All of a sudden seized up!!!!

[LEB Ben]

Hey fellas...need a little help. I was going to put the 400 in the Bronco tonight and decided to give it one more turn of the crank. I go to turn it, it only spins about a 1/3 of a turn. I got to workin on it a little bit going back and forth, and got it to spin about 3/4 turn...and now I've quit for the night. I found this to be extremely odd and dunno what happened considering I've been spinning it over a couple times a day without a problem. Like I said, I was getting ready to put it in tonight...and all I did today was throw a new fuel pump in it and swapped on the Performer intake. So does anyone have any idea what may have happened or what to do to fix it? Thanks in advance.

 

[blacksnapon]

Got all of your bolts? Nothing went down the intake, did it? Might look under the valve covers at the valves.

 

[LEB Ben]

Alright thanks...I'll give em a look tomorrow...I don't believe anything went down the intake, and yes, I have all my bolts.


Quick question...it's been pretty damp here the last few days...All I've had to cover the engine were tarps. Any chance of rust formation inside the cylinders in such a short time? Because that's exactly how it's acting.

 

[blacksnapon]

Alright thanks...I'll give em a look tomorrow...I don't believe anything went down the intake, and yes, I have all my bolts.


Quick question...it's been pretty damp here the last few days...All I've had to cover the engine were tarps. Any chance of rust formation inside the cylinders in such a short time? Because that's exactly how it's acting.

If you had rust, the "hesitation" would eventually go away. The only way moisture would do that is if a cylinder was full of coolant. Pull the plugs and see if it'll turn over.

 

[LEB Ben]

Plugs were pulled, same deal...no coolant in the cylinder.


As for the hesitation, I mean, the thing completely stops and won't turn over. But like I said, to begin with it was a 1/3 of a turn, I got it to work to 3/4 turn...so that's why I figured it may be a rust issue because with every turn it would get better. I figured I'd go out in a bit and spritz a little tranny fluid in the cylinder and see if that will help with the gumming.


So if it was fine yesterday, and I pull VC's tomorrow, and nothing is caught...then what? Hook it up anyway, and hope for the best?

 

[blacksnapon]

About the only thing left, provided theres nothing loose on the lower end, is under the front cover. Possibly something getting under the chain and between the gear and chain.

 

[1985 Ford F-150]

Does it have oil in it?

 

[LEB Ben]

About the only thing left, provided theres nothing loose on the lower end, is under the front cover. Possibly something getting under the chain and between the gear and chain.

Alright thanks...thought about that, and thought maybe I messed it up with the fuel pump...so I took the pump out, same deal. As for the bottom end...sheesh, just my luck.

Does it have oil in it?

I would spritz some in the plug holes before I turned it over.

 

[1985 Ford F-150]

Might have to pull the pan and make sure nothins stuck in the bottom end. Try some wd40 first then if that dont work start pullin the valve covers then the pan and timing cover.

 

[LEB Ben]

Thanks for the help guys...ended up gettin her in and running last night...damn it's nice not blowing smoke all over the place, and she runs pretty strong too. See ya in a few days.

 

[UNRULEE]

Good to hear B. Come back soon!

 

[mtflat]

So what was the problem Ben?

 

[1985 Ford F-150]

Glad ya got er in and runnin. Least you can catch a break.

 

[73F100Shortbed]

Glad its running. What caused it to sieze?

 

[LEB Ben]

So what was the problem Ben?

Glad its running. What caused it to sieze?

To be honest I don't have a frickin clue. Only thing I can come up with is rust. I don't have a clue how it could form that fast. But the next morning it was catching slightly, after letting the tranny fluid sit over night...and then it started rolling smoothly. And so far, 500 miles and no problems.

 

[1973 F-100 4x4]

Glad to hear ya got the 400 in and running!