to wear and tear if not properly maintained, and so there is a real possibility that there may be something wrong.  To better schedule your time, here are a few tips about the length of time it may take for a car transmission repair specialist, or you yourself, may take to diagnose your transmission.

Most Shops Will Ask for about a Day

There is a lot that happens in a car repair shop every day, what with dozens of clients and the individual maintenance and repairs that occur. When you bring in your car for repairs, you may be put into a queue as part of a first come, first serve system. Even though the diagnosis itself usually only takes one to two hours, the shop will tell you to leave it with them for anywhere from a half day to a full twenty four hours, so that they can finish the work scheduled before your car.  Despite the wait, and the service charge they will place on the diagnosis, a mechanic shop will give you a precise and accurate diagnosis of the transmission, and possibly other parts in the engine, as well as a quote on how much repairs will cost you. However, if you do not have the time to spare, and want to save your money, you can attempt to diagnose the transmission yourself, though this may not be as accurate.

Checking the Fluid Levels

Since a transmission is a bunch of gears all whirring at extremely high speeds, it can become a mess in a hurry if it is not well lubricated. A transmission uses a special kind of lubricating fluid, called (believe it or not) transmission fluid. While oil keeps the rest of the engine running well, this fluid is designed specifically for the pressure exerted by the transmission. Good, fresh fluid is usually a bright red color, unless you have an undyed fluid that will turn darker and browner as it ages and becomes subjected to the heat and wear of an engine. The darker in color it is, the older it is, and the less effective it will be for lubricating the transmission. The engine will have a dipstick similar to that of the oil, with which you can look at the fluid levels and color.  If any of this fluid has been leaking, then you can know trouble is imminent.

Listening to the Sounds Your Car Makes

Another indicator of transmission problems is the sounds it makes. As you drive, you can listen to the sound of the engine as you shift gears.  If you hear grinding, whining, or clunking as you change from one gear to the next, or if there is a significant delay, then you will want to take it to a mechanic as soon as possible.

7 SYMPTOMS OF TRANSMISSION TROUBLE

These 7 symptoms are classics of transmission problems:

Whining and Clunking

This may see fairly obvious, but those are often the symptoms we ignore the most. When your car starts making noises it shouldn’t be making, it’s time to get it checked out. You’ll probably hear a humming or buzzing coming from your transmission. When this happens, don’t wait to bring it in. Fix it as soon as possible before any further damage occurs.

Lack of Response

Your transmission was designed so that you can switch gears instantaneously. So when there is a delayed response and it doesn’t immediately do what you want it to, you guessed it. It’s time for a check up.

Burning Smell

The smell of something burning is never a good sign when it’s coming from your car. The cause could be any number of things, but it’s most commonly the overheating of the transmission fluid.Don’t panic when this happens, just get it checked out as soon as possible.

Leaking Fluid

Fluid where it shouldn’t be is one of the easiest symptoms to spot. The best way to find where the leak is coming from is to lay down a few pieces of cardboard when the car is parked. Then slide out the pieces to to see just where your car is leaking. Be sure to share this information with the mechanic or service professional when you take it in to be resolved.

Grinding Gears

This symptom manifests itself differently for manual and automatic transmissions. For manual transmissions, when you change gears and you hear or feel a sense of grinding; it may mean that you have just worn out the clutch and you need to replace it. But it can also mean that one of the transmission’s synchronizers is worn out and damaged. For automatic transmissions, a rough shift rather than an unnoticeable one could be caused by a few things. Take it into a professional to diagnose.

Noisy in Neutral

A bumping sound doesn’t necessarily evoke signs of caution or trouble, unless it happens when your car is in neutral. Don’t worry though; this problem can sometimes be easily fixed by replacing the transmission fluid. If however, you continue to hear noises coming from your transmission while it’s in neutral, take it in to see what’s up.

Dashboard Lights

“SERVICE ENGINE SOON.” Aren’t those the last words you want to see when you get into your car? This sign on your dashboard could mean all sorts of things and should definitely not be ignored. There are sensors placed throughout your car’s engine that can pick up the slightest of problems. Don’t procrastinate when you see this, get your car inspected as soon as you can.

Transmission Repair

There are times where it’s not worth saving your transmission. If you have an old car model, the cost of transmission repair can be astronomical seeing that parts or older vehicle are harder to come by. In addition, the technology is mostly outdated and even when fixed, the transmission system likely won’t be anywhere as good as what we have today. In these cases, owners usually just buy a new car instead of enduring the cost of a transmission repair.

Avoid transmission system issues

If you want to prolong the life of your car, you need to take good care of its transmission. You can ignore other parts of your vehicle and it still would function. Ignore the condition of your transmission and your car condition goes to the dumpster. The best thing you can do is to do regular maintenance. If you do your own car maintenance, make sure that you check the condition of your transmission once in a while. Read the manual that came with your car to see the recommendation. Follow these recommendations closely and you will have a hassle-free time.

Why is it important to have your transmission inspected or repaired?

