Help engine will not turn

2

2453kevinowen

Member
I have just fitted a replacement engine. When I put in the new engine all went well, engine engaged with gearbox with ease, I bolted it all in fitted all the auxiliary, I then tried to turn the engine by hand to check the timing. but it will not turn.
I did turn it before I fitted it, to check the valve clearance. I put it in gear and rocked the car but the engine was still solid. Also when I push the clutch down when in gear its still solid. The new engine already had a new clutch and pressure plate on it.
Any suggestions will be appreciate.
 
The only thing I can think of is that you have two seperate faults - first is clutch seized to the engaged position, which is quite common after being standing for a while - second is the gearbox being engaged with two gears at once, usually due to a selector moving on the selector shaft. Is it possible that has happened to the box whilst you have had it out?

Chris
 
Well the normal way of doing it is to bump the car in gear, but if the box is in two at once that won't be possible. I think an energetic play with the gearlever would be my first port of call to see if I could "feel" what is going on in the box. To be honest, I'm a bit stumped as to how to proceed, as everything I've thought of so far starts with "separate engine and box". And I'm pretty sure you don't want to hear that!

Chris
 
Is there one bolt that needs to be shorter or it hits the flywheel? I'm racking my brain to remember, but something similar happened when I swapped gearboxes on mine. Luckily I noticed before finishing bolting it up, fitted a shorter bolt and all was fine. But I'm damned if I can remember where it was...
 
Hi, I have taken off all the bolts and it is still not turning.
If I pull the rad off and slide the engine forward can I get to the clutch?
If not I will need to go and hire the engine hoist.
 
chrisyork said:
The only thing I can think of is that you have two seperate faults - first is clutch seized to the engaged position, which is quite common after being standing for a while - second is the gearbox being engaged with two gears at once, usually due to a selector moving on the selector shaft. Is it possible that has happened to the box whilst you have had it out?

Chris
Click to expand...

If the clutch centre plate is stuck to the flywheel (or the pressure plate for that matter), it still won't stop the engine turning over if the gearbox is in neutral, and it's not possible for the gearbox to engage two gears at once just by moving the selectors because the interlock mechanism is there specifically to stop that happening.

I can't think of anything that could happen just through fitting the engine that could cause it if it was all working perfectly OK right up to the point that the engine went back in. It will be something that you've done along the way, all you have to do now is find out what it is....

PS Was the engine originally from an auto car that you are now fitting to a manual gearbox?
 
Well if that's the case, and it was turning over before it went in, and the gearbox in your car wasn't seized before you started the whole operation, then you would have to think that the engine has locked up because of something that's got jammed up where the two meet. That said, I'd be having a really good look around the front end before I pulled the whole lot out again.

Just had a thought, have you fitted the correct bolts to the slave cylinder, if they are too long they will go through and hit the clutch plate and lock it all up. In fact now that I think about it I'm almost certain that's what it is........(He says....)
 
I went through all my steps tonight but still could not see why the engine would not turn. Thinking what to do next, I got a phone call from my daughter saying someone with little hands thought he would help granddad while he was inside having a cuppa and opening his fathers day pressie. It looks like he has dropped a nut in the timing chain housing :shock: I am not happy but at least I know why it would not turn. Any suggestions (about the engine not my grandson)
 
Oh Dear! :oops: I wonder if the said small hands are small enough to get it out again!

Seriously though, that's a really difficult place to access. I think rhat;s one for Brian Harvey and RicharUK to advise on.

Chris
 
Time for some magnetic fishing maybe? but if you're lucky (depending how you look at it) it may have fallen straight down into the sump. I've just done the timing chains in my SC and the info is still fresh in the noggin and more than likely it could've fallen all the way down past the guides, the only other place I could think of it being is in the housing near the intermediate gear maybe.
 
If it won't turn over, and that's because something has been dropped down into the chains, then whatever it was hasn't dropped all the way into the sump, because if that were the case then it would turn over. Best thing is to remove the cam cover, and have a good look, followed by careful use of a magnet in the hope of fishing it out.
 
Those telescopic magnetic pickup tools are invaluable in this sort of situation, assuming you can see the obstruction !

I did lose my chain tensioner into the sump on my 2.2TC, and simply fitted a spare, leaving the lost one in the sump, never caused me any problems. However as Harvey says, if the engine is locked then your obstruction is already causing a problem.
 
I have been fishing with a telescopic magnet which can pick up 8lb with no joy :
I will get the engine out and keep it to one side for now.
I will get the head off my original engine and replace the burnt out valve.
The only reason I replaced the engine in the first place was to save some time due to been busy at work.
It always seems when you try and take the easy way it comes and bites.
 
Good news for a change 8)
I was tilting the engine to take it out when I heard something drop into the sump and hey presto the engine now turns
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D
 
That's really good news!

You can see your Grandson without scouling at him now! (but people, especially small people, are always far more important that mere cars!)

Chris
 
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