Author Topic: most common reason for the 400 engine to seize? (Read 3649 times)

ranakin400 · « **on:** June 27, 2005, 07:35:13 PM »

I recently bought a 400 and it seized right before I went to go and buy it. I bought it anyways (for parts) but does anyone know what the most common reason for a b4 to seize? only has 11,000 miles but sat for a few years. guy said he just topped off the oil and ran it a bit but just seized on him.

and how difficult would it be to fix?

Red01 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 27, 2005, 09:21:59 PM »

Just guessing about a B4, but the most common reasons an engine siezes is oil starvation or overheating.

How difficult it is will depend how many parts were ruined and if anything heat-welded together or punched into things. You're looking at a complete disassembly of the motor & gearbox so you can check everything out.

Red01 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 27, 2005, 09:23:21 PM »

If the guy "just topped off the oil" one might wonder how low it was before he topped it off.

ranakin400 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 28, 2005, 07:34:44 PM »

but if it overheated or was oil starved what is likely to break first?

PeteSC · « **Reply #4 on:** June 28, 2005, 08:44:39 PM »

Ah...'seized' means the piston and the cylinder wall or liner got hot enough to melt......somewhat 'together'.

(Ask me about my 350 Kaw that siezed some day.......)

Red01 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 28, 2005, 09:23:44 PM »

Quote from: "ranakin400"

but if it overheated or was oil starved what is likely to break first?

Whatever lost the most lubrication first. Can be cams, rods, mains. While seizing usually infers the pistons are stuck in the bore, it could be from a rod thru the block or a sucked valve - or anything else that brings moving parts to a stop.

Racerruss-ducati · « **Reply #6 on:** June 28, 2005, 11:14:25 PM »

I think I would take the easy way out. Every few weeks a 400 bandit motor pops up on ebay and usually sells for no more than a couple of hundred bucks. You will spend more than that in gaskets just getting to the failed part. Granted, there is a risk in taking this route, but at worst you may be able to make 1 good motor out of 2 bad ones.

If your engine failed due to overheating or oil starvation, chances are there will be more than just one problem inside and it will be expensive to fix with new parts.

Good Luck.