How can I tell if engine is seized ????

[Jamal Bryant]

T900 16v, Long story continuing from a previous thread. We are having trouble getting the starter to engage. Tried to hot wire the starter to a good battery and nothing. No clicks, no action, nothing. We assume the starter (or solenoid) is dead. We want to eliminate the possibility that the engine is some how seized. (my buddies brother was the last person to drive the car 1 year ago before it died on him, and his report of what happened is unreliable).

So, I'm thinking I should be able to put the car in neutral, put a long breaker bar on the crankshaft and turn the engine manually to prove its not seized. The problem is that I can't figure out where or how to do this? There does not seem to be any room from the drivebelt side to put a breaker bar.

Am I offbase here? If someone wanted to hand crank a T900, how would they do it? The Bentley manual didn't help, because all of thier engine stuff involved removing it from the car.

[Albert Trout]

Jack up one wheel. Put it in 5th and turn the jacked wheel. Alternatively put it neutral and turn it on the crank pulley.

[ShadowWorks]

Did the engine run out of oil? thats pretty much the best way to seize an engine.

Is your clutch cover removed? you can remove all the spark plugs and turn the flywheel by hand, I don't think its the engine, you must be able to get the starter to turn and the solenoid to click forward out the car first.

[Jamal Bryant]

Originally Posted by Albert Trout

Jack up one wheel. Put it in 5th and turn the jacked wheel. Alternatively put it neutral and turn it on the crank pulley.

I like the jack up one wheel in 5th idea. Regarding the crank pulley, how do you get access to it? From up top? or from underneath the car? Anyone know what sized bolt on the crank pulley? 19mm?

[philjohnhb]

Or take the spark plugs out, put it in gear and see if the car will move when pushed.

[Jamal Bryant]

Originally Posted by ShadowWorks

Did the engine run out of oil? thats pretty much the best way to seize an engine.

Is your clutch cover removed? you can remove all the spark plugs and turn the flywheel by hand, I don't think its the engine, you must be able to get the starter to turn and the solenoid to click forward out the car first.

No, didn't run out of oil (dip stick is full). If I remove the clutch cover, will it give me access to turn the flywheel? Do I need to remove all spark plugs to crank the engine manually?

[TheRedBaron]

Originally Posted by Jamal Bryant

No, didn't run out of oil (dip stick is full). If I remove the clutch cover, will it give me access to turn the flywheel? Do I need to remove all spark plugs to crank the engine manually?

Well it'll make your life easier...with them out there is no compression to give resistance. This way you won't confuse resistance from compression with resistance from seizure.

[SteveTheFolkie]

actually, if you pull the plugs you should be able to rotate the engine using the AC belt (assuming you've got the gearbox in neutral!) -

[900t]

You can just put the car in neutral, and using a flat blade screwdriver (a fairly large one), stick it in the teeth of the flywheel and rotate the engine a few degrees. It's really slow and tedious to get a full revolution but you can move it very easily without moving anything.

[SecondmessiaH]

hmmm, on rx-7s you just reach down and try turning the crank pully. . . i dont suppose that works does it?

[Jamal Bryant]

Originally Posted by 900t

You can just put the car in neutral, and using a flat blade screwdriver (a fairly large one), stick it in the teeth of the flywheel and rotate the engine a few degrees. It's really slow and tedious to get a full revolution but you can move it very easily without moving anything.

Yeah, I tried this and could not get any movement. As a previous poster mentioned, I'm not sure if it was resistence from compression (spark plugs were still in engine) or resistence from seizure. I'm gonna pull the plugs as recommended above and try to turn the A/C belt and or jack up a wheel with car in 5th gear.

[TheRedBaron]

If the car is in neutral, you should still be able to turn the engine, although it will give resistance. You should also be able to roll the car in 5th.

[SteveTheFolkie]

curious - have you tried giving the starter a whack with a hammer while someone else holds the key to the "start" position? This is nice for a couple reasons - one - I like whacking things with hammers, two it can inspire a dying starter motor to give just one more shot.


Also - check your battery - my sons '88 had the symptoms of "nothing from the starter" - radio came on, everything else seemed to work - but there just weren't enough amps dancing through the wires to make the starter do anything -

Best of luck

Steve