OK, I picked up a project 1984 crossfire corvette. Stock as far as I can tell except for a body kit. Had a front injector problem, replaced it. it was obviously bad, fuel just flowed through it, with out any kind of spray problem. It did run before I changed out the injector, just not very well. So after replacement, I went to start it and the car would not crank. just a clunk from the starter and nothing but dimming lights. I put a new battery in, and a new starter (boy was that tough working on Jack stands). I am not usually the type of person to throw parts at a problem but this car has been sitting under snow and the elements for at least a year. And anything on the bottom of the car is suspect to being exposed to the elements. FSM is ordered. But I cannot think of anything that would keep an engine from cranking over. Things I have tried
1) a new battery (2 of them) current new one is fully charged and load tested
2) replaced starter. New starter does the same as the old one. clunk and dimming lights.
3) jumping the starter to see if it was a wiring problem.
4) Post here, cross my fingers and take a break... hmm there is beer in the fridge.....

Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated.

Thanks, Steve

 

Might want to take a break and pull a spark plug to make sure the cylinders haven't filled with fuel. Maybe the bad injector continued to pour fuel into the cylinders and you are experiencing a hydrauliced (sp) motor.

 

Yeah, that is what I was thinking, ok, tonight's project is pulling all of the plugs and seeing if I can rotate the motor by hand. I know that this is essentially a small block 350 but do you know what size the crank bolt is? Again apreciate the help, just drives me nuts that I cannot work on the basics, if I cannot turn it over...

 

Crank bolt should be a 5/8 or metric equivalent.

 

I'd check the oil level also. Gas doesn't stay in a cylinder long before making it past the rings into the crankcase.

If you pull the plugs and try to spin it with the starter motor, disconnect the 12 volt feed from the distributor first. If you blow gas out through the sparkplug hole a spark from the end of the plug wire can create an exciting fireball.

 

i had this problem last week and it was the accessory wire on the positive battery cable (looked like a mouse was chewing on it), it was giving enough juice to turn on lights but not enough to start the car. i would check those.

 

Good move on the FSM. To be fully outfitted as a Vette owner all you need now is a dedicated beer fridge. (and maybe a warped sense of humor)

 

Bring a sense of humor when you come to CF. Some of us like to have a little fun.

 

Sense of humor, Yup got it. Can handle almost anything. Sense of Frustration yup I am there as well. So I spent the afternoon working on this thing...
1) Disconnect battery , put an ohm meter across the Positive lead of the battery and the positive lead to the starter, switch on ignition (yes black was disconnected) next to no resistance
2) loosen the starter reconnect the battery hit the ignition switch hear the starter working.
3) tighten the starter hit the ignition switch. Clunk no crank

The only reason that I do not believe the motor is frozen is that I had it running 2 weeks ago with a bad injector. While I had the car on stands I changed the oil, yup smelled like gas.... so I started pulling spark plugs...

wet carboned up, smelled of bad gas got 5 out thought I would try to hit the starter, yup clunk no movement. I tried moving the engine at the crank by hand... could not get it to move.... tried putting the car in gear (automatic) and rocking the car back and forth... could not get anything to turn. This is not looking good....

So I am drinking a beer, cursing that the FSM has not arrived and wondering if I am overthinking this or if after sitting for 2 weeks something is broken...

I know, get the last 3 spark plugs out... follow the steps.... think it through....

I just wanted to hear it run... or at least crank.. My MGB has never fought me this much and I bought that one as a non runner. Hell that things starter did not even work... the electrics didnt work, the key was broken off in the ignition.....

Any thoughts? I think you are right about the beer fridge in the garage

 

 

Yeah, go ahead and do that! If getting those last three plugs out doesn't free it up, THEN you can start worrying. The only reason for it still being locked up from hydro lock, is if the first time you tried to start it after it sat two weeks, it tried to fire and bent a rod. OR, the previous owner did this and bent a rod. I have seen marine engines hydro lock and bend a rod, but then crank and run. The bent rod twisted so the piston couldn't travel up and down the cylinder freely. The skirt of the piston actually got molten and seized the motor. The last time you had it running may have been the kiss of death. Yeah, run pull those plugs - and cross your fingers.

