[MR2] Ongoing problem, will not start, mk2T, 3rd gen-UPDATE

[Kurt Krueger]

Apr 13, 2010 07:37:03 AM, chrissul at comporium.net wrote:

>
>removed the alternator belt, alternator spins freely.  Cannot turn the crank 
>
>by hand clockwise, can turn counterclockwise about 1/2 a turn(180 degrees) 
>maybe..not quite that much.  it also emits a squeak when I do that.  Can 
>then turn back to the original position.  I cannot turn it very far in 
>either direction, honestly.  180 degrees is probably optimistic.
>
>like I said, car ran PERFECTLY FINE, has oil (1500 miles, mobil 1 every 
>3000-3500 miles), coolant, etc.   until the morning it fired and died.
>
>Car is out of gear, plugs are out,
>
>So what should I do next?

Not likely anything dropped into A cylinder.  If a piston was hitting something, you'd
have about 360 degrees of rotation back and forth.  To get only 180 it would have
to involve two cylinders.

I take it you don't get any metallic sounding clunk when it hits the end of travel.
If something was being hit internally, you might be able to hear it when it
makes contact and get a clue what/where it is.

Water pump uses a centrifugal impeller.  It's not likely to have a definite
range of motion like you experience.  Oil pumps use gears to move
oil (at least most do).  A broken tooth could behave like you observe.

If it were my engine, I'd continue like you did with the alternator.  Start eliminating
things that turn.  Anything else turned by a belt, then distributor, then remove
the timing covers and deal with the timing belt (3rd gen does have a timing belt,
right?).

I hope you find something.  If you do all the above an it still won't turn, you've got
something internal to the engine.  Like a thrown rod.