I changed the plugs and wires the other day, and after I did the job the car wouldn't turn over. I charged the battery over night, and still nothing. The starter engages but it won't spin the motor. Tonight I tried a new starter and it did the same thing. I hooked jumper cables to my powerstroke, which has dual batteries and dual alternators and still nothing. It would even dim the headlights on my truck a little when the starter engaged, but it wouldn't spin. I bench tested both new and old starters and they seem to be fine. The cables are nice and tight at the battery, the only cable I didn't check was the ground to chasis connection. I tried turning the motor over by hand with a breaker bar and socket on the crank pulley nut, it wouldn't budge. Can the motor be turned over manual like this with the spark plugs still in or is the compression to strong. Sorry if I'm rambling, but I'm worried this could be something big. Also I should mention that I drove it last week and it was fine, no bottom end noises or anything. Where do I go from here?
Won't turn over.
- Thread starter DWB47
- Start date
twodafloor
Twodafloor
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2007
are you sure you used the right length plugs- or maybe something jammed between piston and head? I don't think you could hydro lock a gas motor.
Yes you can hydrolock a gas motor - I had a head that cracked and after sitting for a week I went to start it and hydrolocked the motor and bent a rod.
Put the car in neutral, pull the plugs and turn it over by hand to make sure all is well. You can also then try spinning the motor with the starter. If everything is good reinstall the plugs (verify they are the correct plugs) and turn over by hand - you need to keep the car in neutral.
- Joined
- May 28, 2001
Whoa now!!
If the engine is hydrolocked w/ gas, DO NOT spin it w/ the starter!! Spitting fuel onto powered items is a good way to burn it down.
Disconnect the battery, remove the plugs, turn by hand...
Check the rad.. Is it low on coolant? If so, that could be what's locking the engine up.
If the engine is hydrolocked w/ gas, DO NOT spin it w/ the starter!! Spitting fuel onto powered items is a good way to burn it down.
Disconnect the battery, remove the plugs, turn by hand...
Check the rad.. Is it low on coolant? If so, that could be what's locking the engine up.
I pulled the plugs. None of them were wet, a few smelled slightly of gas. Tried turning the motor over by hand, and I couldn't get it to budge. My redheaded stepchild of a car is column shift, but has a console shift cluster in it with no shift indicator, so I'm pretty sure I had it in neutral. Neutral is the second click down from park, right? How hard is it to turn the motor over b hand without the plugs in. I'm a pretty big guy and I was practically hanging from a 12" breaker bar and it wouldn't spin in either direction. To top it all off, the battery is dead. I give up for now, I'm gonna go mow the grass. Thank you all for your input and advice.
Just a Six??
OK! Who Farted??
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2003
You should easily be able to turn it by hand with no plugs in it. My buddy turned mine by the flywheel with bare hands to get at some bolts last week & plugs were still in it. You have something wrong if a breaker bar wont budge it. Sounds like you need to start looking deeper. PITA I know but you gotta start somewhere. Good Luck!
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2006
First thing I would try is take the belt off and see if it will turn. Next I would unbolt the toruqe converter. Maybe then you can get some direction.
- Joined
- May 28, 2001
Timing chain wadded up?
And, it does not have to be in neutral to turn it over....
And, it does not have to be in neutral to turn it over....
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2006
Yes.
I pulled the belts, that didn't change anything. I guess the next step will be to unbolt the torque converter and check out the timing chain. Is it possible to unbolt the TC without pulling either the trans or the motor? I wouldn't think that I could get to the TC nuts without being able to spin the motor.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2006
Oooo, thats right. You will not be able to get all the converter bolts out if you can't spin the motor. Doubt it's there anyway.
Did you try turning it counterclockwise?
Maybe the starter gear is somehow jammed on the flywheel and locked up. Pull the inspection cover and have a look.
Did you try turning it counterclockwise?
Maybe the starter gear is somehow jammed on the flywheel and locked up. Pull the inspection cover and have a look.
yes I've tried turning both directions. I doubt it's the starter, it was just replaced. I probably shouldn't have but I tried turning it over with the starter, and it would turn a little, maybe 1/4 rotation or less. I'm going to go pull the inspection cover, if I don't see anything there I will proceed to the timing chain. What is odd about this is it was fine last time I drove it. You would think that if something let go that was major enough to lock the motor like this, it would have happened while that car was running, and it would have been audible.
- Joined
- May 28, 2001
Yes..
Since you have the flywheel cover off, look to see if the starter is stuck in the flexplate. Flexplate isn't broken is it?
Take the starter off, and try to rotate w/ the breaker bar.
Take the cam sensor out, and take a look down the cover. Is the drive tang on the oil pump shaft twisted off? Look at the sensor gear, too. It messed up?
You can also pull the fuel pump block off plate, and take a look into the ft cover from that way.
I'm "a$$uming the car is the 85 in the sig list. If so, was/has the engine been rebuilt, cam changed, etc, etc?? If it's really a "stock" 85 engine.. I'd just go ahead and pull the ft cover. Way past time for a new timing set, anyway.
Since you have the flywheel cover off, look to see if the starter is stuck in the flexplate. Flexplate isn't broken is it?
Take the starter off, and try to rotate w/ the breaker bar.
Take the cam sensor out, and take a look down the cover. Is the drive tang on the oil pump shaft twisted off? Look at the sensor gear, too. It messed up?
You can also pull the fuel pump block off plate, and take a look into the ft cover from that way.
I'm "a$$uming the car is the 85 in the sig list. If so, was/has the engine been rebuilt, cam changed, etc, etc?? If it's really a "stock" 85 engine.. I'd just go ahead and pull the ft cover. Way past time for a new timing set, anyway.
Yes the car is the 85 in my sig. It is a motor swap so there is no telling the history of the motor. The turbo guage cluster that I can only assume was swapped out of the same car as the motor reads 76xxx miles, but who knows. A compression test came out good. I just got it and haven't even really put it on the road yet. It needed a turbo, which I just got resolved, and now this. I got sidetracked with a honey do list this weekend, so I will pull the cam sensor one night this week. I really appreciate everyones advice and input.
I pulled the cam sensor. Everything looks good that I can see. As suggested I'm going to go ahead and pull the front cover. I was talking to a mechanic at work today, and he mentioned that is might not be a bad idea to pull the valve covers, and look for broken rocker, bent rods, etc. I can't help but feel that this is just something stupid that I am overlooking, like is said, the car ran allright until I shut it off, and then it just wouldn't start again a few days later.
I pulled the front cover tonight. The timing chain was intact and everything looked good. With the timing chain off I can rotate the cam. I tried to spin the crank and it wouldn't move. I will pull the spark plugs out tomorrow night and try to spin the crank again. Anyone have any other ideas? I guess I'm going to have to pull the motor.
