Hello all, this is my second post here following up my question about a sputtering engine.
I purchased a rebuilt 302 from a family friend that had it laying around at their shop. I put the motor in and put in a manual oil pressure sensor, and a copper wire thermostat; This is a 195 degree thermostat. I used 10-40W non synthetic oil to break in the engine, i put the recommended 5 quarts and it was all lining up. I started the car and let it idle at 1600 RPS for roughly 25 minutes to allow the cam to break in. After that i checked all the fluid in the car and what not. The temperature was roughly 200 degrees which is nearing the end of my comfort zone. I put the car in time, by feel of hand and not with a timing light. I drove the car lightly down the road a few times just monitoring my oil pressure and temperature.
At this point i'm extremely stoked, thinking wow this is awesome, all this time and money has been well spent and the car sounds awesome. I checked for leaks one more time after this and checked my oil. I added a little bit of coolant as only half the radiator was full. I drove into town never exceeding 3000 RPMS, and if i did it was maybe once or twice in first gear. Not whole shots or anything wild, just driving the car with traffic. I filled up with gas and proceeded on my way, oil pressure around 55 pounds, 41 pounds of fuel and around 196 degrees. After a stop sign shifting from first to second gear i hear the unthinkable.
"CCCCCCRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRSSSSHHHHH-- buh buh and then the motor shut off.
I instantly thought my distributor came loose but opened the hood to see it locked down in the same place. I pulled the radiator cap off and noticed it was roughly half full. But i was monitoring my gauges and i never exceeded 197 degrees.
As i'm sitting in udder disgust i can't help but thinking, WHAT WENT WRONG!? I never lost oil pressure, the car was not over heating or making any prior sounds that would lead me to even imaging this happening.
So what do you think could of happened?
Question 1: If the motor over heated and the pistons seized why would it do this after 21 miles of driving while going 15 miles an hour? Not when i was in 2nd gear pulling to 3000 rpm going 45 5 miles before this?
Question 2: Could being out of time really make a motor seize like this?
Question 3: Is 190 degrees too warm for a break in on a 302?
I can't believe it happened, but it did.... Nothing like a good 3000 down the drain.
I purchased a rebuilt 302 from a family friend that had it laying around at their shop. I put the motor in and put in a manual oil pressure sensor, and a copper wire thermostat; This is a 195 degree thermostat. I used 10-40W non synthetic oil to break in the engine, i put the recommended 5 quarts and it was all lining up. I started the car and let it idle at 1600 RPS for roughly 25 minutes to allow the cam to break in. After that i checked all the fluid in the car and what not. The temperature was roughly 200 degrees which is nearing the end of my comfort zone. I put the car in time, by feel of hand and not with a timing light. I drove the car lightly down the road a few times just monitoring my oil pressure and temperature.
At this point i'm extremely stoked, thinking wow this is awesome, all this time and money has been well spent and the car sounds awesome. I checked for leaks one more time after this and checked my oil. I added a little bit of coolant as only half the radiator was full. I drove into town never exceeding 3000 RPMS, and if i did it was maybe once or twice in first gear. Not whole shots or anything wild, just driving the car with traffic. I filled up with gas and proceeded on my way, oil pressure around 55 pounds, 41 pounds of fuel and around 196 degrees. After a stop sign shifting from first to second gear i hear the unthinkable.
"CCCCCCRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRSSSSHHHHH-- buh buh and then the motor shut off.
I instantly thought my distributor came loose but opened the hood to see it locked down in the same place. I pulled the radiator cap off and noticed it was roughly half full. But i was monitoring my gauges and i never exceeded 197 degrees.
As i'm sitting in udder disgust i can't help but thinking, WHAT WENT WRONG!? I never lost oil pressure, the car was not over heating or making any prior sounds that would lead me to even imaging this happening.
So what do you think could of happened?
Question 1: If the motor over heated and the pistons seized why would it do this after 21 miles of driving while going 15 miles an hour? Not when i was in 2nd gear pulling to 3000 rpm going 45 5 miles before this?
Question 2: Could being out of time really make a motor seize like this?
Question 3: Is 190 degrees too warm for a break in on a 302?
I can't believe it happened, but it did.... Nothing like a good 3000 down the drain.