Help!! Engine locked up!!
 

I just Installed a new fuel accumulator on my 80SC 3.0. After wards,I turned on the ignition & lifted the air sensor plate. I herd a rush of air & a whistling sound. I held the sensor plate for about 2 minutes. Then I tried to start the car,& the engine locked up. What the hell did i screw up? Did I fill the cylinders with fuel? Please help!!!! Craig

You held the sensor plate up for two minutes????? WAY TOO LONG. Bleeding the air out should have taken about 2 seconds.



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Bill Krause
'79 911SC Euro

I agree I totaly screwed up !! I am use to working on diesel engines,& it take a long time to bleed them. How do I get the engine to free up ? Craig

What exactly do you mean "locked up"? Is the motor seized? I think your 2 minutes could have flooded the car but certainly not seized the motor. Did the battery get run down and maybe cannot turn over the motor? I would check and recheck all the basics to make sure a wire or something did not come off. If that does not work, you can try removing the spark plugs and turning the motor over by hand. I cant believe the accumulator replacement would cause any significant damage.

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Greg-slant/cab
http://www.geocities.com/gregslantcab/

The battery is strong. when I try to turn the enging over,it just goes thunk. It's like you said it's seized.

You might want to hold off on cranking the engine over with the starter, in case it is hydrolocked. Can cause serious damage. Pull the plugs and drain the fuel out before you crank it again.

YMMV,
Charlie

You're going to need to change your oil too, it will be diluted with gas.

Cross your fingers.

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Bill Krause
'79 911SC Euro

It's hydrolocked. Do not try to start it. Listen to the guys: ventilate the cylinders (as long as necessary) and change the oil.
Bob W.

Thanks, I will pull the plugs & see what's going on. Then change oil. This has got to be up there with one of the the dumbest things you could do to your car. Proof a little knowledge is a dangerious thing !!Craig

Hopefully ... none of your rods are BENT INTO AN 'S' shape! Which DID happen to 356 owners on occasion!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

Well I pulled the plugs,& will let it sit over night. Should I try to turn it over with the plugs out,tomorrow. Should I change the oil before turning it over with the plugs out ? I hope that I did not bend the rods also. thanks for the help I will keep you all posted. Craig

Warren: Would a starter motor bend rods?! wow....

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disconnect the battery and turn it over by hand. you wouldn't want a spark plug wire to set off all that gas.

Dave,

The pics I remember were from H. Pellow's books ... and he had a flair for the dramatic! The damage may have been caused by towing the hydro-locked car up to speed, then dumping the clutch to try to break the engine loose.

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

plugs out, coil disconnected, turn over by hand first, drain oil and change filter, turn over engine by starter for 20-30 seconds- be very careful- a LOT of gas will spray out! Mop up everything, install new plugs, new oil, make sure there isn't a pool of gas that leaked out of the exhaust header seams- make sure the car is in a well ventilated area, reconnect coil and start up. It will smoke like the ****ens for a bit and then clear up.

For those of you who wonder if a starter motor would bend rods, you betcha. Happens all the time on radial aircraft engines when the lowermost cylinder gets hydrolocked with oil. I've seen it. Indeed, you can even bend a rod by trying to turn a hydrolocked radial over by hand, what with the leverage provided by pulling at the tip of a prop blade.

Stephan

These pics Warren? Scary...

http://www.hcpresearch.com/rods_bad.html

Cam

Warren...thanks for mentioning good ol' Harry Pellow, better known to 356 fans as the "Maestro".

Everyone who loves a *real good story*, should visit Harry's little shop in Cupertino, CA. Harry is one of my Porsche heroes. He's a very nice guy. One day I'll find the 356 of my dreams, and I'll have Mr. Pellow to thank for helping me find it.

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'81 SC Coupe (aka: "Blue Bomber")
Canada West Region PCA
The Blue Bomber's Website

John,Dave, Thanks for the help. Warren,Stephan, Thanks for the nightmare that I'm going to have to night.After waiting 4 months for the car to come out of the body shop,I thought that I would take care of the fuel problems that the car has been having. I just added a cat bypass & a GHL single in twin out muffler.Sounds deep &throaty. I wanted to drive the car for a week or two before sending it to my mechanic for updated chain tensioners, & valve job. I wanted to upgrade to 3.2 P&C,but after spending $5500 at the body shop & $2800 on wheels & tires,I need to wait for a while. I'm very thankful for this board. The people are incredible. I expected to get flamed for stupidy,but instead I recieved great information. If you could E-Mail beer,I would Buy everyone a Case of Becks. Thanks again,Craig

It's Alive !!! Pulled the plugs,& let it sit over night. I had to leave the garage door partially open,& The window open. The garage smelled like a refinery. This morning I disconnected the battery,pulled the coil wire,& removed the fuel relay. Then I turned the motor over by hand & puked out as mutch fuel as possible. Then turned the engine over with ignition. Changed plugs,oil & filter. Shot the engine compartment with simple green & water to wash the gas away. Then the car started right up,& shot fuel out of the exaust everywhere. I'm glad it did not catch on fire. I wuld have shot flames all the way to Miami. It smoked like a 4 alarm fire, for about 10 minutes.The engine seems to run ok,so I guess That the Porsche gods were with me. They must protect the dumb & innocent. Thanks again for everyones help. Craig
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