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I'm sick, My recently rebuilt 216 with only 10 miles on it froze up the other day as I was trying to start it. The engine was rebuilt 3 years ago during my resto.While the starter was craking the engine it ground to a halt. I've tried using a flywheel tool to turn the flywheel with no luck. Don't know what to try next, any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
53 Chevy 3100
Charlie

Bummer! Take the dust cover off the flywheel, and try to turn the engine backwards to its normal direction of rotation. Sometimes that will dislodge something that has wedged itself into a bearing. It would be a very good idea to drop the oil pan and check all the connecting rods for discoloration or lack of side play. Also look for evidence that the oil squirters above the troughs in the pan might be mis-aimed, causing oil starvation at speeds above idle. Has the engine had good oil pressure up until now? It's very unusual for an engine to just lock up without giving some warning first in the way of knocking or oil pressure loss.
Jerry

Thanks Jerry, I'm not an expert but the engine did not give me any indication of lack of oil, the pressure always seemed to be normal. I plan on working on it this weekend.

Could the starter drive be stuck causing it to not turn? Maybe take the starter loose and then give it a try?

OK,

Here is another possible scenario.
Your tranny may be stuck in gear, and the flywheel is sticking to the clutch. If your parking brake is set, all will appear locked up.

The original 3 speed on my '51 used to jam in a gear due to badly worn synchros. And If the clutch hasn't been operated in a while, it can stick. Pushing in the pedal won't release the clutch.

You might try jacking up one of the rear wheels and try it again.

Kurt

I removed the starter thinking it was stuck, flywheel still wont move. As for the tranny stuck in gear and clutch sticking I can roll the truck in neutral.

Thanks

Any possibility a bolt holding the flywheel on has backed out/broken? Been a while since I looked in the bell housing, but I'm thinking that might cause a jam up.

Just trying to think of things other that a bearing or ring failure.

When I bought my truck in 1973, it had a bad rod bearing caused by a missing/broken dipper. I drove it a couple of hundred miles to get it to my house. Made a really big racket, but never got tight.

Do you have babbit or insert bearings?

Kurt

When I was putting my 216 together, one of the rod bolts rotated a bit because there was a broken off ear where it fits into the side of the rod. The bolt turned slightly without my notice. When i was turning over the motor with a wrench, it stopped dead with a thud. I managed to back it off and found that the remaining bolt ear was sticking out a tiny amount and was colliding with the camshaft.

This. Or a broken cam or crank key. Or sheared cam gear teeth. An out of time cam means the crank doesn't clear the cam shaft flats, it hits and locks up.

I've never tried it but maybe one way to check is to put it in a higher gear and rock the truck back and forth. Pushing the truck forward the engine will be stuck. But it should turn the engine backward when pushing the truck backward ( in a forward gear).

At least it makes sense in my head.

Hey Charley. How is it going?

Before I went nuts I would pull the plugs and see what happens.

After a year of ignoring the engine I finally removed the engine, tore it down and found the rear main bearing on the crankshaft spun. I'm at a lost of what to do. Do I get it fixed, Upgrade to a 235, find another 216? This motor only has 10 miles since I had it rebuilt 3 years ago. Several machine shops in my area wont touch it because of the babbit bearing. A thought maybe to find a rebult short block 216. I'm open to any and all suggestions.

Thanks

Charlie

Is the crank damaged beyond a good polishing and new bearings?
I think I can tell you why the rear main seized.
New rope seals generate a fair amount of heat on break in. If the bearing to crank clearance is a little on the tight side the heat from the seal will cause expansion locking the bearing. Don't ask how I know.

the main bearings are inserts just like any modern engine, the only babbit is in the rods, unless they were converted during the rebuild. You wouldn't want to take your engine to any of these shops anyway, as they obviously don't know what they are talking about.

If the crankshaft is OK, I would definitely replace the bearing and put it back together.

I agree with fixing it if the crankshaft is salvageable. I would advise to have the engine hot tanked to get all the metal out of it.

just out of curiosity, were the rods converted during the rebuild? You could have that journal machined to the next size if it is damaged beyond polishing, as all journals are different sizes anyway. You would have to get a whole set of bearings, but my question is, did it damage the block while it was spinning? If so could it be cleaned up by line boring? If you do that you might as well get it machined for a full circle seal, as that is the machine it gets set up in anyway and most of that cost is setup time. you probably won't want to use shims if you do, as when you add or subtract shims your hole gets unrounder. But it won't bind up your crankshaft, and it won't leak. I have the seal number somewhere if you are interested.

It seems to be worth a try at replacing the main bearing, and checking bearing clearances?

Do you know if the shop that replaced the main bearings (and the rods) checked and adjusted bearing clearances?

Thanks everybody for the info. Sounds like i should fix the current block as long as the crank is ok. Don the block was tanked on the first rebuild. The rods were not converted and so here I go again on to fixing the current block.

If something has failed as in your case you have a contaminated block. You should have it cleaned again otherwise your going to circulate metal through it when you put it back together.

I agree that the engine needs to be thoroughly cleaned again.

Even when I get an engine back from the shop that tanks it, I wash it with soap and water through all the passageways.

so the block wasn't harmed?

Block was not harmed, engine froze up when I was trying to start it.

Metal galling leaves residue.