Hi folks. I'm re-assembling a 71 beetle that I bought in pieces. The engine did seem to turn freely when it was out. Now that it is back in the car however, it doesn't seem to crank over very well.
I have tried a new starter, and checked all the earth straps. The pinion bush looks OK, and there is a relay connected for the solenoid activation.
How hard should it be to turn the engine by hand using a spanner on the main pulley? It doesn't turn at all now, even with the spark plugs removed and using a really decent amount of force. I've poured a small amount of wd40 in each bore as well.
I've never seen the engine running so suspect it may be dead.
Thanks in advance!
Gary
matberry ·
With all the sparkplugs out it should be able to be turned quite easily, especially at TDC it should be perfectly free to rock the pulley back and forth an inch or so.....if all is well. If it turned ok before installation maybe the trans is 6 volt and you have a 12 volt flywheel or lots of foreign material in the bell housing or something completely different is wrong lol .
DylanTheDubber ·
Yeah you will find when sparps plugs are out you have no compresion so its easy to turn. But im thinking theres something not right with the flywheel causeing it to not turn. Hope this helps.
Dean1974 ·
GaryFranks wrote:Hi folks. I'm re-assembling a 71 beetle that I bought in pieces. The engine did seem to turn freely when it was out. Now that it is back in the car however, it doesn't seem to crank over very well.
I have tried a new starter, and checked all the earth straps. The pinion bush looks OK, and there is a relay connected for the solenoid activation.
How hard should it be to turn the engine by hand using a spanner on the main pulley? It doesn't turn at all now, even with the spark plugs removed and using a really decent amount of force. I've poured a small amount of wd40 in each bore as well.
I've never seen the engine running so suspect it may be dead.
Thanks in advance!
Gary
Dean1974 ·
Hi, I had very similar problem here when i replaced engine mounts bolts were little bit too long and i had to cut them so there is enough clearance between flywheel and bolts. Hope this might help let me know cheers Dean
greedy53 ·
i know this will sound stupid, but my timing was out a lot, this was on a motor that i had no idea if it was ok, as soon as it was static timed it turned over easy,
Joel ·
could be lots of things on an unknown engine thats been sitting for a while, stuck valves, siezing rings, to thick shims etc
even if it did run i'd be pulling it down for a looksee at the very least
GaryFranks ·
Looks like the engine really is seized...
I pulled the engine out, removed plugs, generator belt etc and it is jammed tight.
Given the minimal amount of spare time I have I'll be looking for an engine rebuilder.
Any suggestions (North west of Melbourne)?
Thanks all.
G
ancientbugger ·
Have you tried turning it by hand with the flywheel removed?