i have a 92 with a 3.8 Ltr engine but the thing won;t turn over. It has been sitting for 3 years and never started. I got new starter and battery but the starter still does nto turn the flywheel. Took out spark plugs, still no turning. Any help appriciated.

i have a 92 with a 3.8 Ltr engine but the thing won;t turn over. It has been sitting for 3 years and never started. I got new starter and battery but the starter still does nto turn the flywheel. Took out spark plugs, still no turning. Any help appriciated.
Welp sounds to me like something isn't hooked up right or you got a bad battery or starter. Or perhaps even a bad ignition switch? Do you hear anything when you turn the key?

See if you can turn the engine over by hand. After sitting that long the rings could be stuck to the cylinder walls. Spray lubricant into the cylinders and let it sit for a day or two. Follow sfontain's advice first.

See if you can turn the engine over by hand. After sitting that long the rings could be stuck to the cylinder walls. Spray lubricant into the cylinders and let it sit for a day or two. Follow sfontain's advice first.
i have a brand new starter and battery. The starter sounds as it engauges to the flywheel but the engine will not turn. I removed the spark plugs and put ATF in the fulendars as someone suggested elseware, but it still will not turn over it has been sititng for 4 days with ATF in there. Any other suggestions???

i have a brand new starter and battery. The starter sounds as it engauges to the flywheel but the engine will not turn. I removed the spark plugs and put ATF in the fulendars as someone suggested elseware, but it still will not turn over it has been sititng for 4 days with ATF in there. Any other suggestions???
Still could be battery; maybe not terribly likely, though.

Like Way2old said, try turning it over by hand. If it turns easily, that shouldn't be your problem. If it won't budge, you're going to have to lubricate and loosen it. You may have to hook a breaker bar on there somewhere and really beat on it, but do your best to lubricate first.

Still could be battery; maybe not terribly likely, though.

Like Way2old said, try turning it over by hand. If it turns easily, that shouldn't be your problem. If it won't budge, you're going to have to lubricate and loosen it. You may have to hook a breaker bar on there somewhere and really beat on it, but do your best to lubricate first.

I filled each cyl. with trans fluid and let it sit for 4 days then went with breaker bar on the crankshaft bolt to turn it. It will not budge. the spark plugs are out so there is no compression, but the engine will not turn. Am I out of luck or is there something else I can try?

does the starter just click and then nothing or does it sound like its just spinning the starter?

also I had a car that wouldnt turn over before some situation as you the repair manual said something about the starter pinion gear being stuck on the flywheel and said to put the car in gear and try to rock the car. im not responsible if you do this and damage the tranny though. I dont know if it would but im just saying if it does..

also was there any shims or anything on the old starter that you might have forgot to put back on?

if all the advice that everybody has given does not solve your problem then it sounds to me like the engine is locked.
let us know what you find out

also I had a car that wouldnt turn over before some situation as you the repair manual said something about the starter pinion gear being stuck on the flywheel and said to put the car in gear and try to rock the car. im not responsible if you do this and damage the tranny though. I dont know if it would but im just saying if it does..

lol... that's a funny idea. In fact, why don't you just go park on the steepest hill you can and then put it in drive and hook up some chains to a friend's 4x4 and see if they can pull out your transmission. :p

guess it would be a better idea than replacing the battery and starter that he said he already replaced

and it wasnt just an idea it actually said to do that in the repair manual :screwy:

and it wasnt just an idea it actually said to do that in the repair manual :screwy:
No, no offense. I wasn't mocking you or anything. I really thought it was an interesting idea; I hadn't heard of that before. I wonder how safe it is for the car though...

guess it would be a better idea than replacing the battery and starter that he said he already replaced
Don't get caught in the trap of thinking that new parts always work.

oh sorry guess i just took it hte wrong way. again sorry

Have you tried removing the starter, then turning the motor over by hand. If the rings have seized, be careful about the amout of force you are using. Broken rings means replacing or rebuilding the motor. Another thing to check, remove valve covers and look to make sure that a valve didn't drop into one of the cylinders (that can cause a motor to lock up). Do you know if there were any problems on how the car was running before it was parked?

Have you tried removing the starter, then turning the motor over by hand. If the rings have seized, be careful about the amout of force you are using. Broken rings means replacing or rebuilding the motor. Another thing to check, remove valve covers and look to make sure that a valve didn't drop into one of the cylinders (that can cause a motor to lock up). Do you know if there were any problems on how the car was running before it was parked?
I was told they drove the car until the day it was parked. They "don;t know why the engine would be stuck". the previous owner can;t tell me why the starter was missing. I appriciate the suggestions but I don;t know if I am ready to tear apart the engine I don;t have a garage to work in and don;t have the proper tools to tear up the engine.....I just wish I could make it turn.

also I had a car that wouldnt turn over before some situation as you the repair manual said something about the starter pinion gear being stuck on the flywheel and said to put the car in gear and try to rock the car. im not responsible if you do this and damage the tranny though. I dont know if it would but im just saying if it does..

also was there any shims or anything on the old starter that you might have forgot to put back on?

if all the advice that everybody has given does not solve your problem then it sounds to me like the engine is locked.
let us know what you find out

DOes anyone know if this works with an automatic trans? I was under the impression only a manual trans would work for this type of thing...

DOes anyone know if this works with an automatic trans? I was under the impression only a manual trans would work for this type of thing...

How far are you willing to drive? I have a 1993 3.8L that runs good. The tranny went in it so I am looking to junk it. I believe the head gaskets were replaced recently, but I cannot remember how long ago. It has 202,000 miles. If you think the tranny is still good I might buy it off you. If you want this engine, I'll sell it to you for next to nothing. It drives, but the tranny makes a KLUNK! at random and makes the car nearly undriveable. It's almost as if someone just slammed on the brakes. You can only go about 35mph or else it does it real bad. I live 45 minutes from the Michigan border in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

I would like to replace the transmission, but I am afraid that I am going to put in something that will fail again in a couple months. Is there a better transmission I can drop in this piece?

Pete

don't be surpised that after market parts can be defective, i've ran into that many times.

How far are you willing to drive? I have a 1993 3.8L that runs good. The tranny went in it so I am looking to junk it. I believe the head gaskets were replaced recently, but I cannot remember how long ago. It has 202,000 miles. If you think the tranny is still good I might buy it off you. If you want this engine, I'll sell it to you for next to nothing. It drives, but the tranny makes a KLUNK! at random and makes the car nearly undriveable. It's almost as if someone just slammed on the brakes. You can only go about 35mph or else it does it real bad. I live 45 minutes from the Michigan border in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

I would like to replace the transmission, but I am afraid that I am going to put in something that will fail again in a couple months. Is there a better transmission I can drop in this piece?

Pete

Pete,
Would you be interested in just buying the entire car from me? i can;t tell you if th etrans works or not since i never have even got the engine to work, but the previous owner said he never had trans trouble. The trans pan has some oil residue on it and has a small dent on the front, but it's not cracked or anything and the previous owner said it drove to it's resting place where i picked it up from. I would love to put an engine in this car, but i don;t have the proper tools or garage to do it. i live in an apartment complex so anything beyond an oil change or new spark plugs is too much for me. i have a clean indiana title in hand since the previous owner was from indianapolis area.