my motor is seized... any guesses why?

[Michigander]

I need help trouble-shooting.

My explorer was making a piercing metal on metal sound on start-up, then would run rough, but I could drive it 20 miles to work and it was fine. This was when I first noticed drops of coolant on the bottom of the bellhousing, about a week ago. I first thought maybe a starter was staying engaged, so I put a new starter in, and it was the same problems, so I put the old one back in.... Then I thought it minght be a pulley, so I pulled the belt, and all the pulleys felt fine. With the belt removed, it was just as loud on startup and ran rough, but not as rough.

Then on the way to work it ran very rough, and started to loose a ton of power. I could smell something burning and the explorer started running even rougher, so I pulled it over and shut it down within about 3 seconds. I looked under and there was a little more coolant steaming off the exhaust near the bellhousing. The car was seized and I couldn't start it... this was about 9am.

I went back at noon and there isn't ANY coolant leaking (no puddle at all), but the motor is still seized. When I turn the key, I can just hear the selenoid.

So what do you think is the problem??? could it be a broken rod (that didn't punch through the case)... bad water pump? anything to do with the flywheel?

oil looks brown, very brown, not milky at all... coolant level is still as high as always too.

I swear the coolant is coming from between where the bellhousing bolts to the block.

haven't tried to turn it by hand... the semis passing 3' away and making the Explorer sway scares the piss out of me, especially while I was under it trying to find a hole in the block.... It there was a hole, wouldn't all the coolant drain out?

For the last week it has been making a rattle that seems to be coming from the bottom of the the block, but thats just where it appears to be coming frome... could be resonating from a pulley/flywheel and just sounds like it's coming from there.

 

[FourXFred]

Sounds like head gaskets to me. my t-bird would leave little puddles of coolant when the heads heated up and warped. if it is head gaskets, the engine might be fixable, if it diddnt bend a rod. you might simply have to replace them and get the heads machined. otherwise you might need a new motor. bad news dude, sorry to hear that.

 

[Michigander]

I can get a 98 OHV motor shipped to my loading dock with 40K miles on it for $500, and then install it myself. I'm not afraid to replace the motor, but if it is just a freeze plug or something cheaper than $500, I would rather do that.

 

[Doug]

I dont believe a 2nd gen ohv motor will work in a first gen. 96+ has an OBD II system while first gen's have OBD I though it might be possible to swap the sensors.. im sure someone else knows better than i do.

 

[FMExplorer]

If it doesn' t even turn over, chances are it is more than just a gasket. Sounds more like a cracked block or head. Seized motor is metal-on-metal from something bending, breaking or lack of lubrication. Oil pump may have failed or clogged.

BTW - $500 for a used motor is a great deal.

J

 

[Michigander]

Originally posted by FMExplorer


BTW - $500 for a used motor is a great deal.

J

yeah, thats why i'm not too stressed, I just need to know if it will work!

 

[FMExplorer]

I feel your pain - just blew up my GT motor. Found a complete engine for $650 w/ a 6mo warranty - should be done today. So much for the winch!

J

 

[Jason_25]

In 98, the flywheel bolt pattern changed. So I beleive you will need to put the old flywheel on your new engine for it to work with your tranny.

Also, the computer is OBD II and the fuel system is returnless. You are better off keeping your 95 exhaust, computer, wiring harness, intake, and all your sensors and swapping them onto the new motor.

 

[Michigander]

ok, I finally got the motor to turn over with the starter, but it was VERY slow and wouldn't even come close to starting...

 

[Lifted95X]

so what else have you found out?

 

[Michigander]

nothing yet... tongiht I'm going to pull the plugs, drain the oil, pull the starter, try to turn it over by hand and hopefully find an inspection plate and take a look at the flywheel....

 

[TPLYNCH]

It could be your flywheel itself. May have grenaded.... Think someone else had this problem not to long ago, and it was the flywheel.

 

[mikeh]

Did it overheat before it stopped running? Was it running hot when you were having trouble at some point?

When you drain your oil take a really good look at it. If you see different fluids floating on the top of the drained oil you have a blown head and maybe more.

Busted Water pump would cause you to overheat.

Busted oil pump would cause you to lose oil pressure and your oil light should have come on.

If you threw a rod the truck would not idle at all. It might run with a lot of playing with the gas.

Hard to say.

Mikeh

 

[Shurup]

I am almost 100% sure it is your waterpump.

The same whird sound started one day on my Camaro and it started loosing power. When the engine was hot/warm - coolant was leeking, but leens stopped as soon as engine cools down. The sound and leek was worse and worse every day untill one day all the coolant leeked out. I replaced the waterpump and everything went back to normal.

Your engine doesn't start probably because the waterpump stuck. Remove the belt and try to turn it with your hand.
When on my Ford Probe stuck the alternator, I was unable to start the engine too. What I did, I just cut the belt off (it was separate belt for alt. and powersteering pump) and drive home when I replaced alt and belt.

Anyway - remove the belt and try to turn all the stuff (crankshaft pulley too) with your hand.

 

[Shurup]

mikeh
you bit me with idea about waterpump (I am too slow in typing )

 

[Michigander]

it did not overheat, but it got worse as the engine got hotter (until I shut it down) ... the oil pressure was always ok.

 

[Shurup]

By the way. On my camaro waterpump did its job fine eventhough it made that noise and was leaking. My camaro never overheated but I think I just was lucky and in some cases bad waterpump cause cars to overheat.