flathead ran with no oil

Glennpm has it right. You need to get some oil to the mains and rod bearings, then take the plugs out and crank it on the starter till you get oil pressure on the gauge. Also stick some oil down the cylinders. The bearings will have got hot and maybe are shot, maybe not.
Before you do anything drop pan plug and flush some some fresh oil through.
Good luck!
 
after taking apart many engines that had been run low on oil I say take it apart now, possible it could be just a polish of the crank and new inserts----the engines that were "loosened up" and started after the oil incident always had much more damage inside---many had everything bad from running the debris through the berarings---cylinderwalls, embedded in all the pistonms, scoring the bores----most the times the seized engine had the least damage, some that the inserts welded to the crank had the least damage, the babbitt melted and "soldered" the inserts to the crank, some even spun the insert some in the rod or main bore but did no damage to the bore-----peeled the inserts off the crank and polished it, new inserts and back together---if started the spun bearings ate out the bore
 
Kurt, you are spot on! Here is the rod from the picture I posted of the crank. The mains still had oil although the debri begin to score them. The #2&6 journal was starved first. If I had stopped when I first heard the sound it may have only needed new rod bearings and polish the crank. The few seconds running = new rods, pistons, bearings.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    83.6 KB · Views: 100
I'd be pulling it down "NOW" Seized from setting is one thing, seized because lack of oil is another.. I am with Kurt.. Probably a bigger issue with bearings than cylinders.
 
If the engine was already tighting up on the bearings and making a squawking noise, as reported in the original post, adding oil is not going to help the situation and IMHO you are just looking to create additional damage. You may be taking a minor repair to a major level, an engine that is turning over tight by hand from damage is not a good candidate to attempt to fire up. Take a good look at post #23!!!
 
The tightness of the engine was more than likely caused by thermal expansion, such as pistons that are fit close to the cylinders, tolerance wise, will expand and tighten against the bores. If this tightness corrects itself as the engine block and other components cool down, there may not be heavily scored cylinder walls or bearings that are beginning to seize. I think if lower end components were not machined/sized too closely to begin with, there is a 50/50 chance that the engine does not need to be torn down before trying to start it up again.....JMO
 
Last edited:
I pulled the filler cap off and the smell was not good.
He wanted to go for it so I filled it with oil and turned it on the crank with the plugs out.
It loosened up.
spun it with the plugs out and seemed fine.
Put the plugs back in and then turned it over.It smelt bad and then there was a bit of a thud underneath the floor so I stopped
This next bit is interesting.I put it into first gear as his parking brake isn't brilliant and it rolled forward as though in neutral.It did this with second and third.I stuck it in reverse and it wouldn't move.I can't see how this is related but pretty strange.
I'll drop the sump and whip the heads off but reckon the engine is coming out and off to the machine shop
 
Glad you let him make the call. No falling out that way. I'll take chances on my own stuff but am very wary when it's someone else's baby.

It doesn't sound good, though. Hope it turns out to be an easy fix. Maybe time to schedule a complete freshen up of the motor.

Mart.

Mart.
 
DjNeil said:
This next bit is interesting.I put it into first gear as his parking brake isn't brilliant and it rolled forward as though in neutral.It did this with second and third.I stuck it in reverse and it wouldn't move.I can't see how this is related but pretty strange.
Click to expand...

Electric overdrive transmission?
 
At our shop, we have had cars towed in after a "quicky lube" place forgot to replace the oil after draining. It also happens when the old gasket on the oil filter doesn't come off with the filter, and the new gasket can't seal it. Owners may also forget to replace the oil, so put the oil fill cap where it can be seen before starting after a change, and always check the dipstick after a change to be certain the oil is there. Running an engine without oil will usually immediately destroy the bearings.
 
I've been away but had time to whip off the sump and the big end bearings are all fine.There is a bit of rust in some of the cylinders which was odd.
As said,it was hard to hand crank at first,when filled with oil, but then got easier.It whizzed over with no plugs in but when plugs back in it spun over but then a "thump" every so often.
I expected to see damaged bearings particulary after the smell when i took the cap off the filler tube so am perplexed
any thoughts gentlemen
 
That rusty look could be fretting corrosion from the rings moving up and down against dry (no oil film) cylinder walls. It would be good to find out what's making the "thump" noise. Might be a good idea to take the heads and intake off so you can inspect the upper end.
 
And for a topper I remember my uncle changing oil on a new 1953 Plymouth,
to go to Florida and being in a hurry didn't put oil in it. Drove home and
thought ???? drove back to our shop still without a drop of oil filled it up
then drove 2800 miles to Florida. Ther ya go 'flatheads rule' sam
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top