Break-in gone wrong!

[Cameron Koehn]

1952 8ba .100 overbore, stock stroke, Edel. heads, intake, 4bbl carb, Mallory unilite dist, 12v with alternator, Schneider 248F cam, Johnson adjustable lifters, 1.560 valves, lightly ported, factory oil pump, blah, blah, blah.

Initial break-in went ok. Nearly overheated until I got the carb and distr set better. 40# - 50# oil press. Let cool down and retorqed heads twice.

This morning I go out and start it, runs well for 5-8 min. then starts to load up. I immediately shut it down. (Now I had not been checking oil pressure regularly because it had been good every other run.) I then did a short crank without spark and confirmed 0# oil press. I then took the mechanical gauge out altogether and cranked and no oil came out.

Now what. I pulled the plugs, color and smell was good, but they had been kissing the valves, so I guess I need spacers for those. Any other checks before pulling the pan?

[Newc]

A V8er in Dallas, Or, found the oil press was leaking from beneath the oil pump mount surface. Did a pressure check with the pan off!! Newc

[Slamnslash]

Check the oil galley plugs and crank plugs. You should have higher pressure with a new build. Most pumps are 80psi.

[Seth Swoboda]

I had one of those happen to me but the bad guys went to jail.

[Ronnieroadster]

One possibility if the rear oil pump idler gear was installed backwards {easy to do on the 8BA} the gear mesh will work for a short time then the gear will strip thus the oil pump will not turn causing no oil pressure.

The 40 to 50 pounds pressure you noticed on the first fire up is good for Idle RPM which is what I expect you had during run time to set timing and carbs. If the idler gear is backwards the stress on the gear would be a lot at 50 PSI easily damaging the Idler gear if its installed incorrectly.

Pull the pan remove the pump have someone turn the crank with a rachet look up into the pump hole see if the full width of the idler gear teeth can be seen. If you see the gear use a long flat blade screw driver to push on the gear it should not move. If it moves then the gear on the end of the cam has come loss. If you find everything is good then there's some other issue you now have to look for.

Ronnieroadster

[flatjack9]

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What do you mean by "load up" ?

[Cameron Koehn]

Started to turn hard when running

Increased drag.

Sounded like starting to cease.

I can still turn it by hand with a bar, and the starter will still crank it.

[Bored&Stroked]

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!

[Cameron Koehn]

I assembled the motor. It is still easier to bar over than before the very first start.

[Cameron Koehn]

IMG_20221001_173603857.jpg

[Cameron Koehn]

That's from when I installed it. Maybe it turned itself around. Or maybe that is backwards.

[Ziggster]

I wish you luck. Hopefully, it is nothing too serious. This is one of my biggest fears for when it’s my turn to give it its’ first start after a rebuild process that has dragged on for years.

[Tim Ayers]

Ugh. Bummer. Hopefully you figure out where the problem is. What is that picture of the idler gear trying to show us? Edit: I actually put my glasses on and can now see the gears clearly. Damn, getting older stinks.

Curious about the spark plugs closing up by hitting the valves. Are these Edlebrock heads new? If so, all new Edlebrock heads use .750" reach plugs.

[Bored&Stroked]

It is also possible that the little gear on the end of the cam spun (and is now spinning). I have seen this before as there is just a very small "flat" to keep it from turning. On my race motors I either pin or tach weld the gear onto the cam.

[Bored&Stroked]

On the gear - looks fine to me - you have it meshing as it should. If you're getting no oil flow/pressure out of the back of the block, then it has to be related to the oil-pump and/or drive gears - so that is where I'd concentrate on.

The fact that at some point the motor starting lugging on the second start does concern me in that that sounds like the bearings/journals may have been damaged - you'll soon know.

[Bored&Stroked]

Originally Posted by Newc

A V8er in Dallas, Or, found the oil press was leaking from beneath the oil pump mount surface. Did a pressure check with the pan off!! Newc

I've seen this with a repop 49-53 pump from Speedway. The casting was too small around the base - massive leak. BUT if that was the case it should have been like this from the start.

This is the age ole' situation of "when we find it . . . we will know".

[Bored&Stroked]

Originally Posted by Tim Ayers

Ugh. Bummer. Hopefully you figure out where the problem is. What is that picture of the idler gear trying to show us? Edit: I actually put my glasses on and see the gears clearly. Damn, getting older stinks.

Curious about the spark plugs closing up by hitting the valves. Are these Edlebrock heads new? If so, all new Edlebrock heads use .750" reach plugs.

The idler gear can go on two directions - he's showing us how it was when he originally assembled the engine. If it is on as the picture shows, then it was at least on correctly at this point.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

The idler gear can go on two directions - he's showing us how it was when he originally assembled the engine. If it is on as the picture shows, then it was at least on correctly at this point.

Haha. Thanks, Dale. I edited my comment. I originally looked at the pictures without my glasses. Once I put them on, I saw it clearly. LOL!!!!!

[Bored&Stroked]

Originally Posted by Tim Ayers

Haha. Thanks, Dale. I edited my comment. I originally looked at the pictures without my glasses. Once I put them on, I saw it clearly. LOL!!!!!

Get those peepers on Tim!

[Cameron Koehn]

Yes I will pull the pan. I used the ford oil pump. All the clearances checked out. On the cam, it is a Schneider 248F. Reputable seller. Can't imagine a problem there, but we will see.