Engine Seized?
 

Hey Guys, I really need your help on this one...

You may have seen my post awhile back about a new starter not working. Well I think I found out why the starter isn't turning the engine over. The engine seems to be "seized". Now, I have heard that wankels can't seize so I put that in quotes in case anyone would take offense at my use of such a word!

SYMPTOMS:

When I go to start the car I get a grinding noise.

In gear, on jackstands, e-brake off the wheels will spin but the driveshaft will not. It will only jiggle back and forth slightly when I change directions with the wheel.

Pipe wrench to the driveshaft in gear will not budge it. It absolutely will not move.

Push start failed. We rolled up to a pretty good speed and I dumped it in second and NOTHING. The car skidded to a very solid hault.

So, what's the deal? Is my engine dead? What happened?!! It was working fine and then it started cranking real slow... and then slower... until it just doesn't crank at all anymore.

Also, I exchanged my new starter for another new one. The starter is working fine. Battery is fine as well. It seems like a mechanical problem to me.

Suggestions?

Cheers,
Cody

Time to pull the transmission. You've already got a problem obviously, so something's gotta come out. Pull the trans to see if it's the clutch or engine. ROTARIES CAN SIEZE. I don't know who told you this, but they're full of it. They have bearings just like everything else does.

You have an open differential by the way. The driveshaft will not move if you spin one wheel, since the other wheel will spin in the opposite direction.

Interestingly enough my wheels both spin in the same direction... not opposite directions. If that helps you at all.

I'm going to drain the oil soon and see if there are any metal flakes in there. I'll keep you posted.

I greatly dislike removing the transmission on this car... ugh... been there, done that, need better tools. LOL

What's weird is that the engine didn't seize while I was driving. It was like something was getting tighter and tighter every time I started it up until finally it just stopped spinning. It drove fine, it was just starting it up kept getting tougher and tougher until it just stopped about a month ago.

Thanks for the advice. Keep it comin'.

Cheers,
Cody

put it in neutral and using a 19mm on the front pulley see if the motor turns.

it should spin pretty easily, if not you have a problem.

^ Agreed. Don't mess with the transmission/driveshaft/rear end if you think there's a problem with the engine. Go right to the source, and try to spin the engine from the main pulley.

^ That is what I was about to say. It's possible too that you have an accsesory that is bound up. So remove he belts and see if the the engine spins. I've heard horror stories of things like that. lol. Good luck and hope you figure it out

Funny, I was about to repost that exact thing. It sounded like a broken clutch at first, but I've ran into a siezed alternator before (old saturn I worked on). I unbolted the torque converter to see if it was the engine/trans, turns out the engine would spin backwards, but not forwards. Take off belts and see if one of the pulleys is seized.

Apex seals can wear in such a way (shorten and concave on the side) that they can cock in the apex seal groove and act like a wedge. Happened on an s5 block I tore down from the junk yard. It would turn one way but not the other. Housings, bearings and rotors were fine.

You could pull the exhaust mani and check each seal for movement in the groove through the ports.

of course the motor can seize...either from total bearing failure or a cracked apex/side seal.

i'm going to say the motor is toast.

I am going to try this when I get home from work today.

Which bolt are you talking about? The big one on the alternator pulley?

I will also drain my oil, check for metal, check and see if an accessory has seized and unbolt the tranny if I have to.

Thanks for the advice guys.

Cheers,
Cody

no the big bolt on the crank pulley. not alternator.. not water pump.. not power steering pump.. not a/c... not air pump... crank pulley. its the one in the center and at the bottom of the engine.

if you cant find it then you should probably take it to a shop.. but if you do find it.. loosen all the belts, and take out spark plugs and it should spin retarded easy. let us know what you find

main pulley, although a non seized engine usually turns by the alternator too.

I'm guessing I have to get at it from underneath the car? I was picturing from above.

I will take the belts off and the spark plugs out and see if she spins. Thanks.

Cheers,
Cody

stop working so hard! just open the hood and put a socket on the big bolt!

if it doesnt spin THEN loosen the belts...

Belts off, spark plugs out and she still isn't turning. I've broken one 3/8 to 1/2 adapter bit and one 3/8 ratchet just trying to turn her over. (8 foot cheater bar... enough said...)

I'm going to get some carb cleaner and spray it inside the engine and try again some time with a 1/2 19mm, maybe an impact gun...

But basically I don't know what happened to her. She was running fine and then one day she just started getting tighter and tighter until she decided she was done forever...

R.I.P. Rexy (A.K.A. "Joanie")

Cheers,
Cody

I wonder if somehow the transmission is bound up in gear. Something similar happened to an S5 I had. Car would start if you held in the clutch pedal but as soon as you let it out it would die. Could not turn over the engine and the shifter would not change gears.

The Shifter sounds right and all the gears are where they should be... I know she rolls in neutral... at this point I'm done with her. I put an offer up on the South Classifieds here on RX7club.

$2,000 OBO for a beautiful roller.

If I can't get around $2k out of her then I'll just keep her in my garage and make her a project car while we save for a new daily driver. She's worth more to me in sentimental value than she will be worth to most others.

Here's the sale thread FYI: https://www.rx7club.com/south-sale-wanted-classifieds-152/1988-s4-fc-sale-custom-paint-17-wheels-exhaust-new-tires-%242-000-obo-884348/

I may part her out as well, it just depends on whether or not I can get $2k out of her in parts.

Cheers,
Cody

When you tried, was the trans in neutral? If not you would have been fighting the brakes. Give that a shot, or if you doubt the trans, put a brick on the clutch.

Doing that, it wont budge left or right?

his motor is shot... cranking slower and slower... check your oil and see if there's any even in there, if you've got no oil, you've toasted your bearings. if you oil level is fine, you could try to use a mirror and look inside the intake. good luck for her at 2000, i see alot of running FC NA's go for less then that.

Cranking speed is not a good indicator of engine condition.

but it is an indication that the engine is locking up.

a breaker bar on the front main bolt and tranny in neutral it should turn fine in both directions, if not then it dropped a seal out of the rotor groove or the bearings have siezed up due to lubrication issues.

I agree, she probably isn't worth anywhere close to $2,000. If I don't get any takers I'll just keep her and make her a long-term project in my garage.

Oh and just FYI I made sure the Trans was in neutral before I started trying to crank on her.

Cheers,
Cody