First Start Ended Badly

[rsbrillhart]

I got my electrical issue worked out (thanks Railroad) and was ready to fire her up for the first time today. Double checked everything and pretty felt good about it. She started right up and sounded great for about 4 seconds, then sputtered and began shooting coolant out the drivers side pipe. Not leaking, shooting. I quickly shut it down and tried to figure out what was going on. Perhaps a bad decision, but after about an hour, I tried starting again. It wouldn't start at all, and sounded like it was struggling to even crank. I immediately stopped for fear the engine was seizing up.

This is an MK4 complete kit with a Blueprint 347 crate carb engine and FFR supplied 302 headers and gasket. I know coolant leaks often mean a faulty head seal, but these are brand new and I've never seen anything like this. This seems like a more serious issue. I'm planning to call Blueprint, but thought I would check here first for thoughts/ideas.

Thanks.

[FF33rod]

That sucks, sorry to hear. Blueprint are good people, I'm sure they'll help you get it sorted!

Steve

[TMartinLVNV]

I got my electrical issue worked out (thanks Railroad) and was ready to fire her up for the first time today. Double checked everything and pretty felt good about it. She started right up and sounded great for about 4 seconds, then sputtered and began shooting coolant out the drivers side pipe. Not leaking, shooting. I quickly shut it down and tried to figure out what was going on. Perhaps a bad decision, but after about an hour, I tried starting again. It wouldn't start at all, and sounded like it was struggling to even crank. I immediately stopped for fear the engine was seizing up.

This is an MK4 complete kit with a Blueprint 347 crate carb engine and FFR supplied 302 headers and gasket. I know coolant leaks often mean a faulty head seal, but these are brand new and I've never seen anything like this. This seems like a more serious issue. I'm planning to call Blueprint, but thought I would check here first for thoughts/ideas.

Thanks.

What do you mean by drivers side pipe? Exhaust pipe? Water pump? Header? Is there coolant in the oil?

[GoDadGo]

Shooting water out of the header is likely going to be a head gasket at the very least.
It could be a cracked block or cracked head; however, I am 100% sure that Blueprint will make it good.
Hang in there because many of us have been there before so we know how you feel and we are pulling for you.

https://youtu.be/IGYtX-3p7xk

We've Got Your Back Brother!

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Don't try to crank it you have a water lock & will break stuff like piston rings. Cylinder need to be cleared of water. First suspect & best for cost is a bad head gasket.

[rsbrillhart]

Thanks guys, appreciate the advice and sympathy. To clarify, the coolant was shooting out of my side exhaust pipe. Mainly on the DS, and a little on the PS. Dip stick doesn't show signs of coolant, so that's a plus. Guess next step is to check head gasket. I received the engine in early 2019, and says t was dyno'd in Nov 2018. Would a gasket go bad sitting for a year and half?

[Papa]

Thanks guys, appreciate the advice and sympathy. To clarify, the coolant was shooting out of my side exhaust pipe. Mainly on the DS, and a little on the PS. Dip stick doesn't show signs of coolant, so that's a plus. Guess next step is to check head gasket. I received the engine in early 2019, and says t was dyno'd in Nov 2018. Would a gasket go bad sitting for a year and half?

I'd call BluePrint before you do anything else and see how they recommend working it. They are a good company and will stand behind their product. Your warranty starts with the first start, so you should be covered.

[BluePrintEngines]

Certainly not what we like to hear, and i apologize for the Issue. Yes, please call us immediately. This is why we dyno test every engine, in the hopes of finding any issues here before they get into customer hands. Its certanly rare for an engine to pop the first startup, after successfully being ran here, but with engines...anything can happen, and thats why we do have a warranty. Warranty # is 308-236-1072, or Call Johnny Directly at 308-236-1010.
we'll be happy to work with you on diagnosing, repairing, etc. And again sorry for the letdown...We'll make it right.

[Railroad]

Very unusual. I would check to see if you plumbed a heater hose line to an intake manifold vacuum port.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Water out of both sides? Does FORD have a water transfer port in the intake manifold? Had a DS green water plague in a Chevy 406 Mighty Mouse. The MM required a slightly modified head & gasket to add a steam port between the block & head. With a over bore the gasket space between the cylinders was very narrow & a weak spot. Lost the rings on one cylinder.

