1989 IROC-Z 5.7 TPI. How do i check if the engine has completely seized up? I have heard about turning the crank with a breaker bar. If i was to do that, what equipment would i need? What size is the nut on the crank wheel? Is there any other way to find out if the engine has completely seized up? as of now the starter will not move the motor at all. I can tell this by watching the alternator while i turn the key. Any info is greatly appreciated.


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Wrong forum. Moved to General Tech.

 

Basically if you've got a good starter and battery but they won't turn the motor, that would qualify as siezed. Don't try to turn it with the crank damper bolt, you'll just break it off.

Waht happened immediately before you started wanting to be able to turn the crank with a wrench?

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."

 

I agree with RB, if you have a good starter and battery, they should be able to turn the engine if it isn't seized.

First question, is your battery and starter good? And second question (like RB's) how'd it die?

 

Not necessarily, I once had a carb that was defective and it filled the combustion chambers with gas. Would not turn over at all. Pull the spark plugs and try again.



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Exactly... A hydrolic lock will seem like a bad starter or battery. Trust me, I see this almost every day in marine applications!
Do yourself a favor and just remove the plugs and turn the motor over...

 

Before you crank it, disable the coil! If you want your car to look like a top fuel dragster seconds before it goes completely up in flames, leave it hooked up, otherwise, disconnect the electrical connectors before cranking.

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Thanks much guys. I was replacing the transmission when i "think" i blew the motor. The very first time i turned the engine on it was making a very loud tapping noise. I turned in off and after that the engine did nada! What could have caused this?

 

Uh oh. What kind of transmission? Automatic? And after you got the trans bolted up and "finished", you went to start the motor, and you got that noise?

Did you seat the torque convertor (TC) all the way? When the TC is seated properly inside the trans, and the tranny's bellhousing is bolted up to the engine block, the TC should be able to slide on the tranny's input spline. Meaning; before bolting the flywheel to the TC, you should be able to slide the TC towards/away from the flywheel an inch or so. The TC should not be mashed tight against the flywheel.

If the TC is mashed tight against the flywheel, that means the TC wasn't seated all the way. Starting the motor can strip the splines on the TC, and require a new TC.

You might want to remove the flywheel inspection cover, unbolt the TC from the flywheel, and see if you can slide the TC in/out towards/away from the flywheel.


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Tom is probably right, the torque converter is most likely not pushed into the pump all the way with its slots engaging the "ears" on the pump gear correctly, which would leave the whole system all smashed together and in a bind. The converter should have about 1/8-1/4" of availabe movement from front to rear if its bolts are out. If it doesn't, or you can't spin the converter by hand with the bolts removed, then something in there isn't put together right.

Take the trans back out. You can start the engine with the trans out, as long as the engine is properly supported from underneath, and the flex plate and starter are installed. You can tell right away if you have an engine problem, or something else. It sounds to me like the engine is probably OK, but you may have a destroyed pump, converter, and/or input shaft.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."