Here is the quick background. I built an engine with all new parts - 4 bolt main, AFR 190 heads, new pistons and rods, roots blower. I have about an hour of runtime on this engine on an engine stand with a carb and points distrib. I have been retrofitting my CCC carb and computer system from my 84 camaro onto the engine. The engine sat for months until I could get money and time to work on it again. The other day I was cranking it but with no spark. So I had fuel but no spark. I figured out the spark problem and then I was checking the timing which was way off (engine still not running just sputtering). I had to adjust the distrib housing another cam tooth so i could turn the distrib some more. When I turned the key again. Engine froze up. Not completely but starter will barely move it. Not even 1 revolution. I started tearing the engine down which I really didn't want to do AGAIN.
Anyway I got it down to just the crank and pistons and it still didn't want to move freely. I decided I needed to put it back on the assembly stand and take the oil pan off. Because of paranoia I sprayed down the cylinders with wd40. I did it whether good or bad so that the cylinder walls would be covered with something. By the time I got the engine on the stand the pistons had freed up. I am assuming the wd40 penetrated whatever was binding up. I don't see any scoring on th cylinder walls. at least nothing you can feel with a finger but I do have some odd (I think) coloring at the top of most of the cylinders. Could be light rust from the months it say? Now that it is freed up I am wondering what to do. Should I have the cylinders honed again?

Can anyone explain what happened and what steps would you take at this point?

Some photos of the cylinders: engine pics

Thanks for reading,

Glen

 

When I looked at mine it had the same coloring which I belived was just from the firing stroke, nothing wrong with that I assumed. Nothing touches that part of the cylinder but a flame. Also I would imagine that the piston should have some resistance but it shouldnt be completly fused to the cylinder walls. You may want to make sure that the proper amount of oil is reaching them and your engine isnt overheating. I'm no expert but thats what I would make of it.

 

Did you try turning it over by hand, or only with the starter?

 

once it froze up all the turning was done by hand. In fact I took the starter off and had it tested before I started breaking the engine down.

Glen

 

i'd wonder if you just had too much timing for the starter to spin the engine

 

That's what I'm thinking too.

 

also did you flood it, it could have hydrolocked.