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Why won't my crankshaft turn?!

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hofmania

Proven Member
91
0
Apr 18, 2013
Berkeley, California
Prepped the car last night to do the timing belt and BSE today. Got to the part where I'm supposed to turn the crankshaft to get the #1 piston to TDC and the thing won't budge...

Car ran about two weeks just fine and I put it up on jacks to start my overhaul.

Battery is out of car
Car is in neutral
Spark plugs out
1/2 Ratchet being used
Turning clockwise

Why won't it turn freely? Did I miss something simple?
 
Last edited:
How are you trying to turn the crankshaft? With a longish 1/2" breaker bar/ratchet I hope? Also, make sure you rotate clockwise when looking at the crankshaft pulley though the diver side fender well.
 
Clockwise - check
1/2 ratchet - check

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"Oh-oh"

... wonder if your belt timing slipped causing a valve to come down as the piston came up causing a bent valve due to the piston pushing up against it - why the thing will not turn on you.

OR ... Noticed that you're holding up the motor with the block of wood on the bottom of the oil pan. Wonder if the pan is being pushed up causing the blade on that trigger plate to jam against the lip of the block, which has flexed a bit due to the weight of the motor on the pan, and not allowing the crank to turn..


-DSM
 
Go ahead and take the timing belt off. It might help a little. And when that's off you can turn all the other moving components to see if one of those are seizing up the whole rotation assembly.
 
Automatic...

So you really got to move this thing then? I guess I was thinking that it was easier to turn that getting off an old bolt from a rusted exhaust.

"Oh-oh"

... wonder if your belt timing slipped causing a valve to come down as the piston came up causing a belt valve due to the piston pushing up against it - why the thing will not turn on you.

NOOOOOOOO. Also, I'm not sure how it's possible that this happened while sitting in the driveway.

Go ahead and take the timing belt off. It might help a little. And when that's off you can turn all the other moving components to see if one of those are seizing up the whole rotation assembly.

I thought you weren't supposed to move anything while the timing belt is off bc it would...mess up the timing?
 
Auto, not in park but neutral. Got it.

Go ahead and take the timing belt off. It might help a little. And when that's off you can turn all the other moving components to see if one of those are seizing up the whole rotation assembly.
Don't do that unless you also take out at least the rocker arms. Non-moving hung open valves would be bad news.
 
Are you not redoing your timing belt? They are not complicated to put back into time there are a lot of good write ups on here on how to.
 
So you have not turned the crank one tiny bit? weird. Gently try turning it Ccw a bit... It if moves at all go back to clockwise slowly and see if you feel any thing make contact.

For peace of mind you could drop a wooden dowel or something similar down each spark plug hole to get an idea of what position each piston is at...

Also the position of the motor looks a little lower than I have ever gone (even with a leaky harbor freight jack). Raise it up a bit you are probably stretching a motor mount to the limit
 
I didn't see where it was confirmed that it is not in park.

Prepped the car last night to do the timing belt and BSE today. Got to the part where I'm supposed to turn the crankshaft to get the #1 piston to TDC and the thing won't budge...

Car ran about two weeks just fine and I put it up on jacks to start my overhaul.

Battery is out of car
Car is in neutral<--
Spark plugs out
1/2 Ratchet being used
Turning clockwise

Why won't it turn freely? Did I miss something simple?
....
 
I didn't see where it was confirmed that it is not in park.

I have never seen a car that locks the crankshaft when you put it in park. All the automatics I have ever driven turn right over in park.

Don't take the timing belt off and turn it unless you want to damage something.

Do check to see if valve timing is correct!

Don't put more "ass" into it, it should spin really easily with the plugs out.

The most logical thing I have heard so far, is to try to turn it the other way a little, and see if you feel something jamming it up.
 
Has the starter been replaced with a parts store one? some of the stores have been giving out the wrong starter for the auto, and it wont ever completely disengage, even though it will run that way (bad) try taking the starter out and then turning it over.
 
Finally got it to turn with a longer breaker bar. Needed to call in for some backup.

I did replace the starter while the car was out of commission and haven't started it back up. Sounds like that might have been the culprit. Either way, got it turning and still working on the BSE and timing belt :ohdamn:
 
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