BMB Swordfish - advice needed!

[aviateam]

I have just acquired a BMB Swordfish that was originally bought from Canadian troops in Holland after the war and has not run since 1960. Its been dry stored since then inside his house.

It is almost like new, except that one / both cylinders are seized / stuck! There's no sign of excess heat, and the previous owner says it ran beautifully when stored 52 years ago!

Does anyone have any advice as to how I might try and free up the cylinders before having to resort to a strip down?

Thank you

Paul

[david]

After 52 years.....probably not!
But...try diesel in the pots for a while.
Tip it out and try warming everything up.
In reality though, I think even I would want to look inside after that long, you could do a lot of damage if it did start.

[Charles uk]

You must have bought the one in Bourne End, I didn't bid as when I wanted to look at it, no response.

The Swordfish was made between 50 & 57, early ones had Villiers ignition & later Wico Pacy.

If your lucky you've got pistons stuck in dry rusty bores, if not the cylinder walls have cracked due to rust buildup in the water jackets, though they usually burst outwards, good cylinders are like rocking horse poo.

A complete strip down is the only sensible way after 50 years of dry storage, just pray the pistons are not near TDC.

Good luck & let us know how you get on.

[Monty Stubble]

I've had quite a bit of experience with these engines now and have found that diesel baths don't seem to work.

I made myself a 18mm hydraulic fitting and pumped the thing apart. I had to make a blanking plate for the exhaust port to stop oil leaking out but it did pump the pistons out of the cylinder. I had undone the cylinder head bolts allowing me access to the big end bolts.