Seized engine? Need some advice.

[Don87]

Double shifts all week and worked the first day of my "weekend". Yesterday was spent playing catch up on other things but I got out in the garage today (don't have to be at work until 11pm) ...and....mystery solved! I checked the crank for end play and it was good. Checked rods for lateral play and #1 and #2 were fine, get to #3 and doesn't budge regardless of how I try. The piston was sitting right at TDC so I felt forced to pull the head. Got it off and with some persuasion was able to get the rod cap off then knock #3 piston up and out of the top and presto...crank spins free. You can see that there was a heat issue. I haven't seen 360* on the journal yet but I didn't see any gouging....just bluing from heat. Not sure why this end wasn't getting oil? I am surprised after seeing this as there is no question that this was the issue but wouldn't have thought that it could seize.....and remain seized without more signs of damage. What course of action is advised from here?

Where are the bearings? Still stuck to the crankshaft?

 

[Kernopelli]

Where are the bearings? Still stuck to the crankshaft?

No, they came off relatively easily. I haven't looked at them closely yet since they landed right in a catch pan of oil and coolant I had set back under the engine and honestly I haven't fished them out yet but it doesn't appear as if they galled the crank. I may be jumping the gun on this of course since I've only seen the area of the journal that was visible from the top at that time. I have 3 discs with small ruptures and multiple bulges that I have been dodging surgery on for several years. After yesterdays chores and crawling around today, my back is shot and as soon as I freed the engine up I took some quick pics, came in the house and called it a day.

 

[rasimmo]

I would like to see the bearings also. How many hours on the engine? With a problem like that, I would change all the rod and main bearings. You should at least check clearences on them. I kinda think you were a little lucky. Had that piston stopped anywhere other than TDC it probably would have still turned over. To continue running it like that would have been a major failure eventually. The image of a rod sticking out the side of the block comes to mind.

 

[Don87]

No, they came off relatively easily. I haven't looked at them closely yet since they landed right in a catch pan of oil and coolant I had set back under the engine and honestly I haven't fished them out yet but it doesn't appear as if they galled the crank. I may be jumping the gun on this of course since I've only seen the area of the journal that was visible from the top at that time. I have 3 discs with small ruptures and multiple bulges that I have been dodging surgery on for several years. After yesterdays chores and crawling around today, my back is shot and as soon as I freed the engine up I took some quick pics, came in the house and called it a day.

That's weird. Usually if it locks the engine, the bearings and crank are galled.

Would love to see pics of the bearings and crank if possible.

Some might say different, but if I were rebuilding that engine , to keep for myself........I would replace that rod due to the heat.

 

[Kernopelli]

I would like to see the bearings also. How many hours on the engine? With a problem like that, I would change all the rod and main bearings. You should at least check clearences on them. I kinda think you were a little lucky. Had that piston stopped anywhere other than TDC it probably would have still turned over. To continue running it like that would have been a major failure eventually. The image of a rod sticking out the side of the block comes to mind.

14XX hrs.

That's weird. Usually if it locks the engine, the bearings and crank are galled.

Would love to see pics of the bearings and crank if possible.

Some might say different, but if I were rebuilding that engine , to keep for myself........I would replace that rod due to the heat.

I will try to get some more pics and it'll fill in some unknowns for me too. Have to agree on the "weird" part and basically what I was getting at when I said I wouldn't have thought it would seize without more signs of damage. Hey, maybe those signs are there and I just haven't seen them yet but so far eveything about this has been a surprise to me. If there's no O.T. tomorrow I'll fish the bearings out of the pan of fluids and spin the crank 360* for a full look at the journal....really should have stuck it out and done that today, been dragging this out too long already!

 

[E/S]

I would also pull the other rod caps, you will have a lot more info that way.

E/S

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

Things just aren't adding up here. If the bearing seized to the crank it shouldn't have fell off the crank. It should have been welded to the crank and the bearing should have spun in the rod. Yours didn't. The blueing you are seeing on the rod is from the machining process. Are you certian there was nothing on top of the piston. Take a close look at the combustion chamber of the head on #3. Some pics of the journal and of the bearing will show more. Keep us posted and good luck.
Bill

 

[Doppelgangar]

Agree with you bill I don't think that is the problem either.

The colout you see is from the factory and its part of the process.

If this was the problem you will be able to turn the crank shaft now.

 

[Garybake]

Check your main bearing that feeds oil through crank to that rod journal in that it did not prevent oil feed hole to rod for some reason. I would like to see crank journal (180) before reccomend in block repair saving you a lot of work. Being it was low inertia shut down crank journal may be surfaced inside block if bearing shell did not transfer material and no nicks from rod removal as it needed a little persuasion. How do oil rings look on that piston from lack of cylinder wall splash off rod end and lube? Low speed should be fine.
Nice Job! You saved yourself a bundle.
Gary:thumbsup:

 

[whodat526]

What course of action is advised from here?

i would blow air trough the crank then change the thermostat and but in new rod bearings and be done with it