I had to reread that one. I read MGD on the first pass and was wondering how a can of Miller Genuine Draft coud give you that much trouble.

 

An ohm meter will not measure the I/R drop caused by the high current requirements of the starter. The meter reads zero because it's not pulling a current accross the wire. All it tells you is whether the wire is broken or not.

Oh yea, Beer fridge id manditory.

 

Ok, got the last plugs out sorry it took so long, I have been at work a ton and am working on the 84 in the driveway...

still no crank, I was beginning to feel stupid, so I dropped the car off of the jack stands to take the other car (MGB) out and had another interesting discovery. even when I shift into neutral the car will not roll?

Is there a transmission lock out? when I move the shifter it feels like it is changing gears. My FSM still has not arrived.

Looks like I am putting the car back on Jack stands and poking around the transmission linkage.

Again, I am not a mechanic but have brought several cars back to life, what am I missing.

1 car will not crank, battery tested and charged. Starter replaced.
(I know this could be a more serious problem with the motor)
2 car will not roll, until I get back on jack stands I will not be able to look at the trans linkage.

Maybe I should just start pulling the motor and trans and start fresh...

ok, I need another cup of coffee....

 

Not to be a smart A$$, but did you release the emergency brake? Assuming the shifter cable is still attached, there is little or nothing inside an auto trans that can lock up other than the parking pawl, and if anything, it normally fails in the "won't engage" mode.

 

if you still have the old oil filter from changing the oil, cut it open and look for any metal as bending a rod usually takes out the rod bearing or the rings or both. If nothing there, then drain the trans fluid and look for metal there. If the torque converter died on you, its possible for it to lock the motor up by locking the car in gear (so to speak).

 

Ok, Just got back to work on the 84. thought I would update. Just Bob was almost correct on the parking brake. the pads inside the disk/drums were frozen from sitting. All plugs are out, all smelled of gas, I did not save the oil filter to cut open, but the old oil looked relatively ok. I tried to pull the engine over with the plugs out, belt removed and it feels like the 5/8 bolt is turning but the pulley is not??? I am afraid if I keep turning it I am going to brake off the head of the bolt.... I know this is probably old hat for all of you, but if you could help a guy out with any thoughts or ideas. If anyone is in or near Middletown, NY I would happily trade labor for some fresh Ideas..... and believe me, I am currently wondering if it would just be easier to get a crate motor and drop it in....
Thanks

Steve

 

Did you pull the belt off so you're just trying to turn the crank without the other accessories? I'd try that and if the crank STILL won't turn by hand with the plugs out then I'd think you've got a siezed motor. I'd prob try it with the trans in N too ... Don't think a TCC clutch solenod would fail in the locked position but Maybe it could??

 

draw you a line using chalk on your crank pulley and then try and turn it again....might also make sure that it is torqued properly..the bolt should not be spinning by itself unless it is loose or already trashed. the white line will help you eliminate the possibility of it not moving. another to try is disconnect the bolts from the flex-plate to the TC and try rotating again. pull valve cover to see if there is any valve train movement as well. can you take a picture of your spark plugs and post them here...up close if possible. spark plugs tell alot of stories.

 

Did you try shimming the starter? It may need to be shimmed down and is binding on the FW, that's why it isn't turning the motor over.

You don't want to break the bolt off in the crank. That's a very bad situation there.

 

OK, I am declaring this a seized motor. I do not understand how it seized, I had it running, it was not overheating, it was getting too much fuel, and the plugs reflect that, black and sooty. But I shut the motor off, not that it just stopped running. I am afraid to put much more pressure on the bolt on the crank because I think it will shear off. Next question is how do these usually seize, do they seize because of spun bearings on the crank, I have never pulled apart a small block 350. Is there a checklist online that I could work through? I appreciate everyone's help..

Thanks