Faulty Starter, or Siezed Engine?

[richn95136]

I have a problem. My 1995 Lumina will not start. I had just gotten home and the car had been running fine. When I got back in to start it a couple of minutes later it seemed like the starter was working but once the cylinders started to fire there was a clicking/grinding sound and the engine seemed very unstable and it stalled when I pressed further on the gas pedal. I tried again a few times with the same results. Finally, the starter will now only emit a click when the key is turned and the engine doesn't turn at all. The battery is fine and fully charged. I tried to turn the crankshaft manually with a socket and breaker bar and I can't make the engine turn at all. Is it possible that the starter is siezed up and engaging the flywheel - is that why I can't turn the engine by hand? Or did my engine spontaneously seize up after it was running so finely just a few minutes before and the starter just can't budge the flywheel? Any input would be greatly appreciated....Thank you.

[zeeb]

It would seem odd that the starter jammed the engine.. i mean it is possible for the starter to jam into the flywheel, but if you where on the crank with a socket and breaker bar, you should have been able to turn the crank one way or the other. Usually if you go back and forth the starter drive would pull back in and un-jam.

What engine do you have? Is the starter easy to drop out? if so pull it and see if the engine will turn with a breaker bar.

And yes it is possible to shut it off running fine and then DOOM! Sometimes if a bearing was starting to go, things will be free when the engine is warm, turn it off go into the house for a couple of hours and things cool off and lock up.

Personal experience, my 98 Malibu, Quad 4 engine, 79,000 miles, oil changed every 3000 miles like clockwork...came home from dropping off a couple of rented videos, ran like a champ..no lights, no noise nothing, just purred. Shut it off go into the house, next morning jump in with wife and baby, crank it up...crank crank, crank..almost fired up, crank..then CLANK,CLANK,locked up...HUH??? Pop out the starter (easy to get to on the Quads) it seems okay..put a bar on the flywheel, 1/4 turn and lock, other direction same thing, loosen some of the bolts on timing chain cover and ease it back to peek...slack chain???? I dig a little deeper and find it had snapped the crank!!!

So yep, they can run great on minute and the next...NADA!!

[richn95136]

Thanks for the reply. I can't see how a starter can prevent an engine from turning either! I guess it was just wishful thinking....I have a gut feeling the engine has seized up and your experience pretty much matches mine which only confirms my worst nightmare. Hopefully, mine doesn't involve a busted crank.