Locked Up 3.2 Transplant Help!!!!!

[p930man]

Locked up 3.2 transplant, whats up?

I just installed a 3.2 in my 1976 Targa. I followed the well written article from
one of Pelican Parts articles. The engine is a used unit with about 70k. It was
matched up to a g-50 trans. Hence, I had to change out fly wheel. pilot bearing,
total clutch assembly to fit my 915. Using Wyans well written book 101 thing to
do to your Porsche, I changed out the recommended seal bearing, gaskets etc.
I check the adjustment on the valves and found only one slitly tight. When adjusting
the valves I turned the motor over by hand, it had great compression. The plugs
where changed out and Marvelous Mystery oil added to the cyclinders because
this has been a on going project aprox 6 months. I also had to buy a new outer ring gear before mating engine. I tried to start the engine several nights ago, after
I pulled it out of my garage because of obvious fear of burning down the house and shop, I don't think the wife would like the excittment of fire trucks etc. The fuel pump
worked fine but nothing else worked. Next day I relized that I did not plug the
major plugs together in engine bay. I then tryed to start again. I heard the starter
click and nothing else. itried to turn the motor over by hand and could not get it to
move. I then put the car in 3rd gear and trie to move the car and rotate the motor. Thia acomplished nothing but ware me out. I next assumed that it might be hydrolicly locked. Out came the spark plugs. Still locked up.I'm now pulling the starter, but lost my 10mm hex to get to the top barrel nut. I bought a new one
this morning and well try to get the starter out tonight. My hope is the starter
somehow bound up with outer ring gear, it's the original rebuilt 2.7 starter.
I'm hoping somebody has a idea on this problem, because not looking foreward
to dropping the engine again. Once I get her running whats the recommended procedure for cleaning up the old wiring harness. snip snip. HELP!!!!

[David]

Sounds like you did everything right or right enough

I don't have any sure fired answers, but hopefully you'll know a lot more after the starter's off.

[Zeke]

All I can think of is maybe a loose bolt came out. Maybe on the ring gear. Go slow and be analytical. You'll find it. You might end up doing a partial drop to get at the flywheel area. I don't think you'll have to remove the motor completely. Hopefully not.

[p930man]

Thanks for you incouragment. I was pretty careful when I did the work. This is not my first Rodeo, but it sure is with this kind of transplant. I hope the 3.2 Bull doesn't step on my head.
Thanks p930man

[Wangrande]

When I did my 3.2 into my 72 the original starter gave up right off the bat. Had enough life/grunt left for the smaller displacement but no go on the larger. Had the same disappointment as you are experiencing, but a replacement starter was the key.

[p930man]

Thanks everybody for your input! I pulled the starter last night and that didn't help, but the
clearance between the outer ring gear and bell housing where the starter mounts is virtually
non existant, I could not get a 1/1000 feeler gauge in the non existing gap. On further inspection it appears that the bell housing and the engine did not mate up square. I'm wondering if the smaller studs that I needed, seated all the way into the engine. The treads
showing on the one side of the bell housing have twice as many as the one beneath the starter.
The clutch and every thing else seems to work fine. Is it possible up the nuts and try to make
the engine and bell housing mate square with out taking the engine and trans out? Help!!!

[Fast Corners]

Cranking down on the nuts will probably not help. If the engine and tranny are binding then you need to find out why and better yet where.

I think it is time to take the engine out of the car and do some measuring. Measure the distance from the case (where the tranny mates up to it) to the furthest point of the ring gear (a straight edge and micrometer will work fine for this). Now check that distance against your tranny bell housing. You can even do this with your starter in place to determine if that is mating up with the ring gear ok too.

I would also check the engine mounting studs for straightness and/or damage. I have seen on other engines where bent studs kept the tranny and engine from mating up squarely.

[IROC]

Having installed a 3.2 into a '76 (and used the original '76 starter, etc) it sounds like you've done everything correctly. The clearance issue is puzzling. Will the engine turn at all? In either direction?

I had no issues installing the transmission other than having to replace the bolts that attach the transmission to the engine. My 3.2 is an '88 and that caused some mismatch.

[p930man]

Thanks Guys, I used two of the old studs from the 2.7 and ordered one from Pelican. The engine
will not turn in either direction. When I checked the valves the trans was not yet matted to the
engine. That's why I know the engine has good compression and since it went together smoothly I ASSUMED everything was ok. You know what they say about assumption. I may
try to loosen up the nuts and do some wiggling. If that doesn't work I quess the engine and
trans are coming out again. You might ask why I didn't turn the engine over when it was
matted to the trans. It's that assumption thing again.
Regards p930man

[pookie]

Could the shift fork and throw out bearing not be seated right and locking it?

I just got my 76 with an 3.2 transplant completed. I kept the 915, but I can tell you it is loads of fun. The end is well worth the frustration now.

[p930man]

I replaced everything to do with the clutch. It appears that the clutch is working correctly, but
you might be correct. I had to rebuild my peddle cluster to get it from throwing off the clutch cable. Is there any way of checking this with out pulling the engine? I don't have any of those
fancy hydrolic lifting tables, just a 4 wheeled hand cart and a 3 ton jack and no help. You need
to ask me if I need a little cheese with that wine.
Thanks Guys p930man

[dentist90]

With so little clearance between the flywheel and bellhousing I would suspect something is binding in there. I don't see how you can avoid dopping engine and tranny if you really want to get it right.

[p930man]

Thanks again Guys, I'll drop it out this weekend.
Regards p930man

[pookie]

You can get an ATV/motorcylce jack it makes dropping the engine/tranny pretty easy.

Keep us posted and good luck.

[Zeke]

As I said before, you can separate the motor and tranny while they are still in the car. I would co this if only for fraction of a inch. If the motor turns then, you've gone a long way towards finding your problem and it's most likely in that clutch ass'y somewhere. There have been other reasons that motors have locked up. I just did some reading in the archives and the votes go to too long a flywheel bolt and too long a pressure plate bolt. So, if it's not the ring gear, those are 2 more places to look.

Unfortunately, the motor might as well come out to address either of those issues since you won't be able to get to them.

[mb911]

fly wheel/pressure plate bolt too long and hitting the engine case! My guess BTDT

[Bobboloo]

Check the speed and reference sensors. Maybe they got bumped when you installed. They can interfere with the starter ring if they are too far out of alignment.

[p930man]

Thanks again guys! I did not get a chance to drop the engine this week end. I did get a chance
to drink a bunch of beer. They were more tasty than the 10-40 Valvoline oil which I will get to
taste when the engine comes out. Thanks p930man