Engine won't crank just clunks

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Jun 30, 2011 | 11:17 AM

FSJ-EARL

Thread Starter

Mountain Pass

Joined: Aug 2008

Posts: 249

Likes: 1

From: Middletown, PA

Engine won't crank just clunks

OK, this may be a bit of a long post but I need to give all the details. I haev a 2002 F350 crew cab. Bought it Oct. of 2009. It curerntly hs about 71K on the clock. A few months ago, I had fuel in the coolant. Came back to be an injector cup issue. Had all eight injector cups replaced, new o-rings on the injectors, flush, fill, etc. Had been running great. About a week ago, I noticed a bit more smoke on startup than normal, but as soon as I was up and running the smoke went away. Whan the engine was warm, there was no smoke. On Weds. (6/29) I hopped in the truck to start it and it cranked and went CLUNK and the engine stopped rotating. Turned the key off, cycled the glow plugs one more time and same thing. That is when I stopped trying anything. Called AAA and had it towed to my garage. The garage is swamped due to tend of the montgh inspection issues and such. Any ideas? I am about sick to my stomach everytime I think about this situation. I am thinking some kind of catostrophic engine failure and and totally disgusted and as I said earlier, sick to my stomach thinking about what could be wrong. Ideas? Anybody else experience this problem? Thanks.

Jun 30, 2011 | 11:36 AM

SteveH-CO

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Jul 2005

Posts: 1,800

Likes: 52

From: Southern Colorado

See if you can manually turn the engine with a socket and bar.

Check all the fluids for contamination and perhaps pull the glow plugs and see if it will crank (and if fuel shoots out the cylinders)? Not sure what else to suggest. More attempts to start a locked engine may result in bent parts, so go easy on the cranking attempts.

I suspect the shop will do all these things at some point, when they get to it.

Jul 15, 2011 | 07:13 AM

FSJ-EARL

Thread Starter

Mountain Pass

Joined: Aug 2008

Posts: 249

Likes: 1

From: Middletown, PA

Turns out that when the shop replaced my injector cups several weeks ago, one of the O-rings did not seat properly, eroded over time and allowed fuel to seep into the cylinder. They fixed everything, said that it is running great, the owner of the shop wants to drive it for the weekend to make sure that it is all good. The best part of this, NO CHARGE since it was their error!!! Hoep to have it back in frontg of my house on Monday! WHOOOHOOOO!!!!!!

Jul 15, 2011 | 07:20 AM

Krazymaan

Senior User

Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 366

Likes: 0

Ya gotta love it when someone says how sorry they are and they will take care of everything. no charge.
As for taking it home for the weekend. He probably just likes your truck. Watch youtube, maybe you'll find your truck doing the worlds longest burnout. JK

Jul 15, 2011 | 10:49 AM

robs01f250

Elder User

Joined: Oct 2007

Posts: 935

Likes: 1

From: Bowling Green, KY

I wish all shops were like that and admitted to the errors they make. You need to stay friends with the shop owner so that he will take care of you in the future.

Jul 15, 2011 | 11:28 AM

bama29fan

Posting Guru

Joined: Feb 2010

Posts: 1,411

Likes: 1

From: Opelika, AL

Quote:

Originally Posted by robs01f250

I wish all shops were like that and admitted to the errors they make. You need to stay friends with the shop owner so that he will take care of you in the future.

exactly...it takes a man to own up to his mistakes and stand behind what he does. he could have easily tried to blame it on something else and cover his tracks....charging you the whole time.