Seized might not be the right word to use. Perhaps it is the rodent equivalent of hydrolocked where a specific piston can't continue on its forward path. To me seized implies a piston cannot move at all in the cylinder, either up or down.

Thanks for the insight. Rodent evidence everywhere. Maybe it wasn't seized as I soaked it for a week in oil and I can now turn it over again. I have a power issue again though. No power to the lights or starter but I can deal with that way better than it being seized!!

Just one word of caution. A 28 Chevy engine has the combustion chamber extending down into the cylinder. The piston can still reach TDC without reaching the top of the cylinder, it could "turn over" and still have a good deal of debris that will compact around the valves.

Thanks - so I should pull the head and check? I was hoping that if anything was left it just burn up.

That may happen (just burn up) if it don't mess up the valves or sparkplugs,stick the rings.

I would at least squirt some oil into the sparkplug holes and turn the engine over with the starter and see if it will blow the crap out.

Thanks, I will try that but I am having electrical issues again and the starter isn't working. The car is 81 years old. If I work on it enough I may be able to drive it when it turns 100!

If there is too much stuff in a cylinder then you will not get enough gas/air to the cylinder to burn anything. A tiny amount maybe but not if a bunch.

A big THANKS to all you who offered advice and guidance, she is running! It started, I shut it off and restarted it so I am on the right track. Mouse nests were everywhere. There are still issues that prevent it from starting but those I can handle.
Again - thanks to all.

Reminds me of the time I was working on a customers Model "A" pickup. It came time to start the truck for the first time. It started instantly and as it was sitting at the front of the shop facing out, the tail pipe was just like a 50 caliber machine gun spraying many nuts that had been stored in the end of the tailpipe. They were later located in almost every item parked behind the truck.

Thanks to all who helped - got the car running and drove it up and down the road a couple of times last week. Think the alternator may be not charging and stuff leaks all over but it drives!! Over the winter I can clean up the interior and get it ready for driving about next summer.

Alternator??

Ray!!

I got the picture in my head and I gotta tell you, that is funny!! Running around, trying to dodge the nuts, trying to get to that ignition switch, saying to yourself, "What in the hell is going on"??

Great story and will be laughing a long time about this.

What we need is a forum about stories and laughter in among all the serious business of restoring cars. It's always a welcome pleasure to read about ones experiences and screw ups!!

Thanks for the story.

Jim.