Having your transmission inspected as soon as an issue is detected is not only vital for the safety of you and your family, as well as other motorists – but may also save you money in the long run, by preventing further damage to the sensitive internal components of the transmission. These can be expensive to repair, and may require a complete overhaul if the issue is not diagnosed early.

Cost to repair a transmission fluid leak

One of the most common maintenance issues is low fluid level caused by a transmission leak. Because transmissions are sealed, a leak indicates a problem. Common causes of leaks include a breach in the pan gasket, an axle seal leak and fluid seepage. Transmission fluid is typically bright red, dark red or brown as it ages. If you notice fluid under your car, you should have the transmission checked by a mechanic. The cost to repair a leak is typically between $150 and $200, depending on the car’s make and model

Essential Tips When Choosing Transmission Repair Service

The major percentage of the population in the US has their personal vehicle.  However, that does not necessarily mean that all of them have the expertise to determine and repair the problems in case there is an unforeseen breakdown.  Your vehicle particularly your transmission is a complicated matter and should only be managed by the experts who have a thorough training on automatic transmission repair or manual transmission repair.  We highly recommend following these tips when you are looking for a transmission repair service.

Look for a Mechanic Even before Your Transmission Break Down

Most common mistake of the vehicle owners is that they wait for their car to go out before they find a mechanic.  During this situation, their only option is to go to the closes or the cheapest transmission repair service.  You should never wait until your transmission is requiring a repair.  You should visit a reliable transmission service now to get your car examined.  There are various ways on how you can find a reliable repair services, but you need to make their expertise your primary point of consideration.  An expert transmission service like Jamie’s Transmission has the professionalism and the knowledge to solve even the most complex problem in your transmission.  When you choose an expert repair service, you can guarantee that you will be receiving a high-quality work and a long-term result.

Look for the Promo, Discount, and Coupons

Many transmission repair service shop will advertise their discount and promo as a way of promoting their business.  You can check the local newspaper or the online site.  You can save a lot of money even if it is just a 10%-20% discount especially if your transmission needs an expensive repair.  Jamie’s Transmission offers a lot of discount especially for the seniors and the military personnel who make the transmission repair cost more affordable.

You Can Get Some Service For Free

No one offers the transmission repair service for free, but there are actually some services that you can get without paying a single cent.  For instance, in Jamie’s Transmission Shop, you can get the inspection, estimate, test-drive and diagnostic without any charges.

TIPS WHEN CHOOSING CAR TRANSMISSION REPAIR SERVICE

While a big portion of the population may own their own vehicle that certainly doesn’t mean that all of us are experts in identifying or repairing the problem, in the event of an unexpected breakdown. Cars and especially, transmissions are complicated and should only be handled by a trained expert who understands the ins and outs of car transmission repair. Therefore, it’s important to follow these three tips when searching for a car transmission repair service for your vehicle.

Find a mechanic BEFORE your transmission goes out (or even, before it starts acting up). Many people make the fatal mistake of waiting to find a repair shop until their vehicle is broken down. This way, they have no other choice, but to go with the cheapest (which could be the worst option)…or the closest option (which could also be the worst). Don’t wait until your car transmission actually needs repair — get a reliable transmission repair shop you can trust, today! There are several ways to find a reputable mechanic or repair shop who is experienced in car transmission repair. A professional repair shop will have the capabilities and the expertise they need to solve even your most difficult transmission problems, in an affordable and effective manner. If you choose an experienced transmission repair shop, you will have the benefit of getting good quality work with good, long-term results and you can spare yourself from being cheated by inexperienced service personnel or mechanics.

Look for money-saving promotions, coupons and other discounts. Most car transmission repair shops will advertise their discounts, post coupons or run other promotions in the hopes of obtaining your business. Check through the local newspaper — many repair shops offer special promotions or coupons to discount-savvy shoppers through the local newspaper. If you’re paying for an expensive transmission repair — even a discount of 10 to 20 percent can save you a lot of money. We offers discounts to, seniors and military personnel, as well as, printing several coupons to make your car transmission repair, more affordable.

Get everything free. Okay, well maybe you won’t be able to get the actual repairs free, but there are several “free offerings” that you should look out for when shopping for a car transmission repair service. Some of the free options include, a FREE estimate, a FREE pick-up and delivery service (as long as you are within a pre-determined distance) and FREE diagnostics services. Some car transmission repair shops also offer FREE routine check-ups and FREE fault-detection services, as well

If you consider yourself a smart consumer, you know that playing it smart is about saving as much money, but getting the most bang for your buck, as you can — is definitely the way to go. Keep these simple tips in mind, the next time you are choosing a car transmission repair service for your manual transmission vehicle

Choosing A Transmission Shop

Choosing A Transmission Shop

For most people, the first time they think about choosing a transmission repair shop is when they notice their car isn’t shifting right. That puts them behind the eight ball right from the start: They’re suddenly confronted with what could potentially be the biggest repair bill they’ve ever dealt with to fix their car, and they’re at the mercy of a total stranger.

