Newly Rebuilt 390, starter issues, then locked up?

10 years ago

This is a 66 T-Bird, new engine, new block, insides, everything, i've had it from mechanic for a short time, have only driven it twice. was having problems starting, wouldn't click or do anything, starter would smoke, then it would start. took for a little stretch on the highway, 100 miles or less, had the same issue when i stopped at quickie mart, but it started. got it home, backed it into garage, sounded fine, except for squeeling fan belts when applying the gas. never made engine noises, just the squeelin. had a mechanic come over and look at it, i wanted him to check the battery, solenoid, starter. he immediatley checked the oil, pretty dry. then said ''the engine is locked". I'm not sure why he would come to such a quick conclusion, maybe he thought the engine wasn't new? he tried to turn it with break away bar, said it wouldn't turn, but he had it in park. shouldn't it have been in neutral?

Any ideas?> I've spent 20k fixiing up a car i've driven twice, and if it would drive, i'd drive it off a cliff!

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Comments (3)

bobkel
10 years ago
No it don't have to be in neutral to turn over. If you ran it low on oil then there is the possibility that you seized the engine. You mentioned that the belts were squealing. Was it the belts squealing or the engine seizing? I would take all the belts off and see if it turned over. I don't know what accessories you have but it could be something like a seized alternator keeping it from turning over. You can also take the plugs out and try and turn it over. Without the belts and the plugs if it doesn't turn over then the possibility of a seized engine get greater. If you get to that point then you will have to drop the pan and check the bearings and cyl. walls.
jemdandy
10 years ago
When the oil level was checked, what was meant by "pretty dry"? What was the oil level? Have you checked the oil level? If so, where was the oil line on the dip stick? Was is far below the lowest mark?

Usually, there are two marks on the dip stick: "add oil" or low; and "full". The oil level should be between these marks. If the oil level was, say 2 quarts below the low mark, you may have a seized engine. Your engine was newly rebuilt and not broken in. How the engine is loaded and reved for the first 100 miles is very important on a new rebuilt. Did you watch the oil pressure gauge or does this model have only a light?

It takes about 500 miles to wear in the rings. During this period, the engine should not experience high torque for more than a second or two.

The first oil and filter change should be made at 500 miles. Its not that the oil is bad, its because fine bits of metal may be in the filter and oil and should be removed.

Let us know what you find.
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Stuart Engelking
Original Author
10 years ago
thanks for your responses. I'm not sure if it was the belts or the engine, it sounded like belts squeeling, i've never heard an engine do that, so idk. and its only been driven about 100 miles, so no 500 mile oil change yet...

the oil pressure gauge is a left to right moving, bobbing instrument, like all the rest in the t-bird, i can't say how accurate it was/is. it was where it was always at, in the middle.

and i'm not a mechanic, and no lift in my garage, so i'm trying to figure things out before i get screwed by another mechanic. the mechanic who built it is in another state, 1000 miles away.

it just seemed odd that this mechanic after a minute of looking at the car and , said, 'your engine's locked up". when i asked him to check electronics on solenoid and starter....and his test was to try to turn it, without removing spark plugs, belts or anything else...

as well i'm hoping its not, i may be hoping without hope...but like i said, iv'e spent 3 years and lots of money to have an engine seize after 100 miles of driving, backed it into the garage and it sounded fine, ran fine, just won't start, which it was having the no start problem before, so does it seize and then unseize? or is it a starter problem... and yes i feel stupid for not checking oil, but i asked mechanic when i had it shipped, do i need to change the oil? "no", and i hadn't driven it anywhere, where did the oil go? its not on the floor of my garage.. did it evaporate?

Newly Rebuilt 390, starter issues, then locked up?

Comments (3)

bobkel

jemdandy

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Newly Rebuilt 390, starter issues, then locked up?

Comments (3)

bobkel

jemdandy

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Stuart EngelkingOriginal Author

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Stuart Engelking
Original Author