Well, I just ran into an issue regarding my 1969 Camaro (don't hate me, haha) with a 454, and I was hoping that somebody could help me out with some advice or insight.
I recently changed out my single-plane intake manifold for a dual-plane. After the swap (done in my garage) I hooked up all the hoses, wires, etc and started the engine. After it fired up, it was running a little rough (needed to be re-timed) but I continued to let it run for a couple of minutes. I noticed white smoke coming from the driver's side exhaust, and quickly shut down the engine.
Because I smelled burning coolant, I suspected that the antifreeze had leaked into the oil system. The next day, I removed the manifold once again, and found that the coolant had been leaking through the new gasket/seal I had installed. So, I reinstalled the manifold with another new gasket. I began to start the car, and as it was beginning to fire (about 10 seconds after turning the key) the engine suddenly locked up and stopped turning.
I tried to start again multiple times and nothing happened. I checked every electrical connection I could think of, but couldnt find anything wrong. Finally, I pulled the dipstick and found that my oil now looked like a milkshake. So, I changed my oil, pulled my spark plugs out of the block, and then took off the wires from my HEI distributor.... I tried turning the engine over once again, but only here a fast "clicking" from the distributor.
Any clue what may be the issue with the car? Im fearing that I may have locked up the engine since the oil was no longer providing the proper lubrication, and that it will need to be rebuilt. But after ony running for such a short duration, would that happen? Obviously after long periods of time this would lead to engine failure... I believe that if I can just get the engine to turn over a few times the contaminated oil in the cylinders should be purged out.
Try putting a socket and long ratchet or breaker bar on the front crankshaft bolt and try to turn the engine. If it turns, it's not seized and something else is the matter. If it doesn't, you have problems. Otherwise, it seized because of lack of lubrication and probably has spun some bearings which...would be bad. That's my .02.
__________________
2002 Mustang GT auto: SLP LM1, 8" shorty antenna, grille delete, coin delete, Cervini front bumper, SCT SF3 93 octane, JLT RAI, Professional Products 75mm TB and Plenum, FRPP 4.10, 10.5x17 DD Bullits, Nitto 555R's
1/4 in 13.828 @ 99.13 "American muscle needs a healthy diet of Foreign rice."
Hello AFStang,
Do not try to turn the motor over with the key!!!
I agree with 02GT Muscle. Try using the crankshafts bolt and a
pullnar.
One other idea is to squirt quite a bit of Mystery Oil in each spark plug hole and let it sit for a day. With any luck it may help and it should work it's way to the pan for draining.
Be sure the motor turns by hand first...otherwise I think there could be trouble. It sounds like perhaps you may have hurt the gear on the distrib as well. The answer to this problem will take time and patience.
With any luck it didn't freeze or perhaps not badly.
Work it by hand and see if the rotor turns. Let the oil do it's thing then post back......Good Luck.....Print Dad
I wouldn't try turning it over at all just yet, you may have let coolant into one of the cylinders, it might not be turning over because it is hydraulicking (can't compress your coolant) pull every plug and check eack bore for water / coolant.
Thanks for the help guys! I forgot to mention that I pulled all the plugs on the driver's side previously to let any coolant drain, although none did. Also, I had pulled the distributor to check the gear, and it still looks to be in top shape. For some reason, Im having a lot of trouble getting the spark plugs on the passenger side to loosen up, but hopefully I'll eventually get it out...this should give me no compression and help to make turning the motor over easier. I'll be trying the crankshaft bolt and pullbar here shortly and let you know what I find out. Gosh, I'm really really worried...
There is two problems. One is coolant is leaking into the crankcase and the other is coolant is leaking into the cylinders. Both can be caused by leaking intake manifold gaskets or a combination of manifold and head gaskets. Then there is possibly a cracked cylinder head or if the heads were ported, the coolant passages have been penetrated by too much material being removed from the intake or exhaust ports.
As a general rule a light application of Silicone sealer is used around the coolant passages in the intake manifold gaskets. Was this done? From what you indicate the coolant is entering the engine at a pretty rapid rate. Before you tear down anything do a cooling system pressure test. You may be able to locate the problem from there.
As for the engine locking up, the bearings may have seized or there is a combination of hydraulic lock (Initially) and the bearings. Hydraulic lock may have caused a bent rod which is placing a bind on the crankshaft. This one is going to take some time to straighten out and the symptoms don't sound good.
The Greek, I did use sealer along the edges of all the ports, as well as along the edges of the gasket itself when I installed the manifold. Yesterday I pulled all of the spark plugs to eliminate compression, and used a breaker bar on the front bolt in an attempt to manually turn the crankshaft - - - no such luck.
Coolant in my Oil 
