Seized 3B (help!) (1 Viewer)

[FDo5g]

friends and colleagues,

I finally got my turbo installed on my 78 BJ40 3B (from a 1981 BJ60) and had it running well when my engine seized during shut down a couple days ago. We’re going to pull the oil pan soon to discern whether there may be a simple fix, but if there isn’t, I am very interested in hearing about vendors who would either rebuild my 3B or be very skilled and undertaking a diesel swap for something more up-to-date.

 

[OGBeno]

I wouldn't waste a penny on rebuilding any B series engine in 2023.

Boat anchor.

Time to move on and either find a used 3B to drop in or time for a repower.

 

[Gimme a 60]

Rebuilding a 3B is a good option. If you are up to the task, you could swap in something else which will make the vehicle more livable.

very strange it would just seize - how many miles on it?

 

[Miloslavich]

Nice looking 40!

bummer about the engine.. at least take a look and find out why it stopped! any oil left?

 

[Gimme a 60]

maybe there was a little nut in the intercooler.


like I said, its strange.

 

[FDo5g]

I wouldn't waste a penny on rebuilding any B series engine in 2023.

Boat anchor.

Time to move on and either find a used 3B to drop in or time for a repower.

Do you know of a shop that has extensive experience an undertaking this sort of job?

 

[FDo5g]

Nice looking 40!

bummer about the engine.. at least take a look and find out why it stopped! any oil left?

Plenty of oil, coolant low, but temperature within range. I had just finished turbo charging it!

 

[FDo5g]

Rebuilding a 3B is a good option. If you are up to the task, you could swap in something else which will make the vehicle more livable.

very strange it would just seize - how many miles on it?

 

[FDo5g]

I don’t know how many miles it had on it because it wasn’t the original engine, and I bought it through a dealer rather than the original owner.

 

[Miloslavich]

Bummer. are you able to start diagnosing it yourself? did it do a hard stop or you just came out to it one morning and it wont crank over?

 

[FDo5g]

I had just picked it up from the mechanic who put in a diesel 42 turbo and a new head gasket - it was running GREAT. I have a manual fuel shutoff switch (goodbye EDIC!) that I had just activated, which usually makes the engine shut down in a gentle, rolling way. In this case, as soon as I depressed the fuel shut off the whole engine went CLUNK and stopped immediately / suddenly as though it had just stalled or a piston seized. I didn’t have a working oil pressure sensor or gauge, but the oil level was nominal. I have an after market temp sensor that was also reading nominal, but I heard a very slight sound of boiling coolant when the engine fell silent. As such, I felt that coolant hoses, which felt nearly empty. My fear is that the temp sensor wasn’t working because it was dry.

 

[Gimme a 60]

I would talk to your mechanic. maybe he did precups wrong and it dropped one.

 

[FDo5g]

The head had received no treatment whatsoever - the head gasket had been installed incorrectly by whoever worked on it previously.

 

[bj70bc]

i have a sneaky suspicion you dropped a precup.... but if the head was done the mechanic should have seen the cracked precups easy enough, theres no way it dropped a new one as they half rest on the block deck, they only drop when completely cracked

 

[duncanrm]

Poor 3B engine .. it gave honorable and distinguished service over many years - then a turbo was slapped on it

 

[Gimme a 60]

Poor 3B engine .. it gave honorable and distinguished service over many years - then a turbo was slapped on it

pretty easy way to kill them these days.

 

[bj70bc]

pretty easy way to kill them these days.

yes....when you don't address all the 'small things'

 

[OGBeno]

Do you know of a shop that has extensive experience an undertaking this sort of job?

Sure, I do.

But do you really want to spend $8-10K (maybe more) rebuilding an engine that is 40 years old only to eventually get similar results down the line?

Unless, of course, you‘ve got money to burn and you could care less about cost. That’s a different equation and sentimentality reigns and ROI goes out the window.

If this is the case, put it on a car hauler, ship it to me, and I’ll be happy to rebuild it for you.

Good luck.

 

[bj70bc]

15bt is a viable option to swap in with minimal bs

 

[Gimme a 60]

For 10 grand I would drop in a 1HZ any day.