Socket in the Bellhousing..OH MY GOD!! THIS was my problem?!?!?!

[Thom71GT]

Well, with the help of Steve, (another opeler here) I ALMOST got my car started. It was turning over a quick Bbrulhaha every once in a while. Then.......all of a sudden. A horrible schreech and then nothing.

The starter clicked but the engine wouldnt turn. I took the plugs out to relieve any pressure and then I climbed under the car and tried to turn in over manually and could not. Am I screwed or what???

What would be the next logical thing to check? The valves???


Signed,

Frustrated in Georgia

Thom

[oldopelguy]

For a little more background, the starter was rebuilt and reinstalled. Once the battery cable got a good connection the motor turned over fine, but with no spark. The ignition switch seems to be not working, so a remote starter is attached and the coil was hot-wired.
The point gap was roughly set, and there was spark at the plugs. When the motor turned it didn't quite want to "catch." The timing was then retarded some to ease starting and some gas was added down the carb. Then the motor fired, and but died coming up to idle. On a reattempt, the motor just stopped, and now doesn't want to turn.
It sounded so promising too!
Are we missing something obvious that would suddenly sieze the motor? My Kadett did the same thing back in '94, and it was a broken ring. Does anyone know of something else that would be easy to fix without a motor tear down that Thom could check? I'm at my wit's end too!

[RallyBob]

This is not necessarily your scenario, but twice I've seen engines with the same problem, and it turned out to be a small bolt that fell under the camshaft and stopped the engine from turning over. One guy even went and put a breaker bar on the crank pulley, and ended up pushing the bolt through the head, right into the water jacket!

Bob

[Thom71GT]

Ok, here is my theory. When I removed the spark plugs, the fourth one, (one closest to the firewall) had oil all over it. Hmmmm, what causes oil to get on plugs? Bad ring.

Even though I had the engine rebuilt with new rings, because of the long storage, it possible that one ring got weakened from rust and then finally broke and jammed up the cylendar.

Well, looks like a rebuild is on the horizon. This triple rum and coke has reinforced that decision. Has anyone got an engine mount holder thingy they want to sell cheap?

Im drowning my sorrows. You all have NO idea what this car means to me. I've had it since I was 3.

[RallyBob]

Hopefully it's not so serious. But either way, cheers!

Bob

[Thom71GT]

Maybe I didnt seize up my engine but maybe its something stuck in my flywheel. Ill push it forward out of my garage in neutral and then have someone push it backward and then Ill have it in gear (rev) and let off the clutch and see if that doesnt unstick it.

I figure if that doesnt work then Im screwed anyway and will have to yank the motor.
Suggestions? Ideas? Opinions? Insults?

[BQS4]

Thom;
If you can't manually turn the motor over by a wrench on the crank pulley nut, I'm afraid it might be serious. One thing it could be is the timing chain breaking. That just involves taking the valve cover off and seeing if you can lift the chain off the cam gear.
Gene

[Thom71GT]

Wouldnt it be unlikely for the chain to break though? I've pretty much decided to yank the motor and rebuild it.

Anyone within 100 miles of Atlanta......Lets have a "Yank Thom's Motor Party"

Ill buy the beer (Only good beer...uh..homebrew, microbrews, scotch ales, english bitters etc.....) and we can yank my motor in a morning. Ill rebuild the motor and then we can have a "Put Thom's motor back in Party"

[Thom71GT]

Well.......pulled the head this weekend and no broken valves. Gene helped me ALOT, (THANKS) and looks like its time to drop this puppy and see what really is going on. Looks like I need a new water pump. No biggie, and Gene talked me into converting my water choked weber into an electric one, so those parts are already in route. Anyone else done that? I bought the rejet kit too to give me some more HP so I hope I made the right decision on that.

This week I am going to photograph the engine compartment and take notes and then drop the puppy. Maybe I threw a rod? Who knows. Ill keep you all informed.

[Thom71GT]

Gene Gene Gene, oh thank you Gene for coming over and helping me this evening.

Well folks, as some of might know, I heard the horrible Kruchsksk noise after trying to start my car after many years in storage. Sounded like the end of the world. Well, we dropped the motor this evening. After we had the thing out we started to take off the transmission and low and behold, out pops a damn 15mm socket!!!! I look inside the bell housing and there are two holes that have been ripped through it from this damn socket.

Well, good news is I don't have to tear down my block. I can just start putting it back together and get it running again. Bad news is, I need a new clutch plate and throwout bearing.

Oh well.......Thats the update for now. Ill let you know howelse it goes.

Anyone have a spare shock tower cover?

[Dan]

So its time to pull off your flywheel and have it machined for a S10 clutch then?
You should have it turned anyhow for the new clutch and I always replace the pressure plate and bearing at the same time. Would cost you a little more in machining but thats about it.

[Thom71GT]

I already have my parts for a new GT clutch on the way. Whats the advantage of switching to an s-10 clutch? Probably besides cost?

[Dan]

upgrades to a stiffer pressure plate and about 1" larger diameter, I think the stock one is like 8 or 8.5" and the s-10 is 9.5" I think. Allows more power to be put to the ground. Replacement parts are more readily available and less expensive.

[ben]

i just got done rebuiling the head on my gt and if you have the head off you should be able to see what when wrong did you try pushing on the top of the pistons too see if you can move them on my first gt had a bad head gasket and rod kock when i pulled the had i was able push down on the pistons and tell the wich one was bad