Fresh rebuild crank won’t turn after installing in truck. (5 Viewers)

[Fj80oregon]

So not my first rodeo but having an issue I need to talk through and maybe someone can chime in with advice that I’m missing. 96 Fzj80 supercharged with a rebuilt transmission (less than 1000 miles on Tranny rebuild) by a shop done by the previous owner. I had a brand new short block I put a rebuilt head on new timing cover and pretty much everything else. Engine spun freely on the stand. After bolting up the transmission following the fsm and installing in truck. I was able to get fired up. Shut it down to finish installing some bits and then when I go to crank I get a hard thud? I thought maybe the starter was not engaging replaced old starter with new reman Denso and still same thing. So I went to turn the engine over by the crank pulley and it won’t budge? Not sure what I’m missing I pulled all the belts and plugs and valve cover and everything looks fine. Engine will not spin with a breaker or by the starter. Flex plate was torqued to torque converter per FSM. Now I can’t unbolt the torque converter because the engine won’t spin freely to see if it’s the transmission binding me up. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks Wes.

 

[Ecliff5]

How long did it run for when you first fired it up? Have you dropped the oil yet?
Will it rotate counter clockwise at all?

 

[Fj80oregon]

I ran it for 45 sec to watch oil pressure build, cranked it before hand without spark to build pressure. Have not drained oil. It will not rotate either way with a 2 foot breaker. I have rebuilt lots of these in the last two years and never had any issues with engines. The service bolt is out on the cam. Not sure if the tranny or torque converter would prevent the crank from turning. I have tried in neutral on tranny and t case just to try something different.

 

[BILT4ME]

So not my first rodeo but having an issue I need to talk through and maybe someone can chime in with advice that I’m missing. 96 Fzj80 supercharged with a rebuilt transmission (less than 1000 miles on Tranny rebuild) by a shop done by the previous owner. I had a brand new short block I put a rebuilt head on new timing cover and pretty much everything else. Engine spun freely on the stand. After bolting up the transmission following the fsm and installing in truck. I was able to get fired up. Shut it down to finish installing some bits and then when I go to crank I get a hard thud? I thought maybe the starter was not engaging replaced old starter with new reman Denso and still same thing. So I went to turn the engine over by the crank pulley and it won’t budge? Not sure what I’m missing I pulled all the belts and plugs and valve cover and everything looks fine. Engine will not spin with a breaker or by the starter. Flex plate was torqued to torque converter per FSM. Now I can’t unbolt the torque converter because the engine won’t spin freely to see if it’s the transmission binding me up. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks Wes.

Pull the spark plugs to see if you have a catastrophic HG failure and you're hydro locked.

 

[tmxmotorsports]

I know this sounds stupid but have you pulled the plugs ?and tried

 

[tmxmotorsports]

Pull the spark plugs to see if you have a catastrophic HG failure and you're hydro locked.

Beat me to it

 

[BILT4ME]

Pull the spark plugs to see if you have a catastrophic HG failure and you're hydro locked.

I had this happen on a SBC.

 

[Fj80oregon]

@powderpig, @SNLC, @jonheld, @BILT4ME tagging a couple guys that know always have solid advice.

 

[Fj80oregon]

Pull the spark plugs to see if you have a catastrophic HG failure and you're hydro locked.

First thing I did pulled plugs had a little fuel on them which was to be expected for the attempts at cranking with no spark no foreign material in cylinders.

 

[BILT4ME]

First thing I did pulled plugs had a little fuel on them which was to be expected for the attempts at cranking with no spark no foreign material in cylinders.

No coolant?

 

[BILT4ME]

Then I would look at timing chain.

Pull the VC

 

[Fj80oregon]

Cooling system is filled with water and oil looks perfect, drained about a half gallon of water from radiator and looks crystal clear. I pulled the valve cover and timing chain looks good everything is lined up timing wise. Will inspect with bore scope after work. (Working graveyard this week). As stated before engine was spinning freely on the stand after completing assembly. Rotated multiple times to get cam timing lined up with and marks.

 

[Fj80oregon]

Does anybody know if the transmission would prevent the engine from spinning freely? The rebuild was done by amco so I don’t have a lot of confidence in that. I am only going of what the previous owner told me about the tranny work.

 

[SNLC]

Does anybody know if the transmission would prevent the engine from spinning freely? The rebuild was done by amco so I don’t have a lot of confidence in that. I am only going of what the previous owner told me about the tranny work.

You say manual trans? Or just a S/C added to the 1FZ?

More info need, I am still in my shop so just skimmed over the posts.

Cheers

 

[BILT4ME]

Does anybody know if the transmission would prevent the engine from spinning freely? The rebuild was done by amco so I don’t have a lot of confidence in that. I am only going of what the previous owner told me about the tranny work.

Did you have the torque converter properly seated?

Did you forget your socket on the flex plate and it gets stuck next to the flex plate?

 

[Fj80oregon]

You say manual trans? Or just a S/C added to the 1FZ?

More info need, I am still in my shop so just skimmed over the posts.

Cheers

Auto trans, super charger had been on the truck when I bought. Engine lost oil pressure from crank bolt coming loose causing it to knock have not torn Down the original engine yet.

 

[Fj80oregon]

Did you have the torque converter properly seated?

Did you forget your socket on the flex plate and it gets stuck next to the flex plate?

Good questions. Yes followed the fsm and it engaged in the 3 different positions. Have fought that one before!
All my impact sockets are accounted for I only use one set.
I hat is weird and not making since is that it fired up and idled fine no noises or anything weird. I shut it down once oil pressure starting climbing. Then I buttoned up the front end, installed the drive shafts, hooked up the shifter and put the center console back together. Then had the timing light out and only got a clunk when trying to start.

 

[Fj80oregon]

I will pull the cams tomorrow and see if it will spin with out them installed.

 

[Fj80oregon]

Thanks to everyone for replying my brain works a lot faster when I bounce this stuff around on the forum with people that are knowledgeable and are gear heads also. Sometimes just typing stuff out will give me a oh yah thought!

 

[BILT4ME]

Thanks to everyone for replying my brain works a lot faster when I bounce this stuff around on the forum with people that are knowledgeable and are gear heads also. Sometimes just typing stuff out will give me a oh yah thought!

Did you double check the torque on the harmonic balancer to confirm that the oil pump was operating properly? 306 LB-FT