Millercorey
Full Member
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2017
- Messages
- 232
Got some shitty news the other day. Backstory - rebuilt the original 302 and installed the NV3550 October 2017. It drove fine, but I probably only put a couple hundred miles on it or so until mid-Dec 2017 when I parked it to tear into the body. If you saw an old post, the day I parked it I couldn't get it started. It would just turn over but never fire. This detail MAY be important.
I tore out the floor pans and installed new metal, redid the body mounts, new knobs/switches, installed painless harness, installed new 23 gallon tank, powder coated the dash and roll cage and got ready to install insulation and carpet. When I pulled the old tank, there was WAY less gas in there than I thought, so I assumed "okay you idiot that's why it didn't start. It was basically bone dry". Before I got ready to reinstall roll cage I figured I needed to make sure wiring was good so attempted to start it up a few times and couldn't ever get it to fire. It turned over for me quite a bit, but occasionally it would just click. Assuming a wiring issue, I started to go through troubleshooting steps. After messing w/ battery cables, I was able to get it to turn over again and decided I was getting a bad connection on the battery terminals. Old battery cables looked horrible anyways so bought a good set from bronco graveyard
Last minute ended up taking it to Damon Hopper near Dallas, TX to re-gear and install disc front brakes, and I mentioned to him I couldn't get it started so he said he'd take a look. If anyone knows Damon, he knows what he's talking about. This post isn't to confirm what he's telling me, moreso to crowdsource possible options, causes, and generally bitch about my luck....
Damon calls me and tells me he can't get it to fire either. Pulled a plug and noted that it had some green on it, and when he tried to turn it over with a breaker bar.....it was SEIZED!!!!!
So now to my point(s) ---- does ANYONE possibly know what the heck may have happened here? I'm trying to figure out if this is a bad rebuild (head gasket?), caused by my negligence, or just plain bad luck?
If it truly is fully seized, there's nothing we can do right? It's just scrap?
If I have to go new motor, what's the current mood of the community? Early on I told myself I'd go mustang or explorer swap, but then had a change of heart and decided on the simplicity (and cost) of original rebuilt 302 w/ 2 barrel carb. However, now that I may be starting from scratch, I'm thinking we may want to pivot and go to a different strategy.
I tore out the floor pans and installed new metal, redid the body mounts, new knobs/switches, installed painless harness, installed new 23 gallon tank, powder coated the dash and roll cage and got ready to install insulation and carpet. When I pulled the old tank, there was WAY less gas in there than I thought, so I assumed "okay you idiot that's why it didn't start. It was basically bone dry". Before I got ready to reinstall roll cage I figured I needed to make sure wiring was good so attempted to start it up a few times and couldn't ever get it to fire. It turned over for me quite a bit, but occasionally it would just click. Assuming a wiring issue, I started to go through troubleshooting steps. After messing w/ battery cables, I was able to get it to turn over again and decided I was getting a bad connection on the battery terminals. Old battery cables looked horrible anyways so bought a good set from bronco graveyard
Last minute ended up taking it to Damon Hopper near Dallas, TX to re-gear and install disc front brakes, and I mentioned to him I couldn't get it started so he said he'd take a look. If anyone knows Damon, he knows what he's talking about. This post isn't to confirm what he's telling me, moreso to crowdsource possible options, causes, and generally bitch about my luck....
Damon calls me and tells me he can't get it to fire either. Pulled a plug and noted that it had some green on it, and when he tried to turn it over with a breaker bar.....it was SEIZED!!!!!
- I know I probably didn't make the best decision when I parked the newly rebuilt engine after only putting a couple hundred miles in it.
- It sat for 10 months before we attempted to turn it over, but I added oil and coolant before I attempted to start it.
- We had a recent cold snap so I'm hoping I get extremely lucky and Damon goes to mess with it after the holidays on a warmer day and it magically turns over freely. Probably no chance this is even possible?
- I know the owner of the shop that rebuilt it (City Motors in Dallas), and they're rated very highly on google. It's long past the warranty period, but depending on Damon's findings, I plan on calling him to get his thoughts and options.
So now to my point(s) ---- does ANYONE possibly know what the heck may have happened here? I'm trying to figure out if this is a bad rebuild (head gasket?), caused by my negligence, or just plain bad luck?
If it truly is fully seized, there's nothing we can do right? It's just scrap?
If I have to go new motor, what's the current mood of the community? Early on I told myself I'd go mustang or explorer swap, but then had a change of heart and decided on the simplicity (and cost) of original rebuilt 302 w/ 2 barrel carb. However, now that I may be starting from scratch, I'm thinking we may want to pivot and go to a different strategy.
- buy a forum member's old 302, do another rebuild and slap the 2 barrel on there?
- buy a roller from blueprint or similar vendor?
- buy an explorer motor and rebuild, then stick a carb on it for now until the EFI bug hits me in the future? Then decide on fitech or ford original EFI?
- any other ideas?