Mustang Tech

OK, to recap:
Drove the car around on Tuesday morning no problems (302 4 speed). Clutch has always had a shudder but nothing too drastic and only starting from still - I say this by way of full disclosure and a partial confession. Parked her three times within the hour and she started, stopped and changed gears like she always does.

Approaching home and unusually I popped her into neutral and coasted 100 metres down the street before turning down the drive and into the carport. One hour later jumped in her and hit the starter. There was a bit of a clunk, didn’t actually turn over (maybe only a few degrees) and then the clicking starter and nothing.

Have changed the starter and solenoid. But for a rather odd Oil light now coming on (even with the key out of the ignition and the battery connected), she is locked tight! Car rolls easily in neutral but when in gear she is locked. Took the plugs out and she is still locked tighter than a Nun’s…, well you get the picture. Can’t turn it via the fan either.

Car has oil, was not blowing any smoke and has no ‘unusual holes or oil leaks. Oil looks normal and the coolant is like new.

Plan B: Was thinking about dropping the gearbox and clutch to see if anything that end has locked.

Any thoughts/advice/hints/suggestions/ anything else that I might try to pinpoint what is happening here?

Hmmm.. some scraping on the flywheel... is it loose?

The scrapes on the flywheel look interesting?

Was there any water on the plugs? Could have hydraulic locked the motor, and bent a con rod. We had that happen on a 351c.
Was the clicking from the starter throwing out?

I would pull the sump, and start undoing big end and main caps until it free's up.

Yeah, maybe it'd dropped a welch plug, or bolt head or balance weight, and jammed it up?

hybrid wrote:Hmmm.. some scraping on the flywheel... is it loose?

Never thought of that one. Wouldn't there be a noticable vibration when driving normally though?

Cranks moved..??.Have a looksie at your belts at the front are they nice and inline as normal.

Something has jambed up in that flywheel. Box out or engine out to get the flywheel off.

I would pull the engine as whatever is jambing the flywheel is on the engine side. As blkpny says, either a freeze (welch) plug, counter weight (my guess as the vibration would be that) or a bolt head (but the scrape mark would be more confined)

Jacko, put it in top gear and push the car backwards and forwards. This may free up and spit out what ever the hell is jamed in there. If you can't rotate it, first remove the rocker covers and see if there's a valve missing, if not i'd pull the flywheel off and look behind it.

With Hybrid's mention of the flywheel, I remembered the reason why I thought the starter was stuffed- theat funny piece of metal.
Just retrieved it from outside and here it is.

It is pretty stiff metal and does not bend easily. I cleaned it up for the photo. My initial thought was that it has broken off the starter somewhere, been jammed between the starter and flywheel teeth (hence the shape) and fallen in the starter housing for me to find.



Appreciate the comments thus far.
Jacko

blkpny wrote:Was there any water on the plugs? Could have hydraulic locked the motor, and bent a con rod. We had that happen on a 351c.
Was the clicking from the starter throwing out?

I would pull the sump, and start undoing big end and main caps until it free's up.

Nope, no water on the plugs or slicks on the coolant.
Nuts suggested pulling hte rocker covers off and having alook. He also suggested putting it in fourth and giving the rocking another go. Sump is also a good idea- thanks.

Yeah you'd think you would feel if the flywheel was loose for sure.

I wonder if you have excessive crank end float.
I'm trying to think where that piece of metal might have come from... bearing cage?

ozbilt wrote:Something has jambed up in that flywheel. Box out or engine out to get the flywheel off.

(Reading notes: Imagine that sinking feeling. You know, someone sobbing, even rocking a little bit. This is someone who suspected what needed to be done but was hoping for some kind of devine intervention to avoid the inevitable)

Kerry, you have written what I was fearing but somehow was wanting to avoid.
I will still give the other suggestions a go just in case... If something does drop out the next quesiton is what is is/where did it come from. Only answered by having a good look.

Any suggestions on whether it is easier taking the motor and trans out as one?

(Reading note: Now the fear has been confirmed, the person is strangely at ease-rocking has subsided)

I had a similiar motor lock up years ago, It turn out to be shredded clutch material jambing the flywheel,

I would take Kerry suggestion and drop the box..

My 2 cents

Now, combining ND and Hybrid's thinking, with Ashley's comments, could it be a piece of the thrust bearing?