Sooo, she looks locked up to me.

[Hink]

This is one of those things that's nearly impossible to diagnose long distance but I'd really like your guys' expertise here.

The scene...

1- Towed the RV home from ND running warm but never overheated, only got real hot a couple times and only for a few minutes at a time, never ran long at all at hot temp.

2- Took the hood off to get vents put in and see if it helped to run cooler, it did.

3- Got home fine, drove the truck for 3-4 days and everything was great. Started quickly, ran great and shut down fine every time with no odd noises.

4- Drove the truck two nights ago a bit in the day, still ran fine and shut down fine. It sat for a few hours (2-3) and started great when I went out to move it a hundred yards or so and shut down fine.

5- Next day when I tried to start it, it was locked up. Not "it won't turn over because the batteries or starter is bad" but locked up.

What I did...

1- Pulled the fan shroud, fan and pulley off to get a wrench on the crank bolt but it wouldn't turn.

2- had a buddy come over to pull me to the hill, rolled down and popped the clutch, she just skidded. (Road was wet though)

So I'm thinking it makes no sense but it looks like I'm screwed, but then my buddy said that it actually moved a little when I hit the key, so there could be hope.

Today, I pulled most of the front of the truck off to get better access to the crank bolt and sure enough, I was able to get it to turn. No great effort needed, just a good pull.

One other weird thing... I tried the key again this morning but the batteries were real low and the clicking you hear when engaging the key stuttered real fast and loud, that's the best I can describe it. So I put a charger on it and that's how she sits.

The only two things that I can think of is

1- Heat caused damage to the motor and it seized. But that makes no sense because I drove her fine for several days after returning. It literally happened overnight.

2- Water entered the cylinders and hydrolocked her a bit. But really? just because of no hood for a few days? Thousands of hot rods have been run without hoods for years with no issues.

(I'm discounting starter/battery issues regardless of the odd clicking and low battery since they were bypassed when I tried to pull start it)

Tomorrow I'm going to pull as many injectors as I can and see if I can line up help to pull it for a bit in gear to see If it will rotate freely. If she does, I'm sure there's hope, if not I really don't know what I'm going to do. I put $8000 in a new engine and tranny to do it right so it'll last. I can't be doing it again.

Any thoughts? Unfortunately in my life right now I could use a few miracles. I already got one when my fridge fixed itself, so that's a plus.

Thanks guys!!

 

[Twisted Steel Performance]

Might have a look at the oil and see if anything is mixed in...

 

[JayTheCPA]

Even though the push-start experience does lean toward the motor, personally I would still check out the starter to see if it seized.

 

[Big T]

How hot was hot?

 

[Will L.]

When I suspect one locked up, ill pull glow plugs to loose compression, bump the key. Hydro lock will let it push out coolant if present. If it does start turning over a compression test is in order anyways bfore starting regardless of hydro.

No crank then i pulll the starter and fly wheel cover. If the starter bench tests ok, the use a fly wheel turner and rotate engine via flywheel. You can also crank backwards in case something like a push rod bent and is locking up. loosening or overtightening a certian bolt up front has bit me and a couple friends when i was a teenager- i try to avoid it now.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Nothing to add really, Will hit the nail on the head. Pull the glow plugs 1st thing, and go from there. Pretty sure most big parts stores will rent the tool to turn it by the flywheel, if not they're fairly cheap to buy. Then see if it moves with the compression released.

 

[WarWagon]

@Hink
"2- had a buddy come over to pull me to the hill, rolled down and popped the clutch, she just skidded. (Road was wet though)"

This can eliminate the clutch not releasing as the cause, but, add this to the suggestions. Hitting the powertrain with this kind of shock with a locked up engine is bad. At the minimum I suggest a call to South Bend Clutch about this and likely they will suggest a clutch inspection. Specifically you could have bent or broken a (or the) drive straps on the pressure plate. Clutches are designed to transfer torque in one direction only and can experience reduced life from downshifting - but in this case can survive dumping the clutch to break the rear wheels loose vs. damage from sudden rear wheel lockup against a locked up engine. Consider pulling on the drive straps to get moving vs. pushing on them for slowing down: then figure shock loads for each direction. Clutches are by your feet and not something you want coming apart.

Further consideration to the possibility of now having a broken or bent rod from the above is in order. I suggest in addition to the above poster's advice that an oil sample be taken for used oil analysis looking for coolant and thus hydo lock. If you do find coolant in the cylinder(s) you can check the piston height from the deck to verify you didn't bend a rod. Otherwise pull the engine and have them checked for length/bending. A bent rod can break on first fire up as well as collide the piston skirt with the crank. A broken rod is a buzz saw...

