FAY,
I don't know what makes a battery oxdize resulting in that hard coating. I have a friend who bought a bottle of "battery additive" from Harbor Freight and it removes that coating. It even mentions to use some on the terminals before putting the remainder in each cell. He had the same problem you mentioned on a boat battery and after using the "potion" on it has used it for another year, and is still using it.

I was impressed with it removing the hard layer of lead so I had him pick up a couple of bottles for me, I just have not used them personally yet.

I have a Kubota tractor I bought new in 1985 and use it sparingly. It now has about 650 hrs. on it. In '93 I went to fire it up and it would'nt crank. I tinkered with it for a few minutes, then desided to just get a new battery. As I walked away going to get in my truck something occured to me. The battery had a blue trim and the case was grey. Kind of an odd color. I went back and looked. It was the original battery. So I don't know the answer, some just last longer then others.

I do know, if your battery is totally discharged a slow trinkle charge will bring it back (if it's going to take a charge) and the high charge won't.

I wouldn't be concerned about the old fuel in filters, lines etc. Just make sure good fuel is on it's way thru the system when you start cranking it.

Many times you can use one hand to put some pressure on the fan belt and use your other hand to turn the fan blade and this will tell you if the engine is free. Or you may use a 1/2" break-over bar with a socket on the alt. pulley nut and hold the belt just a little tighter to see if the engine will turn freely.

You might want to remove the air filter cover and make sure the air supply is clear. Many times rodents will find a way to make a nest there. But you can get all the bugs, sticks, dirt, etc. out before turning it over also.

It's probably start easier and quicker then you can imagine! Have fun.

 

When I looked the engine over to find a bolt head on the crankshaft pulley, in order to wrench the engine over before attempting to start it, I noticed the injector on the engine's left side furthest from the timming belt was wet with diesel fuel. The entire surface of the engine and accessories were all dusty and any old oil accumulations were dry. It remained that way while I prepared the engine until I was ready to attempt starting the engine. The engine has absolutely not rotated even a fraction of an inch, and the injector was not struck in any fashion even accidentally. The vehicle has not moved. It looks like the leak is from the piping securing nut at the top of the injector as the entire injector and down the block is oily with fresh fuel oil. The other injectors are totally dry. What could have prompted that injector piping joint to all of a sudden start leaking? I thought the timming in the injector pump had to pressurize the lines at the exact proper instant of injection. Anyway, I will put a wrench on the injector nut and try tightening it slightly with firmness. Possibly the slight leak has existed for some time and caused that injector to malfunction making the engine somewhat difficult to start. Things were coming together too well while preparing for attempting to start the engine. Murphy's law is in effect. Something had to go wrong.

 

Sulfation.

Rusty

 

96_12V, you are correct saying that care must be taken not to cause a battery to explode because it is dangerous. My nephew's obsolete shop charger is malfunctioning, in that the minimum current setting is too high and that unadjustable condition could be detrimental if not being down right dangerous. These 6V batteries have large case dimensions for huge cranking ampere storage capacity. In cold climates it takes a large amount of cranking amperes to get a cold engine started. His old Mack truck has four 6V batteries, two on each side connected in series, in battery boxes. The batteries in the two battery boxes are connected in parallel. When those truck batteries discharge from being idle all winter it take a long long time to recharge them even at a 20 amp charge rating. The 12V charger is used on one side and then on the batteries on the other side. My nephew knows nothing about electricity, AC or DC, and he has spent a lot of money to replace new and old batteries in various pieces of machinery that were ruined from the continual excessively low electolyte levels. Also some batteries were ruined from being idle causing the slow discharging of the batteries; thus, lowering the specific gravity or acid condition of the electolyte resulting in freezing it in the winter. Freezing the battery electrolyte bulges out the battery's case sides and shorts out the plates. For two years now I have started going to his place and adding distilled water to the batteries in the spring time and recharging the batteries in the idle machinery periodically in the winter. I even recharge the batteries in my own idle equipment that is stored in my heated shop in the winter.

 

Well, today July 13/06 was the day I tryed to use a 19mm hex impact socket with a two foot long 1/2" drive breaking bar for turning the bolt on the crankshaft pulley. The engine would not turn over by hand, in fact it would not turn even a little bit. The engine seemed like it was seized solid, so I first checked that the vehicle's manual transmission was in neutral. Then I put a pipe over the breaking bar to get more leverage and applied steady increasing force. I tried turning the engine in both directions. Nothing gave except the head of the pulley bolt started to distort. I gave up the cause attempting to use the bolt head on the crankshaft pulley and now need some advice as to another place to put more pressure in an attempt to rotate the engine. The vehicle has the right front and the left rear tires flat and unfixable. I may have to attempt to tow the vehicle to break the engine loose and turn the engine over. If I activate the starting motor it would burn out for sure. There is absolutely no reason for the engine to not be free wheeling as it was running fine and stopped when the ignition key was turned off.

 

Unless...Condensation or other fomrs of moistue managed to get inside the engine, rusting and corroding parts of the block, rings, or crank, causing it to sieze up. A carefule pull-"start" would perhaps break it free.

 

Be very careful on that front crankshaft bolt the torque on it is not that high and it will tighten and damage it's self long before you break the engine loose . Been their done that , I hope you stopped before I did .

 

I know those early VWs had about 23 to 1 compression.
Our compression tester would hit over 600 psi on a good engine.
Pulling the injectors and pouring a tablespoon of marvel Mystery Oil or PB Blaster in each and letting it sit for a day or so might help free up the pistons.

Pull the valve cover and see which cylinder has an open valve.
That's where your stuck piston should be.

 

If the starter is easy to remove, take it off so you can get to the flywheel. OR look for a acces hole in the bellhousing to get to the ring gear. You have greater leverage at the FW to turn the engine.

 

Can you get the injectors or glow plugs out without too much trouble? If so, get some Kroil and put an ounce or so in each cylinder. If you don't have Kroil you can get it off their web site, by the gallon! It's the best rust reducer I've ever used. Let it set for a couple of days and leave the GP's or injectors (which ever you removed) out while turning over the engine so the extra fluid gets blown out.

Once you've done this I'd pull it it see if it freely turns. You have nothing to loose with the cylinders open.