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F@#$%@ING Jeep, motor seems locked up

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by DrDanteIII, Dec 18, 2010.

  1. Dec 18, 2010
    DrDanteIII

    DrDanteIII Master Procrastinator

    Milford NJ 08848
    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2007
    Messages:
    1,516
    I parked my jeep about a month ago, running fine, good oil pressure, a healthy 304 by all measures.

    My dad moved it, and left the key on, and killed my optima battery. I swapped in a new battery that was fully charged. All I get is a click at the solenoid. I confirmed that the solenoid is working, and even with bypassing it nothing from the starter. SO i decided to try to pop start it behind my truck. low speed, 3rd gear, low range, hubs locked. As soon as the clutch gets out, all 4 wheels lock, and I blow up a front u-joint and wipe out the inner shaft while I'm at it. :angry:

    didn't turn one revolution at the motor.


    My plan now is to:
    1) take out the plugs and spray PB blaster into the cylinders
    2) Try to turn the motor with a breaker bar
    3) replace the starter (assuming the above turns the motor)

    any other things I should try?


    also assuming that doesn't work, I'm guessing my next step is to pull the motor. Do I rebuild the 304 or try to find another motor, or just swap to an SBC?


    I've got half a mind just to sell the jeep at this point. Every time I got to do something small like a brake job, It turns into a major disaster anymore. chainsawguy
     
  2. Dec 18, 2010
    goodolboy71

    goodolboy71 Member

    SC
    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2003
    Messages:
    51
    First thing I would do is make dang sure the motor is locked, I find it hard to believe it would in less than 1 month. Try turning on the crank with a socket and breaker bar...sure its not a bad starter and maybe the shaft/ujoint was just coincidence.
     
  3. Dec 18, 2010
    uncamonkey

    uncamonkey Member

    Greeley CO
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    Jun 2, 2009
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    2,104
    Any chance of water in the cylinders?
    Pull all the spark plugs and try turning it over.
     
  4. Dec 18, 2010
    djljeep

    djljeep Meandering Aimlessly

    Western Maine
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    Oct 18, 2008
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    199
    PB blaster and kero in my cylinders freed up my 258, but i had to let it soak and work it a little bit everyday, but mine sat over a year with water in the cylinder.
     
  5. Dec 18, 2010
    jeep2003

    jeep2003 Well-Known Member

    Upstate NY
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    May 30, 2006
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    1,918
    could be full of fuel if youve got an electric fuel pump. the float needle can only hold back so much for so long
     
  6. Dec 18, 2010
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    8,360
    Did you try to turn it by hand (socket on the crank bolt)?
    Pull the plugs?
     
  7. Dec 18, 2010
    jeep2003

    jeep2003 Well-Known Member

    Upstate NY
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    May 30, 2006
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    dont blame the jeep blame your dad lol. My dad always does something to screw up my vehicles whenever he touches them too
     
  8. Dec 18, 2010
    bigjohn

    bigjohn Active Member

    Kelso Wa
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    Mar 18, 2010
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    I would try to hand crank it with a breaker bar. Usually when pull starting though, you want a higher gear, not a lower one, or else it will lock the tires up. If you do try it again, try popping the clutch in 2 high and maybe 2nd gear.
     
  9. Dec 18, 2010
    DrDanteIII

    DrDanteIII Master Procrastinator

    Milford NJ 08848
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    it got too dark to work any more today. I'm going to try the breaker bar as soon as I can.
     
  10. Dec 19, 2010
    ronar

    ronar New Member

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    Mar 13, 2010
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    Before you do anything else, remove the starter, you probably don't have anything else but a starter that is engaged in the flywheel ringgear. Sometimes you can turn the engine backwards with a bar or socket and sometimes you have to either loosen the starter or remove it. This has happened many times and is almost always caused by trying to start an engine with a low battery. Starter engages, wont turn the engine, starter drive stays engaged and locks the engine. I may be wrong but would almost bet a six pack on it, given the description and sequence of events.
    Ron
     
  11. Dec 19, 2010
    DREDnot

    DREDnot Not new to JEEPS

    AZ
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    646
    Why low range and third gear?

    After you pull your plugs and hand turn the engine confirming all is fine, use 2WD hi range 2nd gear.

    All the torque multiplication works backward when bump-starting.

    Oh , and while on the subject of bump-starting, trying it in reverse is a good way to get your pinion gear cross shaft to shoot through your diff cover.
     
  12. Dec 19, 2010
    DrDanteIII

    DrDanteIII Master Procrastinator

    Milford NJ 08848
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    because the t-case is a hard to shift when its cold (28°F) and It was already in low range.
     
  13. Dec 19, 2010
    76_iron

    76_iron New Member

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    I would pull the plugs before you get too aggressive, if a cylinder is full of gas you could bend a valve.
     
  14. Dec 19, 2010
    wheelie

    wheelie beeg dummy 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor

    York, PA
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    what ron'ar said,too. I'd pull the starter first and confirm it's condition then, if need be, pull the plugs out and try to turn engine over with socket on crank as others have suggested. We will assume the clutch isn't stuck or some other part of the drivetrain isn't in a bound up condition since it all worked a month ago.
     
  15. Dec 19, 2010
    0IIII0

    0IIII0 Nibblin' on sponge cake..

    Tempe, Arizona
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    Sep 29, 2006
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    This is interesting. How does a motor go from fine running condition to siezed up by just leaving the key in the accessory position? The answer is...it doesn't. There has to be something else going on. I agree that 4L 3rd on popping the clutch is a bit aggressive, which probably caused the u-joint issue. Starter issues are common.....as well as distributor issues. My guess is your issues lies somewhere with those. I certainly understand and feel the frustration. These old jeeps can give you a run for your time AND money. However here there's probably a bit of Occam's Razor involved and you just have a few issues going on at once....my bet is the motor is not siezed....just a thought.
     
  16. Dec 20, 2010
    Daryl

    Daryl Sponsor

    Bonney Lake, WA
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    Try to isolate the problem before dragging it around the yard. With the plugs out the motor should turn over by hand. I would then go for the starter. As suggested above, if you turn the motor backwards a little way the starter should disengage if that is the culprit.
     
  17. Dec 20, 2010
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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    Pull the spark plugs, have someone push in on the clutch, and try and turn the engine over by hand. If it turns ok, try it again with the clutch pedal out, transmission in neutral. If it doesn't turn then it's something in the transmission/transfer case. Maybe water in there that has frozen, maybe something else. This will at least narrow it down to the engine or farther down stream.
     
  18. Dec 20, 2010
    DrDanteIII

    DrDanteIII Master Procrastinator

    Milford NJ 08848
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    I was out there yesterday. It turns out it was ice in the starter. Apparently when I tried to crank it with the low battery, the drove the starter gear out, and jammed it against the flywheel. I guess with all the rain we got the day after I started to charge it, a little water got in there and froze it up.

    Yesterday it was warm enough for me to get the starter out, and I confirmed that the motor spins with a socket on the lower pulley nut. Luckily its a NAPA gold lifetime starter, so I'll be getting a new one whit week under warranty.


    Now I've just got to locate a new long side inner axle shaft. d'oh
     
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