Hopefully it's a bad starter as mentioned above. And if so new starter bolts are in order as well as a flexplate gear inspection.

I assume you pulled the fan belt off to eliminate the possibility of a locked up accessory?

 

[Hink]

Might have a look at the oil and see if anything is mixed in...

I'll definitely drain the oil to get a look.

I would still check out the starter to see if it seized.

That was my first thought, I hope that's all it is!

How hot was hot?

ECTs got a couple notches over 210 A couple times only for a short time. EGTs stayed low. I never let the ECTs and EGTs get hot at the same time.

When I suspect one locked up, ill pull glow plugs to loose compression, bump the key.

I'll try to do that today.

I assume you pulled the fan belt off to eliminate the possibility of a locked up accessory?

Clutch damage and bent rods are something that I'll have to deal with later if everything else doesn't work out (fingers crossed). I did remove the belt.

Thanks for all the info guys!
I'll try everything here in order of simplicity (and cost) and let you know what I find.
Hopefully I'm still on the road!

 

[Twisted Steel Performance]

I see in your sig a water system listed.... were you using it during any time this started or maybe the day before it started???

Do you have a electric solenoid as a dead stop flow or a inline valve... may be dribbling water and cause a cyl to hydro a little...

I agree remove the glows first all of them....

 

[Hink]

I see in your sig a water system listed.... were you using it during any time this started or maybe the day before it started???

Do you have a electric solenoid as a dead stop flow or a inline valve... may be dribbling water and cause a cyl to hydro a little...

I agree remove the glows first all of them....

Yes, the AEM system has anti-flowback valves. And it wasn't used the last few minutes before shut down the day before.

And I've had oil analysis done on every oil change since last year with no water present. If it's hydrolock, it all points to having the hood off in the rain. Pretty hilarious that taking the hood off to help prevent damage from heat would cause a locked engine... My life.

 

[Twisted Steel Performance]

I have had the so called anti siphon valves stick open and cause that very thing, that's why I thought about it.... then I went to the electric solenoid..

 

[Hink]

I have had the so called anti siphon valves stick open and cause that very thing, that's why I thought about it.... then I went to the electric solenoid..

Ah man. Ok, good to know.

 

[Hink]

Quick update...
3,5,6,7 and 8 full of water.
Starter is turning the engine over nicely with glow plugs removed. Water shot all over the damn place.
It's all clear water, not coolant. I'll shoot some WD-40 in to help disperse the water and put her back together.

Thoughts?

 

[NVW]

At the very least do an oil change.

 

[Will L.]

Plan on a couple oil changes.

The hood of should have nothing to do with sucking water- have you modified your air filter?

Wmi system failure more likely

 

[Hink]

Hydrolock is real and it's in your neighborhood too.

Well at least it was in mine. I put the glows back in and she started right up. I mean right the hell up. I was expecting to crank a bit but geeze, she only turned a tad bit more than usual, farted for just a split second then cleared right up and purred like a kitten. She loves to run!

Plan on a couple oil changes.

The hood of should have nothing to do with sucking water- have you modified your air filter?

Wmi system failure more likely

I agree here, the hood should have nothing to do with it. Hot rods run open all the time. I did see some water sitting in the housing but we're talking about quite a bit in the engine. The only way it could have sucked all that in would be if the turbo was spooled way up to suck it all in and it was being fed water and neither of those were true.

Air filter is S&B intake from Leroy that I have done no modifications to.

I guess I have no real loyalty to AEM but I still hate to admit you may be right Will. It's the only thing that really makes any sense. Nothing else does except the companies claims of anti-drain injectors, but like sctrailrider said, they can fail. Relatively quickly, it seems. Funny thing, during install I called the tech line for some question and they actually mentioned the idea of mounting the tank below the level of the valve so It wouldn't gravity feed. I said "I thought they didn't drain?" and he said something to the effect of "they don't but we tell people "just in case" Hmmm...

Welp, it looks like I need a shut off valve. I'll pull the injector and plug the hole and keep a watch on the tip to see if I can witness any drain until I can get a valve. It'll be a while cause I'm headed to AK for a few weeks but I'll get her done. No big deal to solve a big deal. I'm still glad I got the system, I just hope I can help someone avoid the same issue through all this!

Oil change tomorrow, I'll only run her a couple days until I leave and then I'll change again when I get back.

Thanks for your help fellers, it means a heap.

 

[ak diesel driver]

stop by

 

[Hink]

stop by

Ha! That would be awesome. Where you at anyway?

 

[ak diesel driver]

willow

 

[Hink]

willow

Cool!
I should be driving down to Kenai with a friend at this point so if we can work it out, I'd love to drop by. PM me your number and I'll let you know whats going on.