I somtimes wonder if people really read the whole post before they respond. Plus this is the third time this week I have seen "Hit da startar with teh hammar" when on the subject of engine problems. Funny I dont seem to ever have to use this procedure ever in my lifetime. Back on point though, +1 to Rotary Resurrection for presenting the most likley of problems.

 

yes, thank you RotaryResurrection, you have a PM waiting for you.

 

i think it could also be a bad coolant seal! 'cause if you have enough water in the combustion chamber (area around the plugs), the rotor is trying to compress as your cranking... and water is incompressible!! could be the reason

i would at least check it: take out the spark plugs and try to crank it, or try to crank it backwards, so the water could disperse through the intake runners...

my 0.02

 

The very first thing you should do is try rotating the engine backward. Use a 19mm socket on the e-shaft bolt.

 

Yes, I did read the whole post. Yes, if a starter has a dead spot or is locked up, taping it with a hammer will, in most cases, get it past the dead spot or unlock it. It would seem to me that you have not worked on many cars if you have never had to do something like this.

If I do have to do that, I replace the starter once I get it going because the customers car will eventually do it again.

Ohh, did I mention that Fuel pumps do the same thing and by tapping the fuel tank in the same manner will also have the same effect with geting it past a dead spot in the magnet (electromagnet) ?

Kevin, another +1 for ya bro. Again, the ROTARY experts come through with a great explanation of what is more then likely the case.

 

Yeah but a dead spot on a starter wont cause the car to skid the tires when starting it from a roll. Even if the bendix screwed up or the gear is locked to the flywheel roll starting it will still allow it to turn over. Like most everyone here has agreed to, its gonna be a seized engine situation more than likely. Locked trans is out since the clutch has to be mashed to start the car, meaning it would start and run but wouldnt move when put into gear, if it would go into gear at all. Cant say Ive ever even seen or heard of a locked up tranny unless it was built incorrectly.

 

Another thing you could try is to remove all accessory belts, and also the starter. This basically eliminates all doubt as to the cause of resistance to rotation. One time I locked up my s-10's motor on the interstate and it turned out to be a bad alternator....the starter couldnt crank the engine because the alternator/belt wouldnt let it get going.

Turning the crank bolt backwards is likely just going to break the bolt loose. Even if you do force the engine to turn again, you are likely just breaking that wedged seal.

Uh...no. Water would not suddenly dump into the engine during cranking. Nor does a coolant seal that leaks a little have enough volume to hydrolock a rotary. It's quite hard to hydrolock a rotary, because of the spring-loaded nature of our seals. IF too much pressure is generated the apex seal is usually forced into the rotor and the pressure escapes around the other side. This is why we are able to dump in gulps of oil and atf with no fear of hydrolock, while even a slight amount into a piston engine can cause instant lock. I once saw a dude with a custom intake on an FC run through a water puddle about 8 inches deep, flood the car out to the point that water was coming out of the exhaust, dump in some oil and have it fire right back up.

I'm not saying it's impossible to lock one, but it's quite hard to do...you'd pretty much have to immerse the engine or intake to hydrolock it.

 

As for breaking a wedged seal, if you have to free the rotor(s) you'd probably want to replace the seals anyway because if they don't break, they're probably weakened and possibly warped/chipped.

 

...which makes it a moot discussion since it needs to come apart regardless. This is what I tell people, but a lot of people are in denial, and think they can 'save" or 'resurrect" an engine with a defect without taking it apart.

 

i agree with rotaryressurection......

just replace the motor, if the motor is seized by anything like an apex seal, the damage has already been done and the motor will not run right if you were ever successful on freeing the engine. either find a good used donor motor or buy a reman or rebuild with new or used housings. which are really your only options

 

He hasn't decided what he wants to do with it. If he decides to keep it, he is definitely going to have it rebuilt.