Unsticking a DRXB Hercules?

[ferrology]

Just wondering if there were any good suggestions on how to proceed (assuming take down is inevitable?) to unseize a Hercules DRXB that had been iused as a sawmill power unit?  Supposedly always kept covered, at least until recently, but I emptied about an inch or so of water out of the dual air cleaners, the exhaust stack has a deep elbow that has been burst open from ice I'm guessing. Getting an engine that ran would be too easy  but it's the original out of my tractor so I had to buy it.

[Robert Barbour]

Well if you had enough water in the exhaust manifold to freeze and break it then you have had water in at least 2 cylinders and likely 3. Your best chance of making an operating engine out of it would be to take it apart and clean it up. Trying to turn it first is just going cause more damage!  The cylinder liners are very hard and will clean up quite well unless it has sat for a long time.  The valves will need grinding especially the one that were open.  It would be best to put in new rings as well as they lose their tension over the years.  Most good engine rebuilt shops should be able to get them.

[Blake Malkamaki]

I agree with Robert. I would not even try turning it over if it's that froze - and if it has had water in it, it will be that froze. Pull the head and carefully knock each piston out with a block of wood. Tap on the bottom of the pistons and not on the rods if you can. Just take your time and don't rush it.
You might want to fill the cylinders with fuel oil or penetrating oil before you try getting the pistons out. Good luck.

[ferrology]

Thanks--Not to worry on the attempting to crank over, the hand crank socket is blocked when they flipped the front crossmember over when they modified the power unit to fit the engine so it blocks a hand cank, and the band is off the starter motor so that may need TLC first as well. I've always kept my distance from working on any diesel but will be studying the Hercules DRXB manual/parts book now. "Unseizing" isn't something covered of course...  Good to hear that parts can be had, I wasn't sure outside a few odd snowplow trucks what else used the DRXB besides Cletrac.