Engine locked up

gmac32

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Dec 8, 2009
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bellville ohio
So far i am at a loss. I pulled out of a gas station this morning and got up to about 2600 rpms and the power started coming on, then let off the throttle and the engine died. No weird noises or anything. Now it is locked up tight. The engine wont turn in either direction. This build has 300 miles on it and was running great. I pulled the cp3 thinking maybe it locked up but now i am thinking the torque converter did something or maybe the tranny pump. I cant think of anything else that would lock the motor that tight. I wont budge either direction. I am at a loss right now. Anybody run into a situation like this?
 

LBZ

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Weird to not have any noise.
Hydro locked maybe?
Have you tried rolling it in either direction with a socket on the crank pulley? Maybe pull the glowplugs when you do this to eliminate a hydro lock and make it easier to roll over.
 
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gmac32

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Dec 8, 2009
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bellville ohio
Tried all that. It wont roll either direction on the crank bolt. I am pulling the glowplugs today. I dont see how it would hydrolock that fast and my resevoir is still full
 

LBZ

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I doubt it did but it’s not a bad idea to check. It could be locked with fuel too.

More likely it’s a hard part that failed or came loose in the engine and jammed something up. Shitty deal.
 

gmac32

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Dec 8, 2009
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bellville ohio
I am wondering if something in the torque converter or the transmission pump locked up. I think the is going to be my next step before I start diving back into the engine.
 

gmac32

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bellville ohio
Quick update....i pulled the starter relay cover off and kept bumping the starter. I got a full revolution out of the motor but it was real real sluggish. So at this point, i can at least un bolt the converter and eliminate that. I have seen alot of things working on diesels for 18 years but nothing quite like this
 

torqued2dmax

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Mar 26, 2017
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What converter and transmission ? What injectors and cp3 are you running with that much air ? EFI ? How hot are the tunes ? Did you build eng ? Did you have good oil pressure when this happened ? What oil pump ? I am just trying to ask some questions that may spark a response from someone that this may have happened to ! I hope you get help soon !
 

TheBac

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Apr 19, 2008
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Ok, so something didnt necessarily break, but something certainly froze up.

You've been getting good oil pressure? What does the oil/coolant look like now? Levels ok?

Ive got a couple way-out-there ideas, but it really couldnt be either b/c you've been driving the truck without issue for a bit. Im stumped.
 

gmac32

Member
Dec 8, 2009
288
3
18
bellville ohio
What converter and transmission ? What injectors and cp3 are you running with that much air ? EFI ? How hot are the tunes ? Did you build eng ? Did you have good oil pressure when this happened ? What oil pump ? I am just trying to ask some questions that may spark a response from someone that this may have happened to ! I hope you get help soon !

Dont know about the trans. Bought the truck with a cracked piston. I could tell the trans has been apart before. Converter is just a transtar. Tuning is fleece, set on tow tune. I built the engine. 10mm fleece stroker pump. I already checked that. Oil pressure was good. Oil still looked new. Coolant is great. I am running cenpeco oil. Lml oil pump. I am just going to pull the glow plugs since they are easy and see what happens. I was on the tow tune and havent got on the truck. I like to break them in a while first before i get on it. I just have a sneaky suspicion it is in the converter or trans pump. Pulling the glow plugs is easier than the converter bolts, so i will do that first. Keep any thoughts coming because i am racking my brain here. I truly dont believe it is the engine but i who knows
 

LBZ

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Jul 2, 2007
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Quick update....i pulled the starter relay cover off and kept bumping the starter. I got a full revolution out of the motor but it was real real sluggish. So at this point, i can at least un bolt the converter and eliminate that. I have seen alot of things working on diesels for 18 years but nothing quite like this



This is what I’d do.
 

2004LB7

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Dec 15, 2010
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First thing that comes to my mind, maybe an oil gallery got plugged and it seized up a bearing