Engine Frozen

[kb7chd]

I bought a 1992 Subaru Loyale 4WD automatic. The car is in good condition with only 154,000 miles. The owner said the car overheated. There is much water in the oil. When I began working to replace the engine, I learned the engine is frozen. I need to remove the bolts from the pressure plate to separate the engine from the transmission. Is there any way to remove the bolts when the engine does not turn? If not, do both the engine and transmission need to be replaced?

[NorthWet]

The torque converter is not bolted to the transmission input shafts, so it is possible just to pull the engine forward and pull the TC off the input shafts. You may get the inner shaft pulling out with the TC; just push it back into the transmission (it's splines will need to be reseated into the transmission later.)

 

WARNING: It can be a real pain to get the torque converter to reseat on its shafts, so PLEASE ask how to do it before you try to re-mate engine and tranny. Failure to reseat the TC properly will cause severe damage to the transmission.

 

You may be able to unfreeze the engine with some patience and the use of penetrating oil and the starting motor... it also might break the pistons, but if things are that bad then the engine is probably toast anyway.

[987687]

Just a reminder, even though your car is a 92, it's still an older generation because it's a loyale. You'll get more loyale specific answers in that forum.

 

How hard have you tried to get it to free up? With enough persuasion it probably will... Have you pulled the plugs? If the engine is full of water there may be water in there too causing it not to turn...

[OB99W]

[...] When I began working to replace the engine, I learned the engine is frozen. [...]

Have you tried removing all the spark plugs (just in case one of the cylinders is hydrolocked)?

 

EDIT: Apparently 987687 posted while I was writing mine. At least we both had the same idea.

Edited September 20, 2010 by OB99W

[idosubaru]

what he said - remove plugs and maybe even douse the insides with a penetrant, might free up the sticking rings if that's the issue and you got time to let it sit.

 

if you're removing the heads anyway then you could go the extra mile of removing the pan and bolts to separate the block. use a chisel to break the engine apart then beat on the piston heads and it'll free it up enough to turn. you could even try that in the car then you can turn it and not have to mess with it all. you won't be able to get to the block bolts behind the torque converter but it worked when i've done it before. you'll get the block to separate a small amount - maybe a 1/2" which is enough to free it. but i also destroy the block in the process because i have no use for it anyway.

 

that's probably what i would do on these older motors since heads are easy to do on these, particularly with air tools - zip, zip, zip and all your head bolts are all.

 

if not you can pull the entire lump, engine and trans and separate them out of the car. then pull it straight apart to get at things. it's a high lift and angle to get it all out but it'll come.

 

if you do it by pulling them apart then you'll need to drill the bolts out since the heads aren't accessible - well i dont' think they are, it's been awhile since i've done an EA82 but think they're about the same clearance wise.

 

for future reference, like someone mentioned, this is an older generation vehicle for this forum based on the EA82 engine.

 

good luck!