stevanrk

Hello to all. Haven't been here for a while cause all was good. My crank pulley came loose a while back and I let me car sit for about a month until I got a new crank pulley bolt to put it back on. I tightened it up as much as I could, but not to spec and started it up. No problem. I decided to wait about a month until my wife came over from another state to help jam the flywheel so I could tighten it to spec. I then put the starter back in and tried to start it, but nothing. I left the roof light on for a month and the battery is dead. Got the jumpers out and it barely cranked. Very slow crank and then it stopped cranking. I thought maybe the battery is so dead it is acting like a power sink. So I remove the battery and hook up the jumpers to the cables directly, but it only improved a small amount. Jumpers are new. I remove the starter and test it at O'reillys auto parts. It pops out and spins real fast. Is my engine rusted inside so much that it can't even be turned by the starter anymore? What could be the problem. It only sat for a month. I have three weeks to fix this so I can drive it to my new house which will have a garage and hopefully I will then just swap the engine for a B or K, but I need to fix it to drive it over there which is around 30 miles away.... Any pointers would be appreciated. I don't have a garage now and am working outdoors in the freezing cold (Seattle) so I won't be taking the head off to take a look. Thanks in advance!
Steve

Former User

First, get the battery charged (or replace it) and reinstall it.

Second, turn the key to ON(II) and verify that the fuel pump primes for 2 seconds.

Third, put the transmission in neutral and then try to turn the crank pulley bolt counterclockwise with a breaker bar. Assuming that the bolt does not come loose, this will tell you whether the engine is seized. If the engine turns, then try to push start the engine.

stevanrk

I'll try cranking it manually tomorrow, but everything else has been done or tried. The battery was completely dead and was not chargeable, so I removed it and hooked up the jumpers to the cables directly, but that didn't turn it either. I'm hoping it's just a little rust on the walls that is inhibiting the starter. We'll see. Thanks for the quick reply.

stevanrk

UPDATE:
removed spark plugs and tried cranking by hand, but it was overtly difficult. I only have a stubby wrench and I had to step on it to turn the engine. Each small turn produced a squeak that kind of sounds like metal on metal or nails on a chalkboard. Kind of. Hard to explain. Now I know why my starter couldn't do much. I don't know what's restricting it.

My thoughts (tell me if this is possible or if you have another idea):
When the crank pulley was loosely tightened (before I had my wife jam the flywheel so I could tighten it to spec) I tightened the alt, p/s, and a/c belts to spec. It ran at that time with no issues. It then sat a month and then I tightened the crank pulley to spec AND did not do anything with the belts. Is it possible that the belts are not overtightened and warping the shyte out of the alternator? It kind of sounds like the screaching is coming from the alternator area. I loosened the top alternator bolt, but not the bottom one, because I am working in a parking lot with only a lamp post for lighting, in the cold, and didn't want to lie on the wet ground to loosen the bottom bolt, BUT I THINK it was easier after I loosened the top bolt. When I get more time I will try loosening all three belts and see if that changes anything, but does my description bring any other scenarios to mind?

THANKS AGAIN and sorry for the descriptive post...
Steve

stevanrk

OK So I finally started loosening the belts and I started with the alternator since I thought the squeaks were coming from there. As soon as loosened the belt I tried to turn the alternator pulley and it wouldn't move. I then tried to turn the crank pulley and it worked! The alt belt slid over the alt pulley without turning it, so it's a frozen alt not a frozen engine! Woo to the hoo. Anyone have a used alt in the Seattle area?

stevanrk

So after working the alterantor out through the small hole between the axle and steering rack, in my parking lot, in the cold, I take it inside and try to take the bolt off. Well, of course, it starts to turn but very stiff. I turn it back and forth and eventually I'm able to turn it with my fingers and it's completely free. I can't believe it. I take it to O'reilly's and it passes. Now I have to wait until it gets sunny again and jack the car up to stuff it back in there. I haven't been cited yet for working in the parking lot so, so far so good. Ha ha. Not to others. If you ever get as far as I did, DON'T take the alt out. Try to work it free while it's still in the car then tighten everything back up. You'll save yourself a ton of time. I'm not going to celebrate until it's running, but I still haven't spent a dime troubleshooting and fixing this mess so I'm kind of happy. Won't tell wifey that it's fixed so I can proceed with the swap. Mwuhaahhaaha