There is no way to remove the rods and/or the pistons before removing the
cylinders.
My idea is to put the piston at BDC and using your method of placing a long
piece of 2X4 into the cylinder, lever the cylinder a little up/down/sideways
to loosen the cylinder in the case.   It would be best if the case was
bolted to an engine stand for stability while attempting to rock the cyls
free.  A good penetrant applied liberally will help greatly .  Heating the
case a bit using a propane torch will also help free it up.

Mike B.

-----Original Message-----
From: HotelWestfalia
Sent: Saturday, November 12, 2011 12:07 PM
To: Mike ; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Re: Stuck cylinders

I'm sorry, it's my mistake misreading it.  My mind was automatically
recalling my experience that was clearly not the same.
But I can only see some banging with this too. If the pistons are out, one
can reach the bottom of the cylinders from the other side, I think.  The
case can take a little damage that can be smoothened out later.
I havn't seen a block without pistons and full of cylinders.
That's probably I wrote my story.
Good luck with it,
Zoltan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike" <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, November 12, 2011 7:25 AM
Subject: Re: Stuck cylinders

> He said 'cylinders stuck in the case', not 'pistons stuck in the
> cylinders'.
>
> Mike B.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HotelWestfalia
> Sent: Friday, November 11, 2011 9:20 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Stuck cylinders
>
> I had two engines with all the four stuck and managed to free them all.
> WD40, banging on a 2x4 on the piston going inwards while the crank was
> turned with a long breaker bar.  You can beat on any of the pistons as
> hard
> as you want.  The 2x4 just fits in the liner.
> You can turn it forward and backward when it starts moving a little, just
> to
> use some more penetrant or oil.  But make sure, you have cleaned and oiled
> and sandpapered the free areas, so when it is time to slide there, it is a
> free ride.
> No need to heat, really.
> Zoltan
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jim Felder" <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Friday, November 11, 2011 4:39 PM
> Subject: Re: Stuck cylinders
>
>
>>I just can't imagine what would be wrong that some judicious beatings with
>> a rubber mallet could not cure. Could you heat the block with a torch in
>> the area of the sleeve skirt?
>>
>> Jim
>>
>> On Fri, Nov 11, 2011 at 5:48 PM, ralph meyermann
>> <ralphmeyermann@gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> My favorite penetration oil is KROIL!! Its freed up a bunch of
>>> stuck/rusty
>>> rotating assemblies!
>>>
>>> Velma 82diesel 1.6 na westy
>>>
>>> On Nov 11, 2011 2:57 PM, "Kenneth Lewis" <kdlewis@northstate.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> Still  have not been able to  free two piston cylinders stuck in the
>>> block
>>> (2.1L).
>>>
>>>  Any tricks to non-destructively extricate them? I have tried several
>>> impact based motivation to no avail.
>>> TIA,
>>> Ken
>>>
>>> PS have you $een this?!?  http://tinyurl.com/bmggj93  $2,700 for P&Cs!
>>>
>>
>