engine locked tight (Seized type 4 2 litre)

[marcw]

Hello again,

Well I have now seized my engine. It wont budge at all.

I have replaced the oil, around 500Kms, once already after head repairs done. She has now done about 1200Kms as I was waiting for the weekend to do the final oil change.

Driving yesterday she suddenly stopped whilst idling at a traffic light. I tried to start her but the starter would not turn the engine over.

When I got her home I did a quick run over and found that I had put in about 1 litre too much oil in the last oil change. (I have no idea how; it must have been on an incline, or I simply did not read the marks correctly on the dipstick.)

In any case where would the seize most likely be for an over full engine oil? Is this a teardown or is there some secret technique that could loosen some blockages?

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=35482&start=30 ----- this is the history of my last operation

[sean]

Hi Marc. Before all these repairs drive you up the wall, get the motor fully rebuild and purchase a new set of carburetors. Struggling like this is not fun. Repairs or part rebuilds end up taking 4 times the amount of time in the end because of the struggling and repeated times for stripping and assembling.

I don't think your over full engine oil could have caused that. It might not even have seized on the bearings, it could be cylinder related. Did everything still sound good on the motor before is died?

Give it a running start and throw it in gear. If your back wheels lock up, engine is stuffed.

[marcw]

She was actually purring at the red light. Running really smoothly. Then just stalled. It felt like a simple stall from too low rpm at idle.

I did try a push start, and yes back wheels just don't budge.

It must be some thing I have done. I did a complete rebuild 15k kms ago before the one head died.

Anyway, engine is out and it won't turn at all. Not even a screw driver on the fly wheel.

[Cyndi Kritzinger]

YOU ARE HAVING BAD LUCK WITH THAT BUS.
I HOPE YOU MANAGE TO SORT IT ALL OUT.

[Tony Z]

from what you are saying, I'll take a guess.
You dont know how you put in a litre of extra oil? Maybe you didnt? Maybe its petrol that got into your oil and thats what killed the engine?
Either way, if its seized, you'll have to start pulling it apart to see what went wrong.

[marcw]

Well she is apart now. Number two (the one that does not split and is entrenched by all the gears) is locked up solid.

Not the easiest bearing to get to.

I think I am going to build a tool for this, since it is not an easy thing to pull apart. But then I will need to get a way to grind through crank, etc, etc, etc.

I think I will quit my job and do aircooled instead.

[Tony Z]

the bearings are counted from the flywheel side - so thats #3 main bearing.
I opened an engine not too long ago with the same bearing seized. Pull the gears off and apply a little heat to the outside of the bearing so the bearing expands a little. You should then be able to pull it off by hand (with gloves).

[marcw]

Yup, pulling the gears is the hard part. Those damned things are well and truly on.

I do however, have another engine. It is seized on a piston which actually wasn't that hard to free. So I have stripped this one and am rebuilding. It's a CU and apparently the original engine. The last owner had a seize and decided to purchase a new running engine instead of fixing the original.

New bearings take time so this is my quickest solution. I'll just get new rings, and move across the carbs from my seized engine.

Then rebuild the CJ so that if anything (touch wood) happens I can just swap in a day.

Marc

[retrovan]

Number 3 ... the death it seams of most aircooled motors.

Are all you cooling plates in the fan housing, ??

I remember Impi, always saying that the baffle plates in the fan housing are the most important prevention of # 3 Cooking.

Fully agree with Tony, best bet will be heat and penetrating oil, lots of both.

Good luck with the motor.

Herman

[marcw]

By baffle plates do you mean the top holes under the fan? A left and right facing hole.

I actually have those blocked off, with no idea where they should go.

So where do they go? I presume a pipe of sorts leading to somewhere.

[retrovan]

Maybe before you assemble the engine you take photos of all your cooling ducts and plates, so as to get advice before cooking another motor.

Herman

[marcw]

You know that feeling when you tear down to the base of an engine and then put it back together again over a few weekends with new bits here and there.

Then when you have stubbed your toes and pinched your fingers a good few times you put it in the chassis, ensure there is a spark and petrol in the carburetor, turn the key and she does two turns and then starts.

Well I had that on Sunday afternoon.



Marc

[retrovan]

Very nice to hear she is running again.

Now for a short trip report to shake out any bugs.

Herman

[Tony Z]

awesome, hope thats the end of your troubles

[jolas]

Cool, I hope that your problems are over