Sick Feeling

[3739ford]

I have this heavy sick feeling in the bottom of my stomach. Got my rebuild 276 ready to fire up for first time and could not get oil pressure when turning it over with starter. Dropped the oil pan and removed the oil pump and the gasket for the oil pickup was suspect, put back together and had oil pressure.

Could not get fuel pump to prime so removed and had one of the valves turned wrong way. changed direction and had gas shooting out fuel pump.

Engine started easy 45 lbs oil pressure and was idling fine and gasket on oil filter housing lid was leaking; oil everywhere took 3 tries to get sealed.

Started the engine and let warm up to 180 degrees no issues smooth running. Cut off and let set overnight and then retorqued head bolts next day. Started up fine and then oil pressure line had a defect from factory and sprayed oil all over the engine and shop. Repaired that and now I'm ready to restart.

Started the engine and let warm up started checking the timing and move the distributor to far and engine died. Hit the switch again and started made awful sound (used starter) as engine started. Took starter off and bearing and parts from starter where inside transmission (AOD) got all the metal out I could find with magnet and bought a new starter. Started the engine yesterday evening and something definitely has broke inside the engine. Got that sick feeling it is major. Going to walk away for couple of days before dropping oil pan to see what is.

[flatjack9]

Certainly odd to an ominous start. Got to ask, did you build it?

[19Fordy]

Wow! The bad luck gremlins are working overtime.

Getting Rid of Bad Luck. Use salt. Salt is considered good luck by many cultures in the world. In order to get rid of many forms of bad luck you can take a pinch of salt and throw it over your LEFT shoulder (throwing salt over your right shoulder will bring you more bad luck).

I know it doesn't seem so but, things will improve. Hang in there.

[Tim Ayers]

Oh, man. Sorry to hear that. You've certainly had your share of struggles with this motor. Hopefully it's something small. Please report back what you find when you drop the pan.

[3739ford]

Yes, Flatjack9 I built the motor, not my first build, but definitely different than other engines.

[rotorwrench]

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Are you sure you got everything out of the torque converter housing? Was this one of the hitachi type starter set ups that come with some of the adapter kits? If there is a piece caught in between the converter and the housing, it could make a lot of noise.

[JSeery]

Do you have an access hole in the bottom of the AOD bellhousing? One rebuild tip is to drill an access hole (with a hole saw), it gives you a bit of room to fish things out of there.

Before you start taking things apart, might pull the plugs and do a compression test. Might let you know if something major is wrong inside.

[Mike51Merc]

Oh man, I feel for you.
This is why I always run on a stand before installation.

[drolston]

Please describe the noise it made. Is it possible that there is still something inside the flywheel housing, like the Bendix spring, that the flywheel is batting around?

[3739ford]

Best way to describe the noise is metal sound bamb, bamb, bamb. I will take the plugs out and check them and put the compression gauge on the rear two cylinders. Sound definitely at the very back of the engine or front of transmission.

[Jockeyshift41]

I left a torque converter bolt loose once in my Pontiac and it made a banging noise as you’ve described.

[corvette8n]

Wow I feel sorry for you reminds, me of Hee Haw, if it weren't for bad luck I'd had no luck at all.

[3739ford]

I'm not superstitious and I don't read horoscope/astrograph. As the right reverend Ray J. would say "it is just a season".

[Ggmac]

Do they use a flex plate ? If so a cracked flex plate will sound like a rod knock or worse a couple of rods .
Good luck , hope it's small .

[rotorwrench]

One of the AOD kits I've looked at uses a conventional starter to turn the flex plate. They have aluminum housing parts that won't stick to a magnet. You need to check out that converter if you can. Did you get enough pieces out of that area to be able to piece the starter back together?

Everyone has bad days. I've had my share. I usually call it an early day on those and find something else to do.

[tubman]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

One of the AOD kits I've looked at uses a conventional starter to turn the flex plate. They have aluminum housing parts that won't stick to a magnet. You need to check out that converter if you can. Did you get enough pieces out of that area to be able to piece the starter back together?

Everyone has bad days. I've had my share. I usually call it an early day on those and find something else to do.

I agree with this 100%; since I started this practice, the success rate on my projects has greatly improved.

To the O/P : Hopefully it will be something minior; I think there's a pretty good chance of that from what I've read.

