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

[Chris]

that is actualy something I feared.  I have honestly been really gentle on 
the engine, very few high rpm runs, easy on the clutch, good oil, etc.  I 
can't imagine a rod broke just from starting the car.

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Donald Chalfant" <dkchal at datasync.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 12:20 PM
To: <waynearndt at waynearndt.com>; <mr2 at mr2.com>
Subject: Re: [MR2] Ongoing problem, will not start, mk2T, 3rd gen-UPDATE

>
>  I've had broken rods and pistons bind things up but never a silent one. 
> If there is any movement possible (I've have frozen solid too but only in 
> motorcycles) Always some clanking or grinding sounds accompanied with a 
> little movement. You do have to tell all your chattering friends standing 
> on the sideline to shut up.
>
>  Take my comments a little as a grain of salt because I'm not as
>  mechanically inclined as I'd like, but this is scaring me as I envision 
> him
>  turning the crank until the shaft itself hits a broken rod which has
>  dropped to the bottom of the cylinder...I hope I'm wrong!!
>
>  -wayne
>  '91 Turbo T
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  On Tue, 13 Apr 2010 10:00:47 -0500 (CDT), Kurt Krueger
>  <telek2 at verizon.net>
>  wrote:
>  > 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.
>  >
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