Hey yall i finally got everything thrown on my car i rolled and pushed it on ramps and did an oil change but when i went to fire her up she wouldnt start, i can hear the starter engaging and i dont believe the engine ceased but i dont understand why it wont start. The pulleys just kind of rock an inch forward and then back when i attempt to start it. I put a socket on a breaker bar and tried turning the harmonic balancer by hand but itd barely move. Someone suggested taking the spark plugs out and checking for compression build up behind them, so far ive only got the front ones done but one of the front ones was covered in oil and a rear one was snapped. the engine is a 3400 and i guess id just like to know what all to try or if anyone has had this issue before. the car sat outside for about 6 months aslo not sure if thatll help.

 

What do you mean you "got everything thrown on your car" ?

What did you have apart?

 

I guess we need more info. Such as you mention it sat for 6 months. Was this due to problems are winter storage?

You mentioned you pushed it on ramps to do an oil change? Why, would it not start? And when you try to start it the pulleys move about an inch. I know moving the crank manually as you mentioned can be a pain to do (so there might be nothing wrong there). My thoughts right now are wondering if you have a possible weak/broken starter or battery.

 

it sat outside over the winter because i dont have a garage to work in, i had snapped a cv shaft and the drivers knuckle so i ended up replacing the whole drivers side suspension and everything. The battery in it is brand new 4 days old, and the starter is engaging but im not sure if its cranking or not. Everyone ive spoken too said there may be compression behind the spark plugs so take them out, and also the saftey switch couldve tripped and may need to be reset. We pushed it onto ramps because i wanted to do an oil change before starting the car and make sure there were no contaminents in with the oil, it was clean.

 

Sitting over winter for suspension issues should not play into the current problems.

Based on what you said, the starter is engaging enough that you are getting the pulleys to move about an inch you said. Even if you had a compression issue, the start would continue to move the pulleys more then an inch. So, from my seat, I don't see any value trouble shooting a compression problem. Also, it's not a anti-theft issue (as then it would keep cranking, but never start because the injectors are never commanded on).

When you tried moving the crank by hand, could you get it to go beyond that inch of travel the pulleys had when you tried to start it? Could you get it to move a full revolution out of the crank (and it will take a lot of man power to move by hand)? If so, I believe that rules out a seized motor and I think we're back to a battery/starter issue.

Even brand new batteries are some times bad. I would recommend pulling the starter, go to a parts store and have them bench test it. Just because the start is engaging does not guarantee it has "full power" to crank the engine.

 

Is the battery new to you?
Or new from the auto parts?
How many CCA's? Maybe its not strong enough...

I would recommend a 700 CCA minimum. Purchased from an auto parts...

 

no i couldnt get it past that inch, im going to try removing the belt tonight and seeing if then itll crank fully otherwise if it doesnt am i looking at a sieze? Also im going to pull the starter and have it tested. The battery is new from the parts store its a yellow top optima so it should have enough power behind it.

 

Try removing the serpentine belt temporarily and see if it will crank and start. A borderline component driven by the belt may have froze up over the winter. If it turns over and starts shut it down and check the pulleys on the belt tensioner, alternator, power steering, etc.

 

why try and start it before trying to spin the other pulley's? if one is bad and locked up, you would know it before ever having to start it.

the crank pulley should still spin with the belt attached. if it moved a full inch, you are probably hitting the compression stroke and a couple pistons which makes it really difficult. if it moved an inch, it should be fine. a seized engine would not move that much at all.

take the plugs out and try again, i bet it will move much more easily.

my hunch is a bad starter. tap it and the solenoid a couple times with a hammer or something. not hard bashing taps, just firm taps, then try starting.