Motor locked

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Motor locked
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By joseph weber on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 08:03 pm:

I tried to start my 27 the other day but the engine would not turn over. I got out and tried to turn the motor over using the hand crank. I could not budge it. Wheels are also locked up. Any ideas where I should start. I did have a water pump put on last year at the end of the season.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gregory Roselle - Carlsbad, NM on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 08:09 pm:

Mine does this occasionally when the bendix on the starter gets stuck on the ring gear. Try rocking it back and forth and it usually works itself free.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 08:19 pm:

Joseph,

If the problem was not there until you engaged the starter -- then 99% of the time the bendix teeth have stuck on the teeth of the flywheel.

You should be able to put the car in neutral [pull the hand brake lever about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way back -- you should feel the handle start to drag some and at the same time see the left low speed pedal move a little. Go a little further back and the pedal stops moving -- that should be neutral "IF" it is adjusted properly. If you do not have a neutral -- you may have other issues.

But "IF" it is a stuck bendix -- which is probably is if it occurred when you tried to start the car -- then with the car in high -- [emergency brake lever all the way forward] rock the car back and forth by hand. Push harder towards the rear and easier towards the front. You want the engine to rotate backwards just a little so the bendix will become free. Often times you will hear a "pop" sound. Now with the switch off and pull the emergency brake all the way aft, turn the engine over with the crank. If it turns over normally you are probably ok. There is a remote chance you broke something and if is not inside the engine. But that normally does not happen. If you want to make absolutely sure you can pull off the starter bendix cover (take up the floorboards -- it is on the back of the transmission housing and lined up with the starter) and look for missing teeth or bendix parts. But usually it just sticks and you are ok.

You may have a bad spot on the flywheel teeth. Hand crank will work fine. And often the starter will work fine in the future. If you want to help the starter have nice teeth to engage on the flywheel -- turn the engine over just to the top of compression and stop there. Normally it will not stop there -- but keep going if you turned the engine off.

I notice this is your first posting. If you are new to Ts please let us know and we will point you to some threads that may be helpful to you.

Welcome to the forum!

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By joseph weber on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 08:36 pm:

I am new to owing a model t, it was my father-in-laws. I rolled the car out of the garage with some help and back in but hand crank still won't move. This has never happenned before, always easy to turn over.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gregory Roselle - Carlsbad, NM on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 09:37 pm:

You need to leave it in high gear (hand brake lever all the way forward) and just rock it back and forth a few inches.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 10:41 pm:

Old timers may get tired of seeing this, but I always tell new T owners the first Model T parts they should buy are these:


The Model T is simple but different from other cars. What you learned working on other vehicles doesn't always apply here. The Ford shop manual and the MTFCA books can warn you of the unexpected and save you a lot of grief, hassle, and expense.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Huson, Berthoud, Co. on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 10:51 pm:

Steve Jeff:

Keep drilling the photos in. The green bible (now the black bible is a must for new people and the manuals are good also. Keep it up, your right.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Huson, Berthoud, Co. on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 10:53 pm:

Steve Jeff:

Keep drilling the photos in. The green bible (now the black bible is a must for new people and the manuals are good also. Keep it up, your right.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem on Monday, June 11, 2012 - 01:06 pm:

Joseph,

What is being suggested is to rock the car back & forth with the stick all the way forward, (i.e. high gear). While the car won't roll because the engine is locked, it will budge the engine back & forth and most likely dislodge a stuck starter bendix.

If that still doesn't work, check back with us.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Whitaker on Monday, June 11, 2012 - 01:58 pm:

Here's a possible (but probably unlikely) scenario to consider.

It could be that your clutch disks are sticking. My T was famous for doing that. Then the engine and transmission are basically locked in high gear. I found that the best way to verify this is to jack up one of the rear wheels, put the hand brake all the way forward, and then try to turn the engine over. If it turns over pretty easily, then the clutch disks could be the problem. If not, a stuck bendix is a likely suspect.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Monday, June 11, 2012 - 02:10 pm:

Good advice about the Ford T Manuals especially the T Service manual.
Old or New "when in doubt read the instructions".
It usually works every time.


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