Of course you will need to support the engine and tranny and remove the rear mount, but it’s worth a try before disconnecting everything.

> On Jun 22, 2018, at 2:14 PM, Tom Stone <tstone8359@aol.com> wrote:
> 
> Thanks for your suggestions.  I'll take a look at what it will take to get the tranny out and back in.
> 
> Tom Stone, temporarily in Florida
> 
>> On June 22, 2018 4:28:46 PM Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>> 
>> 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!
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
> 
> 
>