Ford 3400 engine siezed?

[Tireguy2]

I really need the expert help that the members of this forum can provide...

I have a 1965 Ford 3400 tractor with gas engine and loader bucket. She has been my go-to workhorse for the 6 years I've owned her, although I don't use it that much.

Last weekend I was using it to pick up and move my bushhog using the bucket and chain. After about 5 minutes the engine bogged down and stopped. It restarted easily, ran about two minutes, then stopped again. I checked and it had fuel, which was fresh from a week ago. I continued to try to start, but it seemed to struggle to turn over. A couple of times it started to chug along with the starter engaged, but eventually that drained the battery.

I recharged the battery, and with a volt meter on the battery I saw the voltage go from 12.8 v down to 8-9v trying to start it. So I replaced the battery, but new one does the same thing. Engine turned slowly, but could not get up enough speed to start.

I removed the sediment bowl and cleaned the screen filter. The more I tried to start it, the more it struggled to turn over until it no longer would at all. I cleaned all the elect contacts and eventually removed the starter which turned as it should once removed from engine.

I checked the oil and found the dip stick wet, but after wiping off and rechecking there was no oil on the dipstick. This tractor has never lost oil and I checked the level this spring and it was OK. It does not smoke or drip oil either. But I am afraid the engine has seized due to lack of oil.

I put oil and penetrating oil in the 3 cylinders and am hoping for a miracle that it breaks free. I read to raised a rear wheel and rotated it back and forth in high gear to try to break the engine free. I tried on day 1 but no movement that I could see. I will try again tonight or tomorrow.

Does anyone have any other suggestions or test to do to diagnose the problem? I'll try anything, but am afraid my next post will be about how to rebuild the engine.

 

[Tireguy2]

Also, the engine never made any unusual noises while it was running, or while trying to get it started. I understand this usually happens right before seizing.

 

[J Hamilton]

Pull the oil pan and check the rod bearings
first, one or more are probably seized to
the crank. Main and cam bearings "might" be
ok but I wouldn't take a chance on a maybe.
At minimum clean and check the clearance on
them.

 

[Destroked 450]

Running low on oil will cause the bearings to seize, putting lube in the cylinders won't help free up seized bearings.
Pull the oil pan and remove the rod caps one at a time and check the bearing.
If lightly seized you may be able to polish the crank with fine emery cloth and replace the bearings.

When you remove that oil pan use a floor jack to lower it, the cast pans are heavy, also there may be some thin spacer washers between the front of the pan an the axle bolster, don't lose them.

 

[BradTN]

(quoted from post at 17:30:09 10/21/20)
... I checked the level this spring and it was OK.

Wow ! I check the oil on my Tractors, mowers, motorcycles etc. almost every time before I use them.

Everyone out there that hasn't been doing it...let this be a lesson for all of you...check your oil before running your equipment !!!

 

[aircrue]

Did you try to turn the flywheel with a prybar when you had the starter out and trannie in neutral? I would think you'd have to raise both rear wheels to try to turn the engine? I would pull the pan also and check the main bearings for damage after ruling out other ways to turn the engine.

I had almost the same prob on a 2000 a couple years ago.
turned out to be a stuck clutch, clogged filter screen and bad starter cable.

 

[Tireguy2]

Good news for me and my 3400! As I described, the engine appeared seized - wouldn't turn with starter, pry bar on flywheel, or by raising one wheel and rocking it back and forth. On first day I added oil to crankcase and removed the plugs and added engine and penetrating oil to each cylinder.
Day 0 - wouldn't budge
Day 1 - wouldn't budge
Day 2 - I was ready to start the process to remove the CI oil pan. My son suggested trying once more. He re-installed the starter and engine cranked over! I checked compression and was ~120 in two cylinders, and in third I had a hard time getting gauge to seal so it was only like 20. He put plugs back in and it fired right up although it belched heavy smoke for 5 minutes or more. It ran smooth for about 3 minutes then started to run rough on what seemed like one cylinder.

Of course at this point I am ready to start a full engine rebuild, then remembered my son had installed the plug wires and they are a little tricky to connect fully. Sure enough, two ignition wires had come loose from plugs. I reconnected them and the engine started and ran like it was new.

THANK YOU to everyone who offered advice as well as previous posts about oil pan removal! All very helpful. Thank you also to Saint Isidore (Patron Saint of Farmers).

I also found the oil pressure sensor wire had gotten disconnected, so I will be reattaching that as well as replacing the oil and filter.

Naturally I bought some lottery tickets on the way home, although I feel I already won the lottery when the tractor started.

 

[Destroked 450]

When you change the oil I would cut the oil filter open and check for metal particles to make sure you haven't damaged some bearings.