Well, if it won’t turn 360 with the starter off it’s time to pull the tranny. It’s something in the bell housing jamming the TC or flex plate, or even something inside the engine. 😕

Stuart

> On Jun 22, 2018, at 12:29 PM, Tom Stone <tstone8359@aol.com> wrote:
> 
> I took the starter out and spun the engine by hand as far as it would go.  Other than some shiny teeth, probably from the starter misalignment, I didn't see any major damage.  The ring gear is pretty hefty.  How can I see the rest of the ring gear and what would damage that would stop engine rotation look like?
> 
> Tom Stone, temporarily in Florida
> 
>> On June 22, 2018 14:19:25 Tom Stone <tstone8359@aol.com> wrote:
>> 
>> I took the plugs out and tried to turn the engine by hand in both directions.  It stopped in the same places.  I removed or disconnected all of the components connected to the engine yesterday.  They all spun freely, but the engine would not.  I will pull the starter off again and inspect the ring gear.  Thanks for the suggestion.
>> 
>> Tom Stone, temporarily in Florida
>> 
>>> On June 22, 2018 14:00:55 "Stuart MacMillan" <stuartmacm@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Are you using your hands on the pulley (or belt) to turn over the engine,
>>> which should be fairly easy with plugs out, or the starter? If you can turn
>>> the engine around fully by hand but not with the starter, you have a badly
>>> damaged ring gear on the torque converter.  Probably happened when the
>>> starter mount was broken due to misalignment.
>>> 
>>> Stuart
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com> On Behalf Of Dennis
>>> Haynes
>>> Sent: Friday, June 22, 2018 10:35 AM
>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> Subject: Re: Engine Puzzlememt
>>> 
>>> Short bolt bottom of starter?
>>> 
>>> Sent from my Windows 10 phone
>>> 
>>> From: Tom Stone<mailto:tstone8359@aol.com>
>>> Sent: Friday, June 22, 2018 12:22 PM
>>> To: Dennis Haynes<mailto:d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
>>> Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com<mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
>>> Subject: RE: Engine Puzzlememt
>>> 
>>> Thanks Dennis and Jim.  I pulled the spark plugs and there were no fluids
>>> inside the cylinders.  Manually turned engine to stop point in both
>>> directions.  It stops in the same places.  I checked all three torque
>>> converter bolts.  All seem tight.  Going to remove some exhaust pieces to
>>> verify.
>>> 
>>> Since the last change made to the engine was the installation of the starter
>>> long bolt, I am looking for some kind of obstruction in that area.
>>> 
>>> Thanks for your always helpful suggestions.
>>> 
>>> Tom Stone, temporarily in Florida.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On June 21, 2018 19:08:09 Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Look for a loose torque converter bolt. One of the three between converter
>>> and flex plate or something fell in there. Also, if multiple tries to crank
>>> engine the cylinders could be locked up with gasoline. Remove the spark
>>> plugs and check.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Dennis
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Sent from my Windows 10 phone
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> From: Tom Stone<mailto:tstone8359@AOL.COM>
>>> Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2018 6:01 PM
>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM<mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>>> Subject: Engine Puzzlememt
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Working on my son's '91 Westy Automatic. New engine from the guy that took
>>> over Boston Bob's business. It was installed and running. The starter had
>>> been installed with only the short bolt which had loosened. The starter lost
>>> ground and would only work intermittently. Then the bolt ear broke. I got a
>>> new starter and the long bolt and installed it with both bolts. Now the
>>> engine will only rotate to a certain point and stop. I can manually turn the
>>> engine backwards and it stops turning at just before the stop point. I took
>>> the starter off and ran it. I took the belts off the P/S pump, the
>>> alternator and the water pump (A/C not connected) and they all turn freely.
>>> I took the valve covers off and without being able to rotate the engine,
>>> visually checked for a valve stem in each keeper. I am at a loss for what to
>>> look at next and what might have happened.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Any ideas?
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Tom Stone, temporarily in FL where it is hot!
> 
> 
>