[Railroad]

The 302 Ford has a wet intake. Coolant does cross over through the intake. If the intake was installed by Blue Print, I would almost rule that out as an issue.
I would guess a vacuum line off the carb got plumbed into temp sending port or a coolant line got plumbed into a vacuum port.
With the warranty issue, I would let Blue Print advise me. The engine may not be hurt and would hate to deal with pulling shipping and swapping.
Good luck, I am being optimistic about this.

[Duster]

Sorry to hear about your issue. I started my BP 347 for the first time this weekemd also. One of the recomendations from Johnny at BP is to pre oil the system by pulling the plugs and coil wire and cranking the engine with no cylinder pressure until oil pressure shows on gauges. Did you do that prior to start and if so did you have any issues? Good luck.

[egchewy79]

currently investigating a possible head gasket leak myself.
pull plugs and look for moisture/coolant in the cylinders. rent a coolant pressure tester from your local hardware store and pressurize the system.
if you have a leaky gasket, you should be able to hear or see coolant getting into the cylinder.

[BluePrintEngines]

Spoke with Randy B this morning (thread starter)

Just so everyone invested in the thread knows, he unfortunately did plumb a water hose into the Vacuum brake port on the intake runner.

Although not our doing, We will still help him and work with him, as we always want our customers to end up in a good place. We're working with him now on draining fluids...doing compression check, checking rockers and for bent pushrods, etc.

Johnny Mac
BluePrint Engines.

[BradCraig]

Spoke with Randy B this morning (thread starter)

Just so everyone invested in the thread knows, he unfortunately did plumb a water hose into the Vacuum brake port on the intake runner.

Although not our doing, We will still help him and work with him, as we always want our customers to end up in a good place. We're working with him now on draining fluids...doing compression check, checking rockers and for bent pushrods, etc.

Johnny Mac
BluePrint Engines.

We've all been there and make bonehead mistakes, hope it works out!

[rsbrillhart]

Spoke to Josh and Johnny at Blueprint (both offered outstanding support, thanks!). Embarrassed to say, but looks like this was user error. As was suggested above, I plumbed my heater hose into the vacuum port. Going to flush/replace oil and coolant, clean plugs and then compression test each cylinder. Other than that and my ego, hopefully no more serious damage.

Duster - No, I didn't pre-oil, but will on my "second" first-start. Although, it fired up immediately and sounded pretty sweet for a few seconds. Hope your start went well!

[GoDadGo]

I Praying That You Didn't Hydraulic Any Of The Cylinders!

Sorry Randy

[EZ$]

Here's hoping that there is no serious damage, and you can resolve this without having to pull the engine. It's great that Blueprint is working with you to solve this problem. Best of luck!

[TMartinLVNV]

I was thinking the same thing GoDad. This really sucks. What should be a very exciting moment turned out to be bad because of a simple error. So sorry this happened.

I predict a whole lot of volunteers to help turn this situation around as this is what people on this forum are known to do. Great deal with BluePrint offering to help out.

[65 Cobra Dude]

Glad you found the issue and hope the clean up is all that is needed. Kudos to Blueprint for stepping up and helping out!

Henry

[SJDave]

You may have damaged one or two of the connecting rod journals that attach to the crankshaft.

How do I know? Well rarely do we have a freeze in California, but someone didn't bother draining the water from the ski boat block that year, no names. So getting ready in the spring, put battery back in, and give it a crank just to see if it turns over with the charged battery. Makes about two cranks then stops solid. Block cracked in the freeze letting water into one cylinder.

That connecting rod crank journal was elongated about .005", local machine shop inspected all of them for me and found it. New Rod, new block, new rings.. put it all back together and ran like a champ.

I can recommend Gromm Racing in San Jose for a local shop to tear it down, inspect everything and put it back together. Probably looking at $1500 to $2500 depending on damage.

[Norm B]

Nipple misidentification! I really hate that.
Definitely follow Blueprints instructions for recovery but,
after disconnecting the offending hose, I would remove the spark plugs and slowly turn the engine over by hand. This will clear the cylinders.

Good Luck

Norm

[Jetfuel]

?..It wouldn't start at all, and sounded like it was struggling to even crank.

Check your flywheel, starter gear and starter mounting bosses

Jet

[rich grsc]

Nipple misidentification! I really hate that.
Definitely follow Blueprints instructions for recovery but,
after disconnecting the offending hose, I would remove the spark plugs and slowly turn the engine over by hand. This will clear the cylinders.

Good Luck

Norm

Sorry even at my age, that ain't happened.:rolleyes: