Electrolysis to free a stuck piston

[Samo]

Hi folks,

I've stripped the seized cylinder from the 12/2 and it's spent a day in the electrolysis tank (aka the big plastic tub). A lot of the rust has fallen away already. I'm pretty sure the both cylinders are lined, not chromed (is that normal circa 1953?). I've only used electrolysis on cast parts to date - so am I likely to pit the cylinder liners if I continue? But then what choice do I have....

Using washing soda with stainless steel electrode powered by DC 20 amp power supply.

Thanks

Samo 

[mike90045]

rust you can often pound through.  But a piston that you have "welded" to the cylinder with electroplating, is going to be tough.  When you get the majority of the rust off, try whacking it with a wood stick and shake it loose.

[Samo]

I took the Cylinder out of the electrolysis bath, and soaked it with WD40 for a day, heated cycled the piston a couple of times to draw WD40 in as it cooled. Cut a block of wood to size and gave it a tap with a  mallet. It moved! Unfortunately it is too late to make lots of noise, so further progress will have to wait until tomorrow....

I'm really impressed with how de-rusted the parts are after their bath, they come out black, but that comes off easily with the wire brush leaving pristine parts (with a few pits where the rust was).

I wasn't going to paint the engine during this restoration. Was going to leave it in as found condition, but since I've had to clean one cylinder, it would look a bit odd if I had one clean cylinder and the other aged paint and oil....

BTW - It's a grey blue colour, is that a stock Lister colour?

Thanks Samo

 

[dieselgman]

Mid-Brunswick Green with gold highlighting on lettering... standard Lister colors.

dieselgman

[AdeV]

I believe the marine versions were painted a blue/grey colour - is it quite a light grey? I (all-too-briefly) owned a CS 3.5 compressor painted that colour.

Post 1952 marine engines should have an "M" towards/at the end of the serial number.

[Samo]

Thanks Ade, there's no M in the serial, however the colour was not green. Rusty as it seems there's quite a bit of blue under the rust, but no other colour.



https://goo.gl/photos/dqCYYhsnkKWpjjG98