New motor initial fire up, big problems, help pls.

[forcefed86]

Compression is 125 across the board.

The engine will run fine for around 2 minutes cold, then I hear what sounds like lifter tick getting progressively louder, then the motor abruptly stops. Almost like something is heating up and seizing the motor. The starter will still turn the motor over but it will drag more when warm. I cranked the motor over several times by hand with the timing belt... Never had an issue. I primed the oil pump before installing the timing belt. Oil seeped out all the rockers as it should. Oil pressure jumps to the middle of the gauge on start up and never really drops.

I pulled the filter and cut it open. Motor ran approx 30-40 mins today total. There are small alum flakes, but nothing I'd consider major. The rings had plenty of gap (if anything on the loose side). Motor was STD bore, Bearings and rods both cut .010. ACL bearings for all.

The only thing I could think of that doesn't involve pulling the motor again this has some thing to do with the transmission? I haven't put wheels on the car yet and it's still on stands. With the car idling, I noticed when I was setting the timing the front wheel hubs were turning slowly? I don't have the Transfer case hooked up at the moment... is this normal? Could the clutch be heating up and stopping the motor? I reinstalled my old 2600 pressure plate with a new ACT street disc, new throwout bearing.

I'm stumped. And slightly pissed off to say the least! Any help appreciated.

 

[Shadow21]

may be a silly question but its a shot in the dark. Is there anything stuck in the exhaust?

 

[forcefed86]

unfortunately not...open DP at the moment. Thanks for the suggestion though!

 

[TSIfreek]

You put oil in the trany??

Did you put a new oil pump front case in with new gears??

 

[motomattxxx]

Your compression is too low to begin with. Seems like a bearing is seizing up for some reason, unless its a wrist pin seizing.

 

[forcefed86]

You put oil in the trany??

Did you put a new oil pump front case in with new gears??

Put new oil pump in yes. Oil pressure is good. The trans is probably low on fluid. Some leaked out when I removed/installed it. Less than a quart though I'd guess. Think that may have something to do with it?

What would cause the lifters to loose fluid and not open the valves?

Think I found the issue... it's probably my blocked oil cooler lines.

Blocking the lines is a MAJOR NO NO!! It needs a bypass hose. Between the two hoses is a tempture controlled valve (varatherm) When the oil is cold the varatherm opens and bypasses the cooler as the oil warms up to opperating temp (aprox 180F or 85C) the valve closes putting all the oil through the cooler. The bugaboo is the Varatherm will bypass about 10% of the oil when closed (not enough for the engine to live on) and the rest has to exit the oil pressure relife valve witch is not big enough to handle the pump volume over causing the postive displacement pump to try to hydraulic lock and putting excessive load on the timing belt."

No such luck!

Installed a loop on the fittings with no change. The motor/valvetrain is dead silent the first 4 minutes or so until it heats up then the tapping starts and progressively gets louder until the motor shuts off. Immediate comp test netted the same results. Is there anything other than the thermostat on the oil cooler that is adjusted with heat?

I pulled the thermostat valve on the cooler. (large brass plug) Tested it out in come boiling water it actuated forward. I'm guessing this closes off some oil passage when it heats up? I removed the guts of this unit and reinstalled it. Same thing happens.

What about the oil relief part of the plate? If it was malfunctioning, Could that be relieving all my oil pressure somehow?

Where is the best place to tap a mech gauge for oil pressure on the head?