Engine Locked Up

[n_i_c_k]

Working on my brother in-laws 91 integra gs. It's been parked for a little over a year because of a bad distributor. We diagnosed the distributor back in October and the engine had been cranking fine and haven't really bothered it since. So, I get the new distributor put in, and it wont crank. The starter is fine. I can't even get the thing to move at the crank pully even with leverage and torque. He's got a lot invested in it already like forged rods and pistons. I'd hate to have to tare it apart. Any suggestions on freeing it up without pulling the motor would be much appreciated. Thanks

 

[phinattic]

pull your plugs and pour automatic transmission fluid into the cylinders let it sit over night then try to turn the motor with the plugs still out.

 

[n_i_c_k]

We had tried some SeaFoam DeepCreep and let that sit in there over night and it still did not budge even with the plugs out. I do have the crank pully tool to assure I'm turning crank and not just the pully bolt. We've gone as far as pushing the car and dropping the clutch to see if that will break it loose. I'm starting to think we'll need a donor engine to swap so I can tare this one down. But I'll try the transmission fluid out. Unless anyone else has a suggestion.

 

[JobotDestroy]

your going to be better off tearing it down to be honest. with aftermarket internals your going to want to protect your investmemt and tear it down and find out what the issue is. im not going to lie you wont like what you find. did the car run before sitting? was it properly broke in after the internals where installed? hows the oil look?

 

[n_i_c_k]

It ran and drove great for 3 years after being built. It got parked after it died. It was cranking fine well over 6 months after. Thats how we diagnosed the coil and ignitor were both shot in the distributor and finally got around to replacing it. It belongs to my brother in-law and the military had him too busy to work on it. Oil looks good, and smells fine. No oil in coolant or coolant in oil. No metal filings or fragments in oil. I can only guess that moisture made its way into the combustion chamber and created a ring on the cylinder walls. What do you mean by not liking what I'm going to find?

 

[JobotDestroy]

It ran and drove great for 3 years after being built. It got parked after it died. It was cranking fine well over 6 months after. Thats how we diagnosed the coil and ignitor were both shot in the distributor and finally got around to replacing it. It belongs to my brother in-law and the military had him too busy to work on it. Oil looks good, and smells fine. No oil in coolant or coolant in oil. No metal filings or fragments in oil. I can only guess that moisture made its way into the combustion chamber and created a ring on the cylinder walls. What do you mean by not liking what I'm going to find?

It really just depends. sounds like it may have gotten bone dry from sitting. sounds like it was taken care of though. was the car left outside or garaged? if inside very unlikely its moisture (which would be rust more then likely on the pistons and rings). you can try the transmission fluid but again sounds like he like he has some money in the engine. it would be best to just tear it down, have the cylinders rehoned and checked. may have to replace the rings more then likely from the sounds of it. even if you do get it turning again it could cause more expensive problems down the road. just thinking of protecting his investment for the least amount of $$$$ inthe long run. I really hope this helps and good luck

 

[n_i_c_k]

Thanks JobotDestroy. I'll definently take that in consideration if transmission fluid gets me nowhere. I'll try and update if I find something out. Thanks

 

[maddogg20]

heres what id do.

I have had to fix my fair share of locked up engines. I have a jet boat and with water injected headers on my and all my friends boats this issue is quite common when they sit over the winter.

First pull all the spark plugs out. Id put some marvel mystery oil down each plug hole, id put about 3 oil quart cap fulls down each one, and let it sit over night. I would use a little piece of clear vinly tubing so that it goes down into the hole instead of coating the spark plug tube. I have never had an engine that the mystery oil wouldnt loosen up. I would remove the timing belt so that way you can eliminate the top end being locked up as the reason that it wont turn. Then put the socket on the crank pulley, and try to rock the engine back and forth, clockwise and counter clockwise, and if you are able to get it to budge, make sure that you start to rotate it in a clockwise direction. Keep it going until it eases up, or the valves touch the pistons. DO NOT FORCE IT AS YOU WILL BEND THE VALVES! Once you have freed it up, re-install the timing belt and time the engine, rotate it over multiple times, keep going until it gets easier and easier. I would then drain the oil and replace the filter. I would then add new oil and put a cheapo filter on. Disable the ignition and crank the motor over and over until the low oil light on the dash goes off. After that replace the spark plugs with new ones, re-enable the ignition and fire it up. There will probably be a slight ridge of rust on the top of the cylinder but after cranking it before you let it fire up, it will have broken the ridge down and when you light the motor up with spark, it will blow all the crap out of the head and down the exhaust. Dont be alarmed if the engine smokes for a bit after you fire it up as you have all that remaining mystery oil left that will burn off. Listen for knocks and rattles, and if you dont have any then your home free

Hope this helps,
Andy