The Ford Barn - View Single Post - Break-in gone wrong!

Bored&Stroked · 03-20-2024, 11:18 PM

It could be any number of things. BUT - if it is now a lot harder to crank, then you have some sort of mechanical issue - most likely in the lower end. It could be that your bearing clearances were wrong, it could be the rings (but I doubt it).

Pull the plugs and see how the crank feels when you turn it over by hand. If you assembled the motor, does it feel a lot harder and/or different than before?

The fact that you lost oil pressure might mean that you wiped out the bearings and potentially the crank. I know this is not good news, but one needs to find out exactly what happened (as Ronnie noted above) and then see if there is damage to the bearings, crank, etc..

First order of business is to pull the pan as Ron noted (check the oil-pump drive gear). Check the bottom of the pan for bits of metal - from the drive gear or the bearings. Then pull your main caps and inspect the mains, then pull the rod caps and check the rod bearings.

I wish you the best!

03-20-2024, 11:18 PM	#9
Bored&Stroked Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 5,192	Re: Break-in gone wrong! It could be any number of things. BUT - if it is now a lot harder to crank, then you have some sort of mechanical issue - most likely in the lower end. It could be that your bearing clearances were wrong, it could be the rings (but I doubt it). Pull the plugs and see how the crank feels when you turn it over by hand. If you assembled the motor, does it feel a lot harder and/or different than before? The fact that you lost oil pressure might mean that you wiped out the bearings and potentially the crank. I know this is not good news, but one needs to find out exactly what happened (as Ronnie noted above) and then see if there is damage to the bearings, crank, etc.. First order of business is to pull the pan as Ron noted (check the oil-pump drive gear). Check the bottom of the pan for bits of metal - from the drive gear or the bearings. Then pull your main caps and inspect the mains, then pull the rod caps and check the rod bearings. I wish you the best!