what next

[ruddyboys]

First time post-
I got a 74 2.0 that sat outside covered for five years. First I found the carbs butterfly valves were stuck beyond repai (Try to find someone to work on a del in nothern NJ). Found a pair of webbers. Have no original keys, had to have a locksmith make a new one from the trunk lock. Buy new battery, have new key, turn over engine and nothing happens! Try jumping the starter again nothing. Pull starter and bring to nearby autoparts store. After banging on it for a few minutes it works. Reinstalling the starter I turn the key and hear 1 click only. Turn the key again same thing 1 click. Jack the car up and put the right wheel on blocks while the other wheel suspended on jack stand (of course the brakes are frozen. Finally get the two wheels spinning freely in neutral, I put the car in gear, The wheel doesnt enev move. I assume the rings are oxidized to the cylinder wall. I cant afford to rebuild the engine just yet and was wondering if just relacing the rings would be enough? also need to know if the sealing ring between cylinder and cylinder heads are the same size as the sealing rings between cylinder and crankcase?

Ruddyboys-

[mike95125]

The seals may be the same size, but they are of different thicknesses. I am re ringing my pistons right now, a few tips that I just learned: Get rings from PP, they work the best and are worth every penny. Have your cylinders honed at a machine shop before ringing your pistons (I tried to do it my self and the bit cost more than having the shop do it). Check rings for proper gap in honed cylinders. Clean the heck out of the pistons, and ring grooves. If you need used 1.7 or 2.0 pistons and cylinders let me know. You must replace two adjacent ones at a time at least so that they remain ballanced. I may have some left over seals that I ordered and didnt need as they were included in a kit that I also ordered. Just my humble $.02. Good luck
-Mike

[Ron Meier]

Probably a little late ~

Pull the spark plugs and fill cylinders with Diesel Fuel. Let it set for a couple of days. Take wheel off loose side, put two lug bolts back in (directly across from each other), get a long bar and place between lug bolts, try to turn engine both directions.

It took me three days to free up a frozen 2L. Just got it turning, never tried to start it.

[yoh!!!]

Be very careful with the force you are applying. There is a good chance that over the course of the last 5 years enough rain water made it into the combustion chambers so that the pistons are frozen in the cylinder bores. Useing large amounts of WD 40, sprayed in the combustion chamber through the spark plug hole might help getting stuff loose ... it also might not. Trying to brake it loose is not a bad idea but could result in bend rods and other damage...
IMO read the article on removing the engine and transmission (takes a saturday morning if you do it the first time) remove the engine tin and the cylinder heads and check the situation out. Most likely you will have to do this job anyway in order to hone the cylinders and replace the rings.

Patrick Koch