1998 crank won't turn

[jodoe2]

I need help big time. I was driving and the car just shutoff.
I was able to get out of traffic when it coast to the side of
road. I turn the key off and tried to start it but it only click.
I got a jump but it did the same thing. Had it towed home
and took off the tire to see if the crank would turn. No turn
on the crank any way I tried. I took the belt off and still no
turn. Everytime I turn the key it click and the crank turn only
a faction. Sound like a lock engine, hope not but help.

[Millermagic]

What engine? 3.0 DOHC(duratec) or 3.0OHV (vulcan)

[jodoe2]

Its a SHO 3.4L v8.

[shorod]

Sounds like you may be the victim of the well-known cam gear problem with the 3.4L SHO. For details, review http://www.v8sho.com/SHO/96shohome.html and the various links discussing the camshafts.

-Rod

[jodoe2]

I had the cam welded about 2 years ago.

[shorod]

Oh, then you may want to remove all 8 spark plugs and try turning the engine over at the crankshaft again. That way you are not fighting the compression of the engine. If the engine turns over now, then you know the engine is not seized. If it does not turn over, then try removing the starter. Maybe the starter gear is jammed against the flywheel preventing the engine from turning over. If with the starter removed the engine now turns over at the crankshaft, then replacing the starter assembly will hopefully fix your problems. Seems rather unlikely though that the starter would jam while you were driving the car, but we can hope that's the case.

Once you have the upper intake runners off to remove the rear spark plugs, it won't be much extra work to pull the valve covers and see if the cams slipped/welds broke or if something else doesn't look right in the valvetrain. You may also want to drain the engine oil and see if somthing looks abnormal in it.

-Rod