Faced with those feelings of vulnerability, they start calling transmission shops. Where to turn? How to choose? These days you have a lot of choices when looking for a transmission shop. You could take it to any one of a dozen different independent shops in your area that offer transmission repairs.

Selecting A Transmission Center

Or you could choose your nearby Cottman center. Why Cottman? Why not an independent? The fact is, there are a lot of honest, capable independent transmission shops out there; the vast majority, in fact. And sure, there are a few shysters who are only out there to separate you from your wallet. The hard part is telling the difference.

That’s because a con man’s stock in trade is being able to look you in the eye and lie to your face. You may never even know you’ve been swindled, because they’re so good at making you believe they’re your very best friend. The better choice? Find a shop you can trust… before your transmission starts acting up. And there’s no better place to do that than your local Cottman center. That’s because most Cottman centers are now Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care. So you can start to build a relationship with your local Cottman center with your next oil change… or any other service your car might need.

Honest Transmission Repair Shop

You can be sure of that, because it’s written into the bylaws and service requirements set forth by Cottman’s corporate headquarters. And we demand the highest levels of honesty and integrity from every shop owner who operates under the name Cottman. Any shop that doesn’t meet those high standards will quickly lose their right to display the Cottman logo. And that’s not so we can be nice guys or feel good about ourselves: We set those standards because it’s good business. We want you to be thrilled with your service experience so you’ll come back and refer your friends. It’s a guaranteed win-win.

Tips for Choosing the Best for Auto Transmission Repair Service

Many people now have cars and they know pretty well to take care of their vehicles. However, when there are technical problems in the engine of the car, the only way to make the car rolling again is to avail services from the competent service provider, who can deal successfully with auto transmission repair and bring the car into original working condition again. Nevertheless, there may be numbers of auto transmission repairing service centres in a locality and the car owners need to select someone, who has thorough knowledge about the repairs of car transmission. It is better to keep in touch with any local auto transmission repair service centre or mechanic, for meeting any urgent requirement in near future.

Look out for Recommendations – It is best to ask the close friends or colleagues or other family members about the references of suitable service centres providing auto transmission repair in the same locality. These people can answer from their own experiences and may recommend the service providers that have satisfied them with best car transmission repairing works.

Check out the Customers Reviews Online – Every auto transmission repairing centre nowadays has their own website, which can be checked for going through the testimonials or reviews posted by their previous customers, whether they are satisfied with the auto transmission repairing services of these agencies or not.

Compare the Quoted Estimates – Ask every shortlisted auto transmission repairing service provider of the locality free quotes, after they check the exact problem that needs to be rectified in the concerned car and be ready to provide the estimate for auto transmission repair of that car. Then the customer can compare all the given quotes and choose the most affordable one as per his budget and the quality of the service, though, decide only after judging other qualifying factors too. If any service provider is offering any discount or coupon on their specific services, the customer should have knowledge about it for availing the scope of lowering his expense on car repairs.

Know about Qualification of Mechanics – It is better to check whether the auto transmission mechanics of the repairing service provider are duly certified on dealing with all types of auto transmission repairing works from any reputed institute or the car manufacturing companies. Moreover, these mechanics and the service provider company should have a valid license from the local authority for handling auto transmission works.

How to Choose Good Transmission Service Repair Shops

Are you looking for good and honest service providers or repair shops for your car transmission? Finding a perfect service provider can be a daunting task if you are doing it for the first time. You may have heard some cases about bad transmission repairs. The transmission repairs can be cheap, provided you choose the reliable repair shop, such as Borst Automotive. Your car cannot function without proper transmission. When you know you are having problems in your transmission you need to repair the engine. If you do not get it done on time from a good service provider, you have to pay for that at a later stage where the car can completely breakdown. Many important things are there, you need to understand when you look for the repair shops.

Finding a perfect service provider can be a daunting task if you are doing it for the first time. You may have heard some cases about bad transmission repairs. The transmission repairs can be cheap, provided you choose the reliable repair shop. Your car cannot function without proper transmission. When you know, you are having problems in your transmission you need to repair the engine. If you do not get it done on time from a good service provider, you have to pay for that at a later stage where the car can completely breakdown. Many important things are there, you need to understand when you look for the repair shops.

Ask for referrals: You can start with asking referrals to your friends, family, and co-workers for some good contacts, which they have used. It is possible that you will get some good references, which can make your life simple. You can make a list of nearby service shops and see if you have the shop, which is referred to you.

Experience: Once you shortlist some good options then you check with all the other things such as the experience of the mechanic who is going to help you with your transmission service. It is important that

they should have experience to do the servicing work. Good experience will help them to do their work with confidence.

Know-how: With experience, they should also have the right knowledge about the particular engine type. As different car companies use different technology in engines. They should be able to identify the problem and work accordingly. They should help you with all the repair and servicing works and with genuine parts if needed.

Cost of the service: Another important thing is the cost for transmission service. It is good if you refer to more than one repair shop. You need to compare the pricing they offer for the same work. They should give you the industry standard pricing. The work they do must meet your budget. You will get an idea about the proper cost involved when you visit some shops. It is important that they have proper transmission fluids.