Engine seized 2 miles after rebuild

This is what a completed system looks like

 

I would strongly suggest you have the black line bored. You could have an out of alignment problem with the Moin Bearing bores. If this is not corrected, it may do it again. Also, be sure to remove the plugs in the crank and clean out ALL the oil passages really well.

Chris

 

i bought a small block 302 ford bored and stroked to 331. it was a complete short block. new stroker crank, rods and pistons.

 

This is what I was getting at with my post above... If that grub screw isn't there, you've found the culprit...

 

I'll throw some chips on the table here. The bearing in the cap that has very bad wear just on one small part represents a severely taperd main journal or a bent crankshaft. The other cap in the pic looks fried from too much heat. Rule of thumb here is if it don't come off in the hot tank it's junk. And the main bolts will be trash too. If you try to use any of this stuff again you will be asking for trouble >>>>.

 

Chris:

When I took out the center bearing the engine turns freely....

As to the grub screw in the passage, I just wrote on the Ford Barn that I feel that is the issue....I will know when I tear it down again....

 

Don't know how to link it but "lowsquire" went through this a couple of years ago. Might read his thread about his mishap, good luck.

 

Slap me if I'm wrong..The grub screw only makes the oil go through the filter, if its NOT there the oil will still go where its supposed to, just avoiding the filter provided the return from filter is routed to where that black allen plug is.. I see a line going out of the block but to where? So if the line going out of the block goes to a stock type by pass filter and the grub screw IS there then ut-oh..

 

The block is drilled, so with a new crank, I will just add the remote filter.

 

Was there a grub screw in there when you looked?

 

After looking at my block and the diagram again, I think you're right.

What got me fouled up was the reason this is called a 95% filtering mod. Because it only completely filters the front and center mains, not the rear. The fact that Merc's center and front mains are toast made me think they were related.

The bent crank theory sort of intrigues me now... We've all been told how easy it is to bend a flatty crank... That they should be stored in a cradle, etc...

 

I have limited knowledge of Flathead Ford engines but at least I know that they use timing gears and you can't easily prime the oil pump. I always viewed them as obsolete technology but there are many who like to try to keep them running. If I ever decided to build one, I would find someone who knows lots more about them than I do, pay them to do it and watch carefully. I don't know how many machine shops would have a lot of knowledge of Flatheads.

Most builders blow air through the oil system to clean it out and make certain oil will flow but you need to know how the oil system works in that engine. There are probably many how to books out there too.

Since I don't know much about the Flathead, all I will say is plastigauge is cheap and easy and can tell you if a bearing is too tight, too loose or tapered. The extra time it takes to do it can save lots of time and money later.

Hope you can save it. Good luck.

 

Almost sure you will find that screw in the passage where it shouldn't be.

 

Yup i think so

Tig

 

Glad you didn't loose the whole engine...
At least you can re do the bottom and still have something..
Good luck..
Cheers.......

 

By way of an update: Cause: plug in the passage way. I got lucky and rebuild is to have the crank polished, new gaskets and rod and main bearings....plus alot of cleaning.

 

Was the plug not in far enough? Or too deep?

The other thing I wondered about was that there is a galley plug in the front of the block, behind the timing gear, I think? If that is missing there would be little oil pressure along there, but might still show back at your pressure switch?

PS I'm here to learn, too

 

Rem:

The fact that the plug was in the passageway it would not allow oil to the front and center bearings....the only bearing geting oil was the rear. As to the plug in the front of the block, if it was missing the pressure woud be reduced and since the front and center bearings need the pressure, it would result in oil starvation. I think it should also result in a lower oil pressure reading too.

 

Thought I would post a few pictures of the oil filter configuration at the time of the seizure.... I have placed the grub screw on top of the block above the blocked oil passageway in the block&#8230;sometimes a picture explains it when words fail.<O</O

 

Mercruiser the pic you show, is for stock oil return if you have 95% oil system with a grub screw in oil line you are incorrect, with the extra hole drilled in the block it leads me to believe that someone set the block up for 95% filtering and you need to get rid of stock filter and do it correct..........
PS take the allen plug out in the port where you have attached the oil line look in the hole and see if there is a plug in there if so you have 95% and would explain the loss of the bearings.......
Tig master in post 121 showed the correct way to install it and the oil lines should be at least 3/8 not 1/4

 

Was this a mistake at the machine shop? I'm glad you figured out what the issue was, I learned a lot about my flatty reading this, Thank You for posting!

Jesse

 

roseville carl;

Thank you for the installation photo. I will keep it in my files for a later date. It was never my intent to go with the 95% filter at this time. I drilled the block "because it was out of the car" for the engine rebuild, but I fully intended to use the standard system for now....the grub screw left in the line was an error by another party....which has now been removed and was used in the photo.

Mercruiser the pic you show, is for stock oil return if you have 95% oil system with a grub screw in oil line you are incorrect, with the extra hole drilled in the block it leads me to believe that someone set the block up for 95% filtering and you need to get rid of stock filter and do it correct..........
PS take the allen plug out in the port where you have attached the oil line look in the hole and see if there is a plug in there if so you have 95% and would explain the loss of the bearings.......
Tig master in post 121 showed the correct way to install it and the oil lines should be at least 3/8 not 1/4

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