RE: My Turn: Engine Seized?

I'd be looking at the tranny/TQ/flexplate area.









Larry Alster



91 Miata White Knight

92 Miata Silver Bullet

92 Miata Honey B

04 MSM MX-5 Whooosh

06 WRX STi Subie



From: miatapower-bounces@???
[mailto:miatapower-bounces@???] On Behalf Of Chad J. Douglas
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 9:16 PM
To: miatapower@???
Subject: My Turn: Engine Seized?



OK, so I put the new motor into this NC. The motor turned over just fine by
hand while I was bolting the torque converter to the flexplate.

Then, we installed the engine, and I proceeded to hook everything up.

So, tonight, I had it together enough to try to start it (or at least verify
that the engine turned, etc), and all I get from the starter is a very
definate LOUD CLICK.

So I tried jumping it and charging it - no dice. Somehow, the engine is
physically locked. I cannot turn the engine from the crank bolt or by
gently prying on the flexplate teeth to turn the engine from the back side.

Tried with tranny in Park and Neutral, with and without driveshaft,

Any ideas? I'm stumped - I have no idea why this NC motor would turn over
by hand just a few days ago, and now refuses. It won't turn either
direction, although I didn't really try that hard to turn it backwards,
since I've read horror stories about bending valves on this engine if you
turn it backwards... But I would have expected it to turn a teeny bit
backward, but nothing.

It's like the motor is welded. Tomorrow, I'm going to remove the valve
cover to be sure that some tool didn't get in there when I swapped the VC
(god, I hope not!) but it's the only area of the engine that was exposed
that could possible lead to a physical lockup.

Aside from that... Any notions?






My Turn: Engine Seized?















I’d be looking at the tranny/TQ/flexplate area.

 



 

 

 

Larry Alster

 

91 Miata  White Knight

92 Miata  Silver Bullet

92 Miata  Honey B

04 MSM MX-5 Whooosh

06 WRX STi Subie



 





From:
miatapower-bounces@??? [mailto:miatapower-bounces@???] On
Behalf Of Chad J. Douglas
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 9:16 PM
To: miatapower@???
Subject: My Turn: Engine Seized?





 

OK,
so I put the new motor into this NC.  The motor turned over just fine by
hand while I was bolting the torque converter to the flexplate.

Then, we installed the engine, and I proceeded to hook everything up.  

So, tonight, I had it together enough to try to start it (or at least verify
that the engine turned, etc), and all I get from the starter is a very definate
LOUD CLICK.

So I tried jumping it and charging it — no dice.  Somehow, the
engine is physically locked.  I cannot turn the engine from the crank bolt
or by gently prying on the flexplate teeth to turn the engine from the back
side.

Tried with tranny in Park and Neutral, with and without driveshaft,  

Any ideas?  I’m stumped — I have no idea why this NC motor
would turn over by hand just a few days ago, and now refuses.  It
won’t turn either direction, although I didn’t really try that hard
to turn it backwards, since I’ve read horror stories about bending valves
on this engine if you turn it backwards...  But I would have expected it
to turn a teeny bit backward, but nothing.

It’s like the motor is welded.  Tomorrow, I’m going to remove
the valve cover to be sure that some tool didn’t get in there when I
swapped the VC (god, I hope not!) but it’s the only area of the engine
that was exposed that could possible lead to a physical lockup.

Aside from that... Any notions?