Depends on what caused it to seize. I've had some where the counter balance mechanism locks itself in place due to low oil and there is really no way to fix that without spending $300. On the other hand of the piston is seized in the cylinder sometimes you can free it up. Remove the head and soak the piston and cylinder with some sort of lube. Gently tap it back with a rubber mallet. If it starts to free up rotate the engine by hand very slowly to distribute the lube. If there is no cylinder damage re install the head and rock and roll.

Some may disagree but I use my pressure washer almost daily, piston seized in the cylinder 4 years ago, I used the above method to free it up and it still runs strong with no issues at all.

 

It is possible, my dad freed a seized engine on a 1968 Ford 3000 with the method described above.

 

If your lucky sometimes there will be no damage.
If it's the rod then it will need replaced

 

I just freed up a old 7hp briggs a few weeks ago. It was run without oil, and locked up about 2 years ago. I got it, and soaked it a little, and worked it back and forth a little, and it freed up. Its running great now.

 

I have heard lots of success stories that begin with "I pulled the head and soaked some Marvel Oil down in it"

 

On a 2-stroke engine, the piston will typically seize in the cylinder, usually rendering the piston and rings useless. On a 4-stroke, the rod bearing is usually the first to go.

 

ive saved seized engines i just take te plug out and spray pb blaster and try turning it over takes a day or so but workes then i drain the oil put fresh oil in and it runs

 

I saved a seized 4 hp Tecumseh on a Rupp minibike when I was a teenager. Same deal, pulled the head, soaked it with oil, and used a chunk of firewood and a hammer to help free it up.

Ran for years afterwards, but always kept the bugs down behind me if you know what I mean. I think it was ridden hard and put away wet before I owned it, though, so I wasn't surprised.

 

Thanks for the replies. Question, I have a 1988 Murray 11/36 that has a 11 horse B&S engine from 1987 or 1988 (origanal engine) I found this mower earlier this year, sitting on its side in a brush pile and the engine was seized. How can I save this saved engine? I don't know what caused it to seize. NOTE: I have NEVER taken an engine apart, the most I've ever done is take a carb of. I don't know how to dismantle the engine, take the flywheel of, I don't know how to take a stack pully of, I just don't know much about engines. Also I don't have a shop or shed that I can work in. I have to work on all my machines outside

 

take a breaker bar and the right sized socket for the flywheel nut and try to get it to move. if it doesnt, drown the piston it oil and let it sit for a while then try again.

 

Talk to anybody that restores old Military vehicles. most all of the are locked up. Pull the plugs, fill the cylinders with, as said before, Marvel, let is set a few days, then start trying to turn it back and forth with a socket on the crank. Is may only move a 1/4 of a inch, let it set some more, and keep trying it. If it is just seized up, it will give.

I used to own a onld WW2 Stuart tank that I restored, and a M20 armored car also. I now have 2 old halftracks and a 57mm cannon that I'm working on.

 

sitting on its side? have you pulled the spark plug and tried turning it over?? its possible that while being on its side, oil slowly leaked through the rings into the cylinder and hydro locked it. a quick test for this could be removing the spark plug and rotating the engine, if nothing moves and no oil comes out, try one of the above techniques. good luck!:thThumbsU