Engine cranks to a point then stops.

JOEQUAKE

MEMBER
1998 FORD ESCORT
134,000 MILES

Was sitting in my driveway and started the car. As I shifted into reverse, the car began to idle roughly and I heard a fluttering sound then it stalled. I tried to start it again and it cranked for a moment then stopped. Repeated cranking did not do anything but make a click and nothing. Click coming from stater area. I replaced the starter and no change. I replaced the battery after noticing that the headlights would go out when I tried to start it. No change. I tried moving the crank gear on the crank pulley with a pry bar. It would not move towards the front, but I moved it pushing to the rear. I marked a tooth with a marker and had an assistant turn the key and it move then stopped at the same spot. I tried it in neutral and park. After doing that several times I decided to remove the timing cover and found that it was intact and seemed fairly new. I had only put 6k on the car in six months of ownership. I then decided to remove the valve cover and see what was going on there. For the entire rotation (about 7/8 of a turn) I observed all exhaust and intake valves were moving. I don't think that the cam or piston rods are bad. Is it the trans? Have you ever heard of these symptoms before? PLEASE HELP.

2 Replies

JOEQUAKE

MEMBER
3 POSTS

By intact I mean that the timing belt was intact.

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Wednesday, September 4th, 2013 AT 8:38 AM

HMAC300

MECHANIC
48,601 POSTS

Sounds like something has locked up in the engine like a bent rod or something similar. Especially since you can only turn it to a certain point then it stops. If it's an automatic it may have a torque converter bolt hitting against the block as they occasionally come loose. But check to see if your timing belt is still in right spot otherwise i'd say something in the pan is bad. You cold check your oil and if it's way overfull that would be atip or nothing on the stick.