rebuilt 292 yblock.Cant turn over

[mikhett]

Ok i bought a 56 Victoria from an old gentleman in 2015 out of Henderson Texas.He said he rebuilt the engine.I pulled the valve covers and heads are clean as a whistle.I prelubed the cylinders with MMO.I put a 13/16 socket on the damper bolt and with a long breaker bar cant budge the engine.Plugs are out. Any Suggestions? Thanks

[KULTULZ]

How long ago was the engine rebuilt? Was it ever ran?

[mikhett]

Rebuilt in 2015 and never ran.

[hotrodart]

In 7 years there is a possibility the cylinders rusted if the engine was not sealed and was exposed to mild/high humidity. Maybe a bit of kerosene/diesel in each cylinder for a week or so will free it up..... Also, if it is a stick shift, make sure it is in neutral (with the parking brake on).


If you get it loose, you still do not know the condition of the cylinders.......best bet is to pull the heads and find out exactly what you have. Another possibility is the bearings were installed incorrectly.......will need to pull the pan to check them.


There are a few other possible causes that are a bit more remote, but.......incorrect installation of clutch/TO bearing, incorrect installation of cam, incorrect installation of piston rings......



Good luck......post your results.

[Alaska Jim]

Take the belts off first, and then try to turn the eng. I have seen more than once that the belts were stuck to the pullys so tight , just from sitting so long , that the eng. would not turn over. Also a mixture of atf and acetone may work best in the cyl's if the rings have stuck to the cyl.walls

[miker98038]

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I’d back off the valve gear too. If the cam was never broken in the lube is toast by now. Even then, and pre oiled I think I’d take the cam out, verify the center bearing oil holes/cam grove, etc. and lube everything up. If the crank turns at that point, then it’s a choice point of checking the main and rod bearings while it’s on the stand. Be a real shame to damage what might be a good rebuild by not checking things out and re lubing at least the cam.

Wiping a cam puts metal all thru the motor, you really don’t want to do that.

[chain drive]

if the pistons are stuck usually not all of them try to turn it back instead of forward pry bar on the ring gear and socket on the crank have lots of luck doing it this way lube the clys good luck

[5851a]

Pull engine and take it apart 1 piece at a time and you may find the problem. Old days thoughts of a tight engine and having to pull it to crank seemed ok. now we know better.

[rotorwrench]

I use an assembly lube made of either SAE 140 gear lube mixed with motor oil or STP mixed with motor oil. A motor can set for many years this way but a lot depends on the type of motor. If one part corroded due to no assembly lube then it can stick a motor. Valves & lifters can be just as bad as a stuck piston. Pulling the heads may not be a bad idea. At least that will separate the bottom end from the top.

When troubleshooting always do the easiest thing first. As was mentioned, check the belts. Check the clutch and pressure plate. This stuff can stick too.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by mikhett

Rebuilt in 2015 and never ran.

Here's how it works ...

You have an engine, rebuilt to some degree (no shop ticket) and you don't know it if was run-in or actually driven after the rebuild. She is now frozen ...

The correct thing to do would be to put it on the forensic table and go through it. Few have that option.

In that case, you would pull the plugs, shoot (not pour) something akin to SEA-FOAM around the rings (don't flood) as best as you can. Install plugs.

Let her sit a week, and try to turn it by hand again (gently). If it breaks loose at that point (stop turning) (or anther week of sitting), you drop the oil and filter, fill it with a GOOD QUALITY BREAK-IN OIL and prime the oil system. Once you have reached proper oil pressure, you attempt a start with oil and water temp gauges hooked up (quality mechanical gauges). If it seems to run correctly, take to two thousand RPM for twenty minutes while closely watching oil pressure and coolant temp. If the pressure gauge even flickers, shut her down and you will then have to go into it.

There is no magic elixir. A dry start will do more damage than most anything else.

With today's labor and parts prices, one cannot afford to take a gamble (I know I can't).

[Daves55Sedan]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned; if the rebuilder put the flywheel in the rear crankshaft hub using longer bolts than it came with originally, the longer bolts will pre3vent the crankshaft from turning since the back of the cast-iron engine block has those webs molded into it. The bolts need to be short enough to clear these cast webs, but still go all the way through the crank hub.

[Ford blue blood]

Fly wheel bolts are longer for the clutch fly wheel then those for a flex plate. Found this building an FE, imagine the Y blocks were pretty close to the same.

Having said that my initial thought is rust in the cylinders as stated earlier.

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan

... if the rebuilder put the flywheel in the rear crankshaft hub using longer bolts than it came with originally, the longer bolts will pre3vent the crankshaft from turning since the back of the cast-iron engine block has those webs molded into it. The bolts need to be short enough to clear these cast webs, but still go all the way through the crank hub.

Originally Posted by Ford blue blood

Fly wheel bolts are longer for the clutch fly wheel then those for a flex plate. Found this building an FE, imagine the Y blocks were pretty close to the same. ...

It's true. And it's not just the length difference between flywheel & flexplate bolts...
I replaced the bad engine in my '55 and reused the (previously updated) flexplate & its bolts on the newer crank & block.
The flexplate bolts were a touch too long and hung up on the ribbing of the block. Had to grind about 1/32 of an inch off of the bolts.

If the intake or exhaust of the engine was left open at all, just about anything could be in a cylinder.

.

[rotorwrench]

I use a bore scope to look in the cylinders. With that, I can see any corrosion or mouse nests that might be in there. The scopes are cheaper now than they used to be. I use mine for a lot of stuff. I check gas tanks with it a lot.