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Spun Bearing? Seized? Slow Cranking? Electical? oh my

DSMTurbo2

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 13, 2005
Messages
261
Location
Traverse City
Hello all, I am having a delema. Right now the current symptoms are:

Full batt, or jump
Car is slow or will not crank. It ties to crank but will only rotate once then stop, or will only rotate slightly and stop.
It is not the starter relay
It is not the starter or solenoid itself.

Now to the longer story. I have had a slight rattle for about two months that to me sounded like a failing TO bearing. Usual symptoms would apply, It would make noise at idle but the moment you press on the clutch pedal all would be fine. I have driven the car little on shorter trips since all this has began maybe only traveling 90 miles and back once with no changes.

I have been dialing in my mega squirt for cold weather starting so I have had numerous extended cranking times. all I can say is many many long starts.

So the other day I drove the car and noticed the TO bearing had suddenly gotten much louder, it was audible under no load conditions (as usual) but I noticed no change when i would be lightly loading the clutch pedal. Does this mean rod bearing?

I went to park the car after a very short trip, had difficulties trying to get in my parking spot (tons of ice and snow with my summer tires) so i did some revving and puling back and forth gave up to go find another spot and as i pulled away the car shut off.
I assumed it was megasquirt and just a low rpm tuning thing combined with the cold weather.

I went to turn the car back on, and the starter clicked and dimmed the lights like a dead battery. Suddenly I thought electrical problem. Went to the battery and had a ground cable that had loosened up a bit (or maybe was not installed again after constantly disconnecting power when working with the megasquirt). So with all the short trips and long cranking times the battery must be drained. So we jump it with a truck with a city powering alternator and still no change. Car tries to turn over but only once or little rotations.

Replace the starter and solenoid with one from my collection (known to be good). Charged the battery fully and still no change.


I am convinced it must be:

1. Wiring to the starter

2.Bad ground at the trunk mounted battery or around the engine/starter

3.It was a rod bearing and it got bad enough fast enough to spin and almost completely seize to the point it hardly turns over.

Anybody want to share their wisdom?

I need to get this thing to make (1) 90 mile trip ideally by Sunday and I would prefer not to do it by trailer.

I have a rebuilt engine that needs a crank and bearings sitting at my house (90 miles away) that I have no problem dropping in the car, I just need to get it there.

I am going to go make a big fat ground strap for the starter bolt to the chassis. and also go spin the motor over by hand with the plugs out to see what happens. I will report back if I make it (its about 19 degrees and snowing out right now, and I will be laying in the parking lot).

Thanks everyone

Erik
 

first go to the crank pulley and see if the engine turns over by hand, if it does not turn, take off the accesory belts and see if anything seized(alternator etc.) then spin again, if it doesnt turn over..its over.
 

curtis

Well-known member
Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
11,892
Location
Clarksville TN
Maybe a ac compressor locked up or a powersteering but the noise is a bad thing. Did you have a bad clunk clunk for a while when you got on it or let off... If so could be a worn thrust which was caused by age and heavy clutches maybe...Killed mine. You can check the trust buy shifting the crank in and out with a long stick or pry bar while some one pushes the clutch.


Sorry man. Cold weather in a parking lot sucks.
 

DSMTurbo2

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 13, 2005
Messages
261
Location
Traverse City
Yeah it is seized. That is a good idea about the power steering pump though. the engine did stop when i was making a turn (loading the pump) I will go remove the belt. AC is gone, don't think the alt would do this????

Doesn't sound good though.

hmm trailer ride or replace the offending bearing and try to make it 90 miles... hahaha, no seriously.
Thanks. Erik
 
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