Thread: New engine- Stuck

Tweet

About 5 months ago I put a fresh, remanufactured Chevy 350 into my F-body. At that time, when the engine was on the crate, it spun just fine. Fast forward 5 months, it's in the car, but I can't get it to spin. I've tried a ratchet on the crank, a pry bar on the flexplate, and even tried the starter to see if it would spin it. No dice.

Can anyone give me any advice or suggestions on where they would go from here?

pull plugs/pour some break fluid in each cyl.let stand a couple of days then spin engine break fluid will free any stuck rings and rust from cyl.

If it stayed out of the weather and you are confident it's not a rust problem or similiar, recheck the little things like flywheel bolts installed too deep. If it has something as simple as a flywheel bolt put onto a flexplate setup, it will hang on the block. Just back up recheck all the simple little things.

I noticed that you did not say that the engine turned freely AFTER you installed it-could there be a possibility that you didn't engage the Trans Pump properly when you put it together (bound up)?

I doubt that it would stick in a few months. I agree you should check what you've done since, something might have locked it up. Whatever, don't try that brake fluid trick! That stuff is sudden death on bearings, and it will get into the bearings! Use penetrating oil if it's rusted.

After looking everything over that I could think of as suggested, everything looks fine. The flexplate bolts are good, etc. The engine sat on it's crate for 5 years in a garage and spun freely. No issues at all. Put it in the car and now it's stuck in just a few months?...Which leads me to this comment-

Originally Posted by 35WINDOW

I noticed that you did not say that the engine turned freely AFTER you installed it-could there be a possibility that you didn't engage the Trans Pump properly when you put it together (bound up)?

You know what, I wasn't sure exactly how the trans/engine should be put together. I ended up using the bolts to pull them togther about the last 1" or so.
So the converter may not be seated right on the trans shaft and that could be binding it??

That's probably the problem. You may have damaged the torque converter and other parts as well.....

Originally Posted by ceh383

.. You may have damaged the torque converter and other parts as well.....

Well considering that, I feel the need for a "cold beverage" coming on early- even for a Friday.

Before I go and pull the eng/trans apart, please everyone let me know what you think about this being the problem.
Thanks,
Mike

Mike,

Not saying that this could be all of your problem, but it certainly could be one of them, and it is not a cheap fix-there is the possiblity that you have damaged the front pump as well-it probably needs to come out and be inpected-while you are at it you can see if it turns over-good luck, if you don't have the ability it probably needs to go to a Transmission Shop-

edit: Denny and I posted at the same time-I would try Denny's idea first!

Thanks guys.
I have 2 long bolts that will fit into the eng. block threads. From what I read quickly in another post I can hopefully use them to guide the trans back and keep it in place with a jack underneath of it. After I get the eng/trans seperated some, I'll try and spin the engine.
If it spins, how do I properly reassemble the trans to the engine?
I guess I should unbolt the converter from the flexplate and seat it all the way back on the trans shaft. Then bring the trans and converter as one up to the engine block. Sound good?

Make sure that you put trans fluid in the converter and seat it into the trans pump before bolting to flex plate.

Sounds like a plan.
Thanks a lot Denny and everyone for all the advice and suggestions. If this works I'll owe you all a beer

Originally Posted by MT79

If this works I'll owe you all a beer

Is there a delivery charge??? ...joe

It worked. No telling yet if I did any damage to the pump the first time around, but the engine and trans are spinning nice and freely w/ no noise.

Good call 35WINDOW. You saved me alot of aggrevation, I was thinking the engine internals were stuck. Thanks again.

Now I have to work on those beers ....