TO-35 Overhaul Problems

[psnart45]

Hi Guys,

Help!!! I just overhauled the engine on my 1955 TO-35. New sleeves, pistons, rod bearings, main bearings, the whole works. Reassembled it very carefully, checking clearances, and testing tightness as I went. As I was cranking it over to try to start it (I suppose I cranked for a total of about 30 to 50 revolutions, getting the distributor aligned to #1TDC, etc.), I got it to pop once, and then it locked up tight. Like NO movement on the crank at all. I tried putting inthe hand crank and turning it over, nothing. TIGHT!

I"ve taken the head back off. The cylinders look fine, no signs of scuffing or scoring. It"s still locked up.

What should I try next? OR look at next as a possible cause? Any ideas on how to get it freed up? I suppose I need to figure out what is stuck before I can try to free it up...

Any help or ideas will be very much appreciated!

Thanks!

Phill Snartland
St. Cloud, MN

 

[John (UK)]

Remove starter and gently try to move it with a pry bar the opposite way to normal rotation.
If that fails remove Distributor and try it again GENTLY. If that fails take the timing Cover off and check inside, then oil pan if you can't see anything. Have you tried to turn it with the Clutch Pedal pressed down, as it could be something in the Clutch or Transmission. Sorry no easy way, just trial and elimination..John

 

[psnart45]

Is it possible to remove the oil pan without spitting the tractor? Do I need to loosen up the bolts that hold the front axle on? Do I need to block up the tractor to take off the pan?

 

[John (UK)]

Yes the Oil Pan will come off without splitting the tractor. You may find it easier to slacken the bolts that fasten the front axle carrier to the Engine Block, just slightly, to prevent it holding onto the Oil Pan. While you could do it without jacking up the rear part under the Clutch Housing, it is advisable that you do..John

 

[psnart45]

Hi John,

Thanks for all your help so far. The engine has freed up and turns over now. In the process of getting the hand crank nut off the crankshaft, the engine rolled backwards a bit, and now I can spin it over. With the timing cover off, I see no problems that might have bound it up. Nothing in the gears, nothing out of place. I'm fighting my temptation to just put it all back together. What other things shoud I check before I re-assemble? Should I pull the oil pan to be sure nothing is wrong? Should I pull the engine out of the transmission?

When the engine had first locked up, it had just started to fire after a bit of cranking. Could the pistons be too tight in the sleeves, and when a cylinder or two fired and got warm, did the pistons expand too much and lock up? Or is that not likely? When it was stuck, it was REALLY stuck. I stood on the hand crank and bounced, trying to get it loose (bent my crank, too!).

Any more ideas of things to check before re-assembly will be very much appreciated, John. And thanks again for your help so far!

Phill S.

 

[mooseracing]

I'm assuming you used Plastigauge on the main and rods, was it within spec?

 

[Anonymous-0]

Yep, I did check the new bearings on both the mains and rods as I assembled them. About 0.002" on the mains and 0.015" on the rods. Seemed like that was fine, so I put them together. Agree?

 

[psnart45]

Make that 0.0015" on the rod bearings, not 0.015". Sorry!