engine locked up

leosonja · Feb 19, 2011

I am a new forum user. 1st time thread user. I have a 02 is300 that was involved in a front end accident(minor). Damaged parts: hood,grill, radiator, fans, condenser, radiator cross frame, power steering pulley, drive belt and misc. plastic intake parts. My problem is that after replacing drive belt, ps unit, I wanted to start the engine. I decided to turn the engine over using the crank pulley bolt and found that the engine would only turn about 30degrees before hitting something..sounded like a metallic stop. I turned it back counter clockwise and again only 30degrees, then stopped with the same metallic stop. I have not had the timing belt off. I cannot see anything on the exterior of the engine keeping it from turning. Sounds intenal, but not sure if its the top(head) or lower(crank) area. Any thoughts?

-Tom- · Feb 19, 2011

take the upper timing cover off, from there you can tell if the cams are even close to being in time with the crank (the accessory drive pulley has a line on it that you can compare with the lower timing cover)

From there if it appears in time I would pull all the spark plugs and make sure something didnt break off into one of the cylinders.

leosonja · Feb 19, 2011

Thanks Tom. Prior to doing what you have mentioned, is there anything in the cam to crank timing that will cause this metallic stoppage? If the cam is out of time with the crank, where would the metal to metal occur? I concur that something might have gotten into the intake during the accident and ended up being sucked thru a valve and ending up on top of a piston. Just need to know if problem is upper or lower.

-Tom- · Feb 20, 2011

Once you've identified that the engine is in time the only REAL way to see if something is in the cylinder is to either A: shine a light down into the cylinder and see it OR B: get a boroscope and...peek around.

-Tom- · Feb 20, 2011

Also make sure something isnt jamming up the alternator or other accessories.

leosonja · Feb 20, 2011

I removed the timing belt, and retimed it using the info in the service manual. Both cams turn freely, crank still goes only 30degrees. I guess my next step is to pull the head and look for something that is keeping the piston from going all the way up. Drive belt was removed earlier so alternator and other assessories were disconnected.

nipplepinch · Feb 22, 2011

Did you look at your oil pan? if it is dented it may stop the crank.

chris is300 · Feb 22, 2011

might sound crazy but check around the flywheel who know if something got jammed up good luck

engine locked up

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