+1 to diesel.

Diesel is quite good there. Probably better is 50-50 mixture of ATF and acetone, surprised how good it is when tried that on my "project Range V8 engine". ATF is damn good to penetrate (leaking very easily) and with acetone they together does the job...

I also wouldn't bother to save barrels and pistons, but take much care about cam and crankshafts...

P1020254 by Robndaisy, on Flickr

The 'heat it' option failed.

P1020256 by Robndaisy, on Flickr

This finally allowed them to move inwards.

P1020258 by Robndaisy, on Flickr

Oil and water...mainly water .

P1020260 by Robndaisy, on Flickr

Once the pistons were at BDC the crank was rotated and pushed the barrels clear of the case to allow the final cuts. Next time I'll try and do it properly and save the pistons .

How is the crank turning?

Smooth as silk
What else could I say .
Well everyone, I'll need to remove the oil cooler before splitting the cases. Never done this type before. What is the secret for a good outcome?
Please don't say 'soak it in penetrating oil for months and only undo the unions when the Moon is waxing'...unless of course that is the only way .

Waning I thought!

I would soak the oil cooler unions over night, as the pipes can get a bit soft in that area.

I had a real problem with the long cooler bolt as well.

Overnight? That's just a token effort, surely?
Engine parked on its back, sitting on the flywheel, so that your choice of release agent/penetrating fluid will pool in the recess between the oil cooler legs and the bush nuts and soak it for a couple of weeks.
Give the nuts some attention with the blowlamp now and again, replenishing the afore-mentioned fluid afterwards and you may still find that the legs shear as soon as a spanner goes near the nuts...

There you go, like I said, they can be a bit soft.

Cut open an old ring spanner to go over the tubes.

A couple of weeks eh? Then if one or both fracture that's a flamin' bad Christmas present!
The good thing is that the Moon'll be waxing .