[3739ford]

I got to test 5 cylinders tonight before it got dark and had compression. Tomorrow after lunch is the day I take a look at everything more closely. After turning the engine over for the compression test I got a slight smell of electrical. The new battery cables were warm and starter also. Something is putting a drag on everything.

[3739ford]

Tested all the cylinders and have compression. Looked in through the spark plug hole and I have one cylinder #6 getting some antifreeze in cylinder. Dropped the oil and filtered through coffee filter and found nothing. Removed the starter and turned the flex plate 360 degrees and all nuts for torque converter on tight and did not see any cracks or anything rubbing.

Decided to put back to together and see if sound was still there. It is, but sounds like a metal fan blade hitting metal shroud. Noise is louder at low rpm's and after engine gets going sound almost goes away. I have oil pressure and engine cranks easily.

I purchased the early 70's starter that the kit said use (short gear) with the front cover part that came with the kit. Could the starter be part of the problem I could not distinguish where the sound is coming from.

[tubman]

Here's some random information about strange engine noises. I had one in my '51 Ford I couldn't track down. I tried everything and couldn't find it. I initially thought it was a throwout bearing, because it went away when I depressed the clutch. I pulled the engine and replaced it with a Mercury I had. I had to swap oil pans, and when I cleaned out the Ford pan, I found a chunk of the thrust surface of the rear main in the bottom of the pan. It was about an inch long. I initially didn't know what it was, but when I compared it to a new rear main bearing I had, it was dimensionally the same. I don't know if it was the actual cause of the noise, but I am going to replace the rear main on the Ford engine and see. (The engine was in good shape otherwise.)

[Ole Don]

Years ago, I had a Maverick come in. The owner had been given an estimate of 300 bucks to replace the main bearings. I had him on the road in fifteen minutes all fixed by tightening his converter nuts.

[3739ford]

I think I'm going to remove the oil pan and see if there is anything there. Not that hard really to jack the engine up and remove while engine is bolted to transmission.

With not seeing any marks/cracks on flex plate I think the engine is likely suspect. I do have a cheap engine stethoscope wonder if I could pin point anything with it?

[JSeery]

Are you sure there is not something rubbing the torque converter? Not sure how you can see in there without the lower access hole.

[Clem Clement]

best wishes

[3739ford]

I think I will drill hole in bottom of trans case and look up behind the torque converter. That is quick elimination, or confirmation.

[JSeery]

I'm sure you already know about the TV cable setting, but just to be sure an AOD will self destruct in short order if the cable is not in place and adjusted correctly. Just something to keep in mind.

The holes I drill are about 2" in diameter and centered just behind where the ring gear would be. I have always drilled them before assembly, but don't see why you couldn't do it in place. Just locate the center behind the ring gear so the hole saw drill center will clear it. And be careful to not hit the torque converter or the ring gear. I would shorten the center drill as much as possible or maybe use a pilot hole and then a rod in place of the center drill bit so there is no chance of doing internal damage! The hole really helps with turning the ring gear when install the converter.

[3739ford]

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I drilled a 1 inch hole behind the torque converter and did not see anything. Then with the flashlight I found half the ring between the backing plate and rear of engine. There is another half hiding somewhere.

[Bored&Stroked]

Originally Posted by 3739ford

I drilled a 1 inch hole behind the torque converter and did not see anything. Then with the flashlight I found half the ring between the backing plate and rear of engine. There is another half hiding somewhere.

Well the good news is that it isn't internal to your engine - the bad news is that the rest of the monster is hiding someplace! You'll get it fixed - and you'll be cruising down the road and happy . . . and soon. Good luck!

[RalphM]

Originally Posted by Ole Don

Years ago, I had a Maverick come in. The owner had been given an estimate of 300 bucks to replace the main bearings. I had him on the road in fifteen minutes all fixed by tightening his converter nuts.

I also had a 87 blazer come in my shop for an engine swap because the owner said a rod was knocking. After a few minutes getting ready to pull the motor I found all the torque converter bolts loose, tightened them and he was back on the road.

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by 3739ford

I drilled a 1 inch hole behind the torque converter and did not see anything. Then with the flashlight I found half the ring between the backing plate and rear of engine. There is another half hiding somewhere.

Good hunting!