E-250 5.4 Failure

DocWhiskey

Observer
What caused the seize?

Buy the one from Mg, and be done with it, or call up ford for a factory reman (about $3500)

Thats a bit odd, they normally dont just up and stop spinning while there is oil still there. I agree with idiot :sombrero: there, buy MG's and be done with it.

Yeah I'm really leaning towards that to be honest. I feel like I can trust MG.

Trust me I was surprised as y'all. No warning lights or any other signal prior other than right before possibly.
 

onemanarmy

Explorer
So you ran it out of oil?

what did the shop you towed it to say?

It had to have cried for mercy before it ran out of oil. No ticks, clanks, knocks, overheating? In a van, the engine is almost in between the passengers.
 
Did it blow a manifold gasket (intake, coolant) and overheat without showing on the gauge? Possible, and then it could have overheated and seized.

Did it overheat bad enough to blow a head gasket, hydro-locking the engine, and you say it's seized?

What did the coolant smell like?

Odd for sure, but if you look at my build thread you'll see the reasons I ultimately did a engine rebuild on mine. It started as routine cooling system maintenance at 88k miles, and snowballed from there.
 

DocWhiskey

Observer
Did it blow a manifold gasket (intake, coolant) and overheat without showing on the gauge? Possible, and then it could have overheated and seized.

Did it overheat bad enough to blow a head gasket, hydro-locking the engine, and you say it's seized?

What did the coolant smell like?

Odd for sure, but if you look at my build thread you'll see the reasons I ultimately did a engine rebuild on mine. It started as routine cooling system maintenance at 88k miles, and snowballed from there.

I'll take a specific look at those areas when I get home from work; I hadn't considered them. I had no warning lights on the dash come on and heat gauge read normal. I'm going to take a peek over at your build thread now.
 

DocWhiskey

Observer
It is seized correct?

As far as I can figure; I have enough juice to try and crank and the starter will sound as though it's engaging but there no turnover. The shop put a breaker bar on the main pulley and couldn't budge it. I haven't done it personally.
 
Could also be a broken timing chain/guide/tensioner which is pseudo common.

Might try and drain/strain the oil to see if there's plastic chunks before you spin it over.
 
And depending on the year of the 5.4, be careful pulling the spark plugs.

If you do drain the oil and find plastic chunks, the motor is likely done anyways, or at least the valves are, because they are a interference engine.
 

Bbasso

Expedition Leader
If the motor can spin freely by hand or other method, it sounds like an electrical problem.
 

gtbensley

Explorer
Ill add my guess into the ring, an accessory unit froze and the belt is not allowing the engine to spin over. Pull any drive belts and try again. (doesn't answer the burned oil though)
 

DocWhiskey

Observer
Could also be a broken timing chain/guide/tensioner which is pseudo common.

Might try and drain/strain the oil to see if there's plastic chunks before you spin it over.

And depending on the year of the 5.4, be careful pulling the spark plugs.

If you do drain the oil and find plastic chunks, the motor is likely done anyways, or at least the valves are, because they are a interference engine.

The reputation for broken plugs is well earned; I had a 4.6 before this.

Oil cap sucked into oil pickup... wild guess

If the motor can spin freely by hand or other method, it sounds like an electrical problem.

Definitely not spinning freely by any means

coil pack or it spit a plug.....

Ill add my guess into the ring, an accessory unit froze and the belt is not allowing the engine to spin over. Pull any drive belts and try again. (doesn't answer the burned oil though)

I got a little bit done last night, mostly more inspection. Combination of a long day at work, cold temperature, and nightfall led me to pack it in before I got hip-deep. I have to go out of town tomorrow so I won't be able to do much until Friday night or Saturday after work. But then again it ain't getting any deader.

I really appreciate the help and pointers; at least I should be able to come up with a reason for the failure.
 

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