Triumph Repair: Hand Turning the Engine, surface rust, cylinder walls

Question
QUESTION: Howard,

I thought to chance a sneak date with another Triumph "Expert".  However, after our time together I thought you might think I was cheating on you.  So, here is my third in a line of previous questions for you.

I realize one can turn the engine by slapping a socket on the huge nut on the front of the engine and turn it by hand. The socket needed for that job is of a size that, most likely, would find me never needing to use it again.

In an attempt to save the $16.00 purchase price for the huge socket I thought one might be able to hook up a battery charger and make a couple of quick hits on the starter with the direct current so as to turn the engine.  There is a bit of rust inside the cylinders. I don't know if the rings are attached to the cylinder walls with that same rust.  Penetrating oil has been copiously applied a week or so ago.

Is my idea with the battery charger and the starter a viable one?

Thanks,
George

ANSWER: Another method is to put it in 4th gear with the plugs out and penetrating oil in the cylinders and the hand brake off and rock the car back and forth.
Howard

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Howard,

Thanks for the idea.  However, this vehicle is currently on jack stands. I'll consider my 'Battery Charger' idea is OK, since I didn't get a negative response from you on that.  I'll give that a try.

Thanks again,
George

Answer
Well, all you have left is a long pull handle on the crank bolt or the use of the starter motor. The reason I liked to use the back and forth method is because I had cars brought to me in the dealership that the customer had rust in on the cylinder walls and they used the starter motor and the up stroke pistons got stuck worse.
By going back and forth I was able to tell by the movement of the pistons if it warranted removal of the head and honing the cylinders or it was just surface rust and could be just overrun.
When using the starter motor you are gambling. If the cylinder walls are badly rusted you can jam the pistons so badly that you can easily destroy them trying to get them out, even with the engine out.
A starter motor pinion gear to a flywheel ring gear is very powerful and can jam a piston very tight. So be careful.
Howard