Seized 356 engine

dgagne · dgagne's Garage

A car I am considering buying, a 1958 356 Coupe, has the engine out and I have been told by the owner it is seized and he has tried to do everything to get it free. It has been in storage since the late 70's.

Any thoughts? I am hoping it can be saved and re-used, what can I do to try and free the pistons which are seized to the walls of the cylinders. Is this common because they are steel?

Thanks! I will surely be posting many questions as I look at starting my first 356 restoration project.

Derek

914Ghost · 04-25-2005, 09:10 PM

Derek-
well...your best action would be to drive with the engine that runs.
s Generally the 912 engines last just a little longer...but hardly, since they're the same thing.
Not sure what your purpose would in selling the running engine-- yo'll be taking the chance to dump a pile of money into a rebuild with unknown troubles inside- BUT if it's for authenticity tear the 356 engine down and put all the 912 stuff you can into it. You'll save thousands of dollars and countless hours trying to source and get good parts for your 356 engine.
A great many of the original 356's out there have "912" engines in them..pretty hard to tell the difference unless you're sooper-anal, or make a point of pointing it out.
Bob O
OH! as for the locked up engine, you just have to tear it down. I mean, if its seized you have to anyway...sorry no shortcut on that one.

Tha Pimp 356 · 05-23-2005, 06:46 PM

The engine in my 63 Coupe was siezed hard as a rock when I got it. Tried heat, Marvel Mystery oil, every trick in the book, nothing would free it.
Finally destroyed the pistons to get them out.
Sounds like a crap engine, right? WRONG. It is the original engine, when me and a friend cracked it open it was the first time it had been opened since leaving the factory. THe only things I am replacing are pistons, seals, adn gaskets. The crank looks brand new.
Just because an engine is siezed does not mean it is trash.
Adam

C. Clark · C. Clark's Garage

many, myself included have rebuild the top end with out doing the bottom the first time around. Siezed engine could be anything, if it's in the top end of the engine it may be fixable.
Chas.
356
912