1996 LT4 Won't Start
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1st Gear
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 1
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1996 LT4 Won't Start
I have just recently purchased a 1996 LT4 Corvette that had been sitting for a couple of months. It was not running at the time of purchase but I was told by the previous owner that the motor and trans had been completely rebuilt. I later on heard from a local mechanic that the motor had been extensively built at one point. My problem now is I can't get the car to even crank over. I have broken two snap-on breaker bars trying to turn the hub and no luck at all. Is there any tips or tricks I can do to possibly get it broke loose? Or do I just pull the engine and rebuild it?
Zen Vet Master Level VII
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 5,218
Likes: 1,174
From: Southlake, TX
Dobler- WAY to many variable to consider as you bought a non operating engine that was rumored to have been rebuilt-- anything is now possible. If you cant even get the engine to rotate, that is a problem. Take out all the spark plugs (to remove compression pressure) and with a known battery try to spin the engine. If the starter will not spin, try your breaker bar idea again but DO NOT force super hard. The engine should spin even if you grabbed the belts by hand and pulled on them. If you can spin the engine, the starter need to be looked at.
Now, if your engine will not spin at all, you have obvious "binding" issues in the engine. With out a rebuild (that may come later) you will need to take the front end of the engine apart and remove timing chain to move the crank independent from the cam in order to further isolate the problem. One or both may spin. If your crank spins but not the cam, you can easily (more or less) pull the cam and work on the top half of your engine (you could have a binding valve/rocker arm/spring that you could sort out. If the crank wont spin, time to pop the engine out and start from the bottom up.
Now, if your engine will not spin at all, you have obvious "binding" issues in the engine. With out a rebuild (that may come later) you will need to take the front end of the engine apart and remove timing chain to move the crank independent from the cam in order to further isolate the problem. One or both may spin. If your crank spins but not the cam, you can easily (more or less) pull the cam and work on the top half of your engine (you could have a binding valve/rocker arm/spring that you could sort out. If the crank wont spin, time to pop the engine out and start from the bottom up.
