Replacing belts. Crank will only turn so far. Vehicle was running fine until driver-side timing belt broke. Spark plugs out and using breaker bar but still will not turn a full rotation clockwise. Do I need to arrange the cam sprockets in a certain configuration in order for the crank to fully rotate?

Is the car in gear? Ther should be some fight against engine compression, but it should go. Anything wedged in the timing hole/flywheel?

Yup, out of gear. Nothing wedged in timing hole.

If you are *just* trying to get the crank to spin the cam sprockets don't matter how they are aligned, but their positioning will matter during the timing belt install. I know you said you have a breaker bar on there but are you pushing on it hard enough? It definitely takes a bit of force, but it should turn.

It's a non- interference engine. Will it turn with the starter motor? Possibly pull plugs and check in cylinders with light or scope...

Yeah, that is what I thought - positioning the cams should not make a difference because it is a non-interference engine. I have replaced the belts before and fully recognize that it does take some effort and pull but nothing gives this time. I even placed a two-foot pipe on my breaker bar and still no go.

Can I turn the crank the opposite way (counter-clockwise)?

It should spin freely either direction. Are the timing belts off now? And it still wont turn with the belts off?

In response to Markjw. Yes, the timing belts have not been put on yet. I need to turn the crank to the 3-timing marks in order to start the timing belt replacement procedure. The crank will turn about 1/2 rotation but no more. I was thinking about connecting the battery and just bump the engine as suggested by Swampbrat, but fearful that it may cause some internal damage.

The only thing different this time from previous timing belt replacement is that the front of the engine is on jacks. Maybe the angle is binding the starter or something. I am baffled.

I wouldn't do a thing to force the crank until you figure out why it's binding. Why is the front of the engine on jacks? If you can, remedy that and try it.

 

Is it a auto or stick? ea82 also, right?

I wouldn't do a thing to force the crank until you figure out why it's binding. Why is the front of the engine on jacks? If you can, remedy that and try it.

 

Is it a auto or stick? ea82 also, right?

+100!!!

 

Do not force. Nothing but bad can come of that.

As markjw was requesting, more information would help us figure this out. Why were belts being replaced? (Regular maintenance, belt break, OTHER WORK BEING DONE...) What other work might you have done?

 

Sounds like the crank turns, just not beyond a certain point. If true, is the "certain point" in about the same place both directions, or is it significantly different? If it is about the same place, I would look for a bolt protruding and snagging on something. Since the front of the engine is "open" and exposed, it is probably the back of the engine; this would indicate Torque Converter bolts on an auto, possibly clutch/PP issues on a manual, or somebody dropped a bolt/object into a sparkplug hole or into the timing/view port in the bell housing.

 

If there is a significant difference in stopping points, it might be engine internals (like a rod or piston); unlikely if the engine was running ok when you started this.

 

So... information, please.

First of all, thank you Markjw and the others for your comments.

I just placed the front end on jacks for ease of use and did some minor work underneath. I also drained the oil. The car is a 1988 DL 1.8L non-turbo with manual transmission. The engine designation is EA82.

I will take it off the jacks now and see what happens.

Markjw and NorthWet are absolutely correct, an EXCESSIVE amount of force shouldn't be required, and since you now mention the pipe...well...it could very well be that something is preventing it from turning. My first time cranking over by hand, I was scared to put too much force on the bar and once I got used to the feeling it was significantly more force that I expected to spin it.

 

When you do crank it and it does that 'half turn' - is it a smooth feel all the way or is there some give and take to the resistance along the way? Or does it just bind up in either direction with seemingly no play when you get to the spot where it stops?

Also if you try to rotate the crank counter clockwise its most likely just going to loosen up the crank pulley bolt, if it is bound up in some way. -matt

In response to NorthWet, the passenger-side belt disintegrated with its tensioner rotating too freely. The driver-side belt was on its way out with its tensioner completely froze-up. I bought a complete timing belt kit for this repair.

In response to Deener, I can only turn the crank a little more than 1/4 turn back and forth. Stops at the same places each time. Turns smoothly.

Perhaps having the front-end of the car up on jacks is preventing the starter motor aperture from retracting?

Maybe you can pull the valve covers off and make sure all your valves are in place. I don't think ea82's are known for sucking valves into the cyl., but something is definitely wrong here.

 

Are you absolutely sure the thing is out of gear?

I now suspect that the clutch is not fully disengaging. I can still only turn the crank slightly more than 1/4 rotation. I put the battery in and bumped the engine several times. It is fully rotating with no clunking noises so I guess that is good but still cannot turn by hand - only 1/4 turn. I put the car in 5th gear and the turn the crank backwards and forwards and the car moves accordingly. So maybe I will play with the clutch pedal adjustment.

If the tranny is in neutral, it should not matter what the clutch does.

 

Might sound like a silly question, but have you tried removing your sparkplugs and rotating your engine by hand?