I've posted this question before and have received many good responses. But I still don't have the answer to my problem. I am unable to turn the crankshaft of my newly installed 223 six with a wrench. I mean the crank will not budge a millimeter (not even a c.h.) With the clutch fully depressed. I've tried everything. My next move is undoing the engine to bellhousing bolts. That means supporting the engine block and re-inserting the transmission shaft when it's time to re-install. I want to avoid that unless it's my last chance. Can anybody give a plausible explanation for how in the #$@ the crank is locked?

 

Is the starter in/on the motor? Perhaps it is binding up the flywheel. Have you attempted to turn the crank with the rear axle supported on jack stands, tires in the air, tranny in neutral or gear, just to see if the whole drive train will spin?

Just trying to narrow it down with you... --Mike

 

If the engine was rebuilt, are the clearances in mains and rods at specified tolerances ????

-cs65

 

if the rods were putin backworks(oposite rotation)they will lock up i hate to post this cuzz of the extent to fix but this happened to me back in my younger days when i rebuilt my 1st 300 i had to tear it apart and take the rod/piston combos to machen shop and have them turned around

 

Thanks, fellers.

1. The truck hasn't moved in over three years and the brakes are locked-up. But the clutch functions. So, the lock in the engine is in front of the flywheel (which is what I suspect it is but can't figure how).

2. The engine came out of another truck in good running condition and turned freely as I lined-up the clutch onto the transmission shaft when I was installing it. I never tried to turn the crank until about a year after the engine was installed.

 

Could your flywheel bolts be too long and have anchored to your block? t sounds like you are going to have to remove the trans, if it still doesn't turn, remove the clutch and flywheel. Considering the truck hasn't moved in three years, it sounds like you have time to get this fixed correctly....

--Mike

 

Gentlemen,

For what it's worth, I've had at least partial success in unlocking my engine. I put a floor jack under the oil pan and removed all engine block to clutch housing bolts. Then I raised a lowered the engine an inch or so in the hope of shaking something loose around the flywheel. It did the trick. I can now turn the crank with the front bolt. Problem now is it will only turn a 1/2 turn and then seems to hit a hard spring resistance to further turnng. Any theories?

 

My guess is it has something to do with the newly installed tranny. Pull the tranny and see what happens. It could also be the pistons are locked in the cylinder bores, to solve this get some penetrating oil and soak each cylinder throughly and wait a few hours and keep doing this over and over. Engines will seize sometimes from sitting for long periods of time, although 3 years isnt that long.

 

alot of times if it has been sitting along time the clutch disc will "stick" to the presure plate and flywheel both and even though you pushed the clutch down its not releasing. it is mearly pushing on the presure plate springs and not popping loose. one of my trucks does this all the time if it sits a month or so. I just start it in gear and hold the clutch down and the brake too and it usually pops loose. or if you cant do that try (carefully) with a screwdriver between the disc and flywheel prying while someone else holds the clutch pedal down. pleas block the tires and I do mean carefully pry as to not damage the clutch fiber. the springy feal you have is probably the springs in the clutch disc.

all this is just a possabilty, I am not saying this is exactly your problem its just another place to check before you totally disassemble it. :-)

allthough I must say thats awfull wierd that you get HALF a turn and is doing strange things... something doesnt sound quite right in there... I dont mean to sound like an a-- but are you sure you have the disc in the right way? sometimes the center hub will hit if fliped over backwards... just another possabilty.

 

Random thought, had this on a car once...
Clutch disc in backwards?

 

Personally, I would back out the tranny and start fresh. Considering the amount of trouble this has already caused, it's best to start fresh. Pull the trans and associate clutch parts, check the motor spin and go from there.

Just my $.02's --Mike

 

Thanks, guys. The sticking clutch disk theory has some merit, I think. The engine and clutch was functioning when removed from the donor truck and was removed and installed all assembled as one unit. So, the disk should be in right. But it could be sticking. Thanks.

 

Jethro....I got a truck earlier this yr where I couldnt get it in gear w/engine running, and played heck doing so with motor off...had been rincky dincked into a 3 on floor....I tried above...trying to start with clutch shoved in, adjusted it to max, etc....I was going to a 4 spd which I did.....had truck towed to shop....long satory short....disc was shot and had to be pryed off the flywheel.....it had been taken for a joyride a few months prior to me getting it and drove fine then.....I think disc in yours is toast and/or glued to flywheel.....it looked like heck too...disc and p/plate when I saw them.....also splines on trans where disc hub rides could be gummed up....

Heres a thought/question that just came to mind....is it possible to undo clutch fork from bearing.....pull it clean out....spin over and remove p/plate bolts....remove other bolts as you spin other way....theres 8 bolts if Im not mistaken...slide it to rear a bit and see if disc will even slide back freely since it wouldnt have any load on it aside from the stuck factor or crud on splines factor.....if these were the problem indeed....It beats the heck out of pulling monster to find out all is well if thats the case......


Just a thought....is that possible guys....when I tried starting mine with truck in gear, clutch shoved in, would only go little bit till it stopped all by itself....




Just my thought on the prob, cs65

 

Fellers:

My problem is finally solved. The crank is turning freely. I think there was some corrosion or a deposit of some kind on one cylinder wall and the piston could move down the cylinder and back up and then hit the deposit again. Thus the half-turn. I bumped it a few times turning the crank with a wrench and it broke through. Hopefully I didn't break a piston ring. Anyway, now, I'm gonna pour some WD 40 and oil into the cylinders and crank it over a few times with plugs out. Then, I'll drain that there erl and fill'er up agin and start'er up. Finally. Thanks for all the help.