Seized OS 55

[Planehazza]

Thanks all. Rachel that's really appreciated, I may take you up on that offer I hate doing bearing changes lol.

Here's a vid of the carb!

Rear bearing is in the same state You can even see in the video, that while it now turns over freely, it is not silky smooth. It feels a little gritty, and you can see the balls in the bearings aren't smooth either

[jamiem]

If this is basically brand new I'd be sending it back and asking for a replacement. No way would I change the bearing - there may be other damage you've not noticed. Just ask for a replacement, your well within your rights to do so!

[Planehazza]

If this is basically brand new I'd be sending it back and asking for a replacement. No way would I change the bearing - there may be other damage you've not noticed. Just ask for a replacement, your well within your rights to do so!

Agreed. I'll admit, the engine has sat for a couple of weeks as I simply haven't had time to strip it down. However, it was not hydrolocked nor sat drowned in fuel. There is no way an engine this new should be in this state.

How should I request it?

Something along the lines that I do not think it is acceptable to have bearings in such poor state from a brand new engine that has only had 1/3 of a tank's worth of fuel through it, and for this reason I would like a replacement or a repair?

[Mark_T]

The engine went from several thousand rpm to zero in a moment when it seized.

Based on what you've now found I'd be expecting this to be replaced not repaired, after all who knows what else has been weakened or damaged but will not show up until later?

No way should you be finding rusty bearings in a new engine.

Unless you are going to tell us you stored it in a damp shed for several months between buying it and using I can't see how your retailer can argue this one.

Certainy not one where I'd accept a 'repair'.

[rachel]

Agreed. I'll admit, the engine has sat for a couple of weeks as I simply haven't had time to strip it down. However, it was not hydrolocked nor sat drowned in fuel. There is no way an engine this new should be in this state.

Did you run it then leave it stored ? Or had it never run ?

[Planehazza]

Did you run it then leave it stored ? Or had it never run ?

It was ran for ~5-10 mins, mostly at idle, drained, and then stored for ~4 weeks.

Oh and by stored, I mean zipped up in a heli bag, and stored in the house. I don't keep anything in the shed, due to rust and risk of theft.

[Mark_T]

That changes things a bit

I thought that was a seize on the first run ...

If you ran it then stored it for 4 weeks it is not impossible that the rust occured during that period.

[Planehazza]

That changes things a bit

I thought that was a seize on the first run ...

If you ran it then stored it for 4 weeks it is not impossible that the rust occured during that period.

Yeah the sieze was immediate mate. I started it at the field, let it idle (with the odd blip of the throttle) for 5-10 mins, shut it down (throttle cut, not nipping the fuel line - no chance of and lean running). 20 mins later, I went to start it again, and it would not budge. At the time I thought it was the OWB in the clutch, so I drained it of fuel and took it home.

Unfortunately, it was not until this weekend that I had a chance to look at it

At worst, if it turns out that this 4 week storage period is what has caused the rust, I'll admit I was wrong. However, the siezing happened before this, so hopefully I will still have grounds to have it replaced.

[Nick B]

Not read every post harry,what fuel did you use?

Just curious.

[Planehazza]

Opti 20 SLV

[rachel]

Pm sent :-)

[pgkevet]

I don't want to start a fuel war and never used slv but I have seen bearings go pretty darned rusty in 4 weeks on the century fuel I used before changing to my current brand..and the rich idle would have left more in the crankcase.

So something doesn't make sense. About the only way an engine will genuinely stick when it looks as clean as yours did from the top is from foreign debris or a back bearing fragmented or not seated fully..neither of those is the case here or it wouldn;t have freed up as easily. I hate to say it but there was something silly going on at the field: a hydrolock as suggested before or a poor starter or a combination with some hub slippage etc. If this had been a badly machined engine then it should have been jammed and never run and if the bearing had been corroded to begin with then it should have made the approriate noise. This is no longer a case of a possibly fragmented bearing.

Send it to rachel and get flying but do ring FL and tell them that's what you are going to try first (just in case).

Personally i'd do the bearing myself just because i like to blame myself if anything ever goes wrong and because I like to understand and see the extent of any scoring and corrosion.

Rachel: Now I've moved you're less than an hour's drive away. Any chance of popping over and swapping out all my bearings as a routine maintenance Oh and my car needs all the locks retumbling, new lining and the back end flicking over with a spray gun some new window seals and a service while you're here.....ready for the weekend?

[rachel]

Pkv got you booked it I always wanted to paint a car pink ,lol .
Window seals, and locks are not required on a Hillman imp , are they ?

As for the engine I have pm'd my address and am ready for the surgery to begin, so if you need me I am here to help .
X Rachel

[pgkevet]

Pkv got you booked it I always wanted to paint a car pink ,lol .
Window seals, and locks are not required on a Hillman imp , are they ?

As for the engine I have pm'd my address and am ready for the surgery to begin, so if you need me I am here to help .
X Rachel

While I'm totally off topic... I never had a hillman imp... I did have an Austen A40 I sprayed bright orange using a vacuum cleaner, though...
If you spray the back end of my 200sx pink..it's gonna look like a gibbon! Showing pink as i depart aint my thing...

[J-S-Q]

I hate to say it but there was something silly going on at the field: a hydrolock as suggested before or a poor starter or a combination with some hub slippage etc. If this had been a badly machined engine then it should have been jammed and never run and if the bearing had been corroded to begin with then it should have made the approriate noise. This is no longer a case of a possibly fragmented bearing.

If I've understood Planehazza correctly then it can't be a hydrolock or starter slippage etc. because the engine was still seized once it was opened up?