• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

426 MW seized during idle

63 426 Maxie

63 426 Maxie

Member
Local time
10:00 PM
Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Messages
12
Reaction score
5
Location
Valpo
Looking for an experienced and reputable engine shop (preferably vintage Mopar specialists of course) in the Southwest Michigan, Northern Indiana or Chicago area. I have done quite a bit of digging and have found nothing I can trust out there, at least on face value. I need a recommendation not a website ... if you know what I mean.

Situation:
Pulled my 63 Belvedere out of the garage this spring (426 Max Wedge). Checked fluids, general spring inspections etc... She fired as normal and had oil pressure. Then i did walk around & crawl around to check for line leaks etc... After about 10 mins, it starting laboring briefly and then stopped. Unable to turn over.

This kind of internal troubleshooting and work is beyond my skill and I do not have the time or space to start tearing into it.
 
You say "seized", and then say "unable to turn over". Do you mean the reciprocating assembly is locked ?
 
yes. Can move it. I can't imagine what occurred during a spring idle, but that is what happened.
 
Can you turn it over with starter? Any symptoms over heating or oil pressure low or a noise then stopped? Seized is a little vague.
 
63 426 Maxie said:
yes. Can move it. I can't imagine what occurred during a spring idle, but that is what happened.
Click to expand...
You CAN rotate the engine by hand? If so, it's not seized and rebuilding the engine is the LAST resort. Put a breaker bar or long ratchet on the crank bolt and try to turn the engine over.
 
It may not be the engine it could be the transmission. Pull the transmission back and see if it turns then. You can't get the torque converter bolts if it will not turn.
 
Have you let it cool down and try a restart?
 
OK, I did get a socket on the crank. Moved quite easily actually. I was able to turn it over with a standard 1/2' ratchet w/o breaker bar.

When this originally occurred, the starter would not turn it over (10 mins after the engine stalled). I am happily surprised about the fact it is able to turn over manually. I have BATT charging now. Will see but I do recall an elec burning smell when I attempted to start back then and wires to starter seemed to be the culprit. I cant see how the starter would have caused it to shut down. (could it have not disengaged and done this?) seems odd really.

727 pushbutton and it was in neutral with parking lever in PARK when this originally happened. Odd that the trans would have cause the odd stall. It did not sound like a normal stall do to fuel starvation.

Thanks for all the help everyone!!
 
63 426 Maxie said:
OK, I did get a socket on the crank. Moved quite easily actually. I was able to turn it over with a standard 1/2' ratchet w/o breaker bar.

When this originally occurred, the starter would not turn it over (10 mins after the engine stalled). I am happily surprised about the fact it is able to turn over manually. I have BATT charging now. Will see but I do recall an elec burning smell when I attempted to start back then and wires to starter seemed to be the culprit. I cant see how the starter would have caused it to shut down. (could it have not disengaged and done this?) seems odd really.

727 pushbutton and it was in neutral with parking lever in PARK when this originally happened. Odd that the trans would have cause the odd stall. It did not sound like a normal stall do to fuel starvation.

Thanks for all the help everyone!!
Click to expand...

Did the starter click at least? I'm wondering if you're had an electrical issue with the burning smell? If the starter was engaged while the engine was running, you most likely would have heard it. It's pretty much the same sound you hear when you turn the key to start while the engine is running. I also don't like to let an engine idle for longer than a minute without bringing up the rpm some. It usually has low oil pressure to the top and valve springs heat up when there's not much oil for cooling. Think about bending a heavy wire back and forth and then grabbing the bend....it'll be hot.
 
Maybe a dead short which resulted in a weak and eventually no spark. Good news is you need a good electrical guy and not an engine guy. The main cable to the starter can get too close to the exhaust in Mopars.
 
Cranky said:
Did the starter click at least? I'm wondering if you're had an electrical issue with the burning smell? If the starter was engaged while the engine was running, you most likely would have heard it. It's pretty much the same sound you hear when you turn the key to start while the engine is running. I also don't like to let an engine idle for longer than a minute without bringing up the rpm some. It usually has low oil pressure to the top and valve springs heat up when there's not much oil for cooling. Think about bending a heavy wire back and forth and then grabbing the bend....it'll be hot.
Click to expand...


Makes sense. I have her turning over now. No odd sounds. She fired briefly. Has always been hard to get fired up after long sits. Seems like I might get it going today. If so, major issue resolved (or maybe never was). With dual quads, I still want to get a full tune on it by an expert here in the area. Still looking for that reputable Mopar guy that could help me dial her in.

Thanks!
 
Runcharger said:
Maybe a dead short which resulted in a weak and eventually no spark. Good news is you need a good electrical guy and not an engine guy. The main cable to the starter can get too close to the exhaust in Mopars.
Click to expand...

I will dig into the routing of those cables and see if I have any thing going on there.
 
Glad you got her freed up! Phew! Pull the distributor and do a pre-oil and watch the oil
pressure gage? Piston might have been a smidgeon on the tight side and caused the
assembly to stop. As soon as the engine stopped, the heat source went away and the
piston shrank back. Good luck, and keep us posted.
 
63 426 Maxie said:
I will dig into the routing of those cables and see if I have any thing going on there.
Click to expand...
Grounds are the biggest issue usually. If the car was painted inside and out, it's possible that the grounds do not have the best surface to connect to....
 
63 426 Maxie said:
OK, I did get a socket on the crank. Moved quite easily actually. I was able to turn it over with a standard 1/2' ratchet w/o breaker bar.
Click to expand...

This sounds like a lack of compression ... skipped tooth on the timing chain.
 
She’s running and things seem ok. I think when it shut down I panicked and put her away. Oil press around 40 at idle (600-800rpm) and jumps right to 60 when I bring her up to 1200-3000. Got a bit of oil smoke that I think is a valve cover leaking on the exhaust manny. Always stuff to tinker with but looks like my fear of major issues was more me and not the car.

thanks a ton for all the input everyone!!
 
Hopefully you don't need, but Opel Engineering in streamwood, IL
Small old school shop that knows mopars
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top