engine wont turn over after clutch job

[Nikita]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone ever had this issue and could provide some insight.

After two days of toiling over the car, the engine is in and everything seems to be hooked up right.

There is no oil in the engine and I tried to turn it over with the starter, without the fuel relay. I turned the key, the engine jerked, but did not turn over. I am stuck now, please help.

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Details for the brave:

I hooked up the harness, hooked up a wire to the rectangular box with fins between the accumulator and the fuse box. This thing has two places for a wire, mine was only hooked up with one wire, underneath this box. (I should probably look up what it does)

There is a white plastic connector and a black triangular connector that are now back in place. There is a flat black connector with 3 connections inside that I dont know how to hook up, I dont think it was connected to anything, but I could be wrong.

I connected two wires to the positive starter connection, the nut is tight. I also connected another small wire to the starter, is it possible that I connected this wrong, felt like there was another connection up there for this small wire?

The back up light and accel linkage are the only things not connected.

Any ideas?

Thank You

[Wayne 962]

You need oil for the car to turn over. Not having oil in it is very bad, even if you're just cranking it with the starter.

Pull the plugs and see if it makes it any easier. Then report back...

-Wayne

[Nikita]

Wayne,

I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope it's not something serious. Your book and your parts led me though the project no prob.

Thanks again.

[Grady Clay]

Did you have the clutch off? If so, I’ll speculate you used an incorrect length bolt that holds the pressure plate onto the flywheel. It protrudes out the back of the flywheel and interferes with the ribs on the case.

2c

What did you do while the engine was out?

Best,
Grady

[Rot 911]

I think Grady has pointed out exactly what you did wrong. Don't feel bad, lots of people have done the same thing. Unfortunately calls for an engine drop.

[john walker's workshop]

you're sure the release fork mated up with the throwout bearing, right?

[cstreit]

...also make sure you installed the washer on the trans side of the flywheel instead of the engine side. First time I saw this someone thought it was a spacer. Pushed the flywheel out and into the case.

[ZOA NOM]

I did this by leaving the outer ring (with teeth for the starter) off the new clutch. I forgot to take it off the old one. When I tried to mount the pressure plate assembly, the bolts were all too long and bottomed out in the block. Tore my hair out until it hit me. I found it before I tried to turn it over though.

[Nikita]

Thanks everyone for your kind replies.

I am pretty sure that I installed the flywheel washer correctly. It fit right into the tranny side of the fly wheel. I rubber-hammered the pilot bearing into the flywheel from the back (engine side) of the flywheel, there was a groove in the back of the flywheel for the pilot bearing lip.

I got new pressure plate bolts from pelican and did not compare them to old bolts. However, I tried to turn the engine with a wrench when it was mated, but not bolted. I got about 1/5 turn backwards and it felt just like the turns when I tightened the fly wheel (before I locked the flywheel). I also remember tightening the pressure plate with it spinning, so bolt length is not an issue.

I had the ring gear on correctly, I matched the marks from the balancer. (paid $90 for machine and blance of flywheel together with pressure plate and ring gear)

There is a small chance of me putting the flywheel washer on wrong, but I remember having trouble lining up the washer and flywheel with the holes and not touching the flywheel surface (cleaned later with brake fluid), so I am pretty sure I had the washer in the front.

I have not strapped the clutch cable on, perhaps if I play with the pedal the engine will release--maybe the release fork is binding.

I am out of ideas and will pull back the engine if playing with the clutch does not work.

BTW, I tinkered with the engine for 2 hours, took a break, pulled back a little and that baby slid on like butter.

Thanks for all the help, ideas and jokes appreciated.

[john walker's workshop]

so, when it slid on like butter, were you sure that the fork entered the throwout bearing properly?

[Nikita]

The reason I pulled back the engine was to make sure the fork went in correctly. I angled the fork at about 45-55 deg toward the bearing, it would have slid into place when I slid the engine on.

I think the fork is the most questionable area at this point. I hope I can get more insigh once I connec the clutch cable.

[cowtown]

(longshot) - since you are not releasing the clutch when you're trying all this, you're sure the transmission is in neutral, right?

[john walker's workshop]

you need to actually see the fork engage the bearing, using a mirror and flashlight thru the hole in the bellhousing, driver side top area. setting the fork at an angle where you think it should engage doesn't work.

[Kurt B]

Okay, so how would you test this operation before you put everything back together and tried it?
I don't how many little dudes Wayne put next to a clutch job in the book, but it sure sounds like a 9 dude job to me just from what I read around here.

[tshih]

One other thing some people forget to reconnect the ground strap from the tranny to the body after an engine drop. That will affect the starter getting a good ground and pulling enough power to turn the engine. Also check voltage of battery (it may be that simple). Always try the easiest things first before suspecting the worst.

[Nikita]

I think you guys have narrowed it down to two things:

1. Bad tranny angle. I have to tighten the cross member, but I never actually took it completely off. Maybe the starter is at a bad angle

2. Clutch release fork is not aligned right (I am guessing this is it)

Thanks all. I will post back the results of my project.

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by Nikita
I tried to turn the engine with a wrench when it was mated, but not bolted. I got about 1/5 turn backwards and it felt just like the turns when I tightened the fly wheel (before I locked the flywheel).

I also remember tightening the pressure plate with it spinning, so bolt length is not an issue.

.

so you were able to spin the engine when you were tightning the flywheel & pressure plate. So that means everything was spinning clockwise when you were tightning clockwise.

a wild guess is that you threw the timing chain ?

ps:

Originally posted by cowtown
(longshot) - since you are not releasing the clutch when you're trying all this, you're sure the transmission is in neutral, right?

Huh ?

[cowtown]

Originally posted by RoninLB

ps:

Huh ?

Low battery + handbrake on + transmission in gear + clutch cable not attached = no start.
Just a thought.

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by cowtown

Just a thought.

I wasn't questioning you.

I was wondering if Nikita took you seriously.

[Nikita]

I took the post from Colin seriously. I will try to release the clutch after connecting the cable and see where that takes me.

The engine spun up to the point of mating but not bolting down.

Please dont tell me it's a timing chain.....

Thanks all.