Crankshaft not spinning!

[James Matteu]

RE: I am working on a F22A1 that has a Crankshaft that will not turn.

 

 

The Story

 

This F22A1 is replacing an F22A4 that failed about on Thursday, May 21st, see below.

 

 

May

 

I have been working on the car off and on since late-May. It has been slow going since all the parts have come from Majestic Honda and were not ordered at the same time.

 

I purchased an F22A1 from the local salvage yard on May 26th. Before removing it from the donor car, I hand turned the crankshaft several times, then inspected the valve train and crankshaft. All was well and the motor only had 114k on the odometer.

 

I know the F22A1 is not the same as an F22A4. I brought the F22A1 with the intention of using the F22A4's Distributor (it has an internal Ignition Coil), Exhaust (it has a 4 to 2 to 1 design), and Camshaft; in lieu of the F22A1's Distributor (external Ignition Coil), Exhaust (4 to 1), and Camshaft.

 

I do not have a garage, so all work has been done outside, sometimes even in the rain. During this past May, as anyone near North Florida will know, we have experienced some pretty heavy rains. When the F22A1 arrived, it was set down next to my driveway, in the grass.

 

June

 

On or about June 9th, I do recall having to use the Crankshaft Pulley Holder to remove the A/T Drive Plate from the F22A1; the Holder was used because the Crankshaft kept spinning and I could not remove the 12-point bolts that are typically torqued to 54 foot-pounds. I therefore assume something happened between June 9th and June 23rd. Before installing the motor, I changed all seals on the Oil Pump and the Rear Main Seal, but did not notice the Crankshaft was immobile, nor did I check since I really didn't need to move it for the procedure.

 

On or about June 20th, I changed the Spark Plugs on the F22A1. Prior to changing the plugs, I Q-tipped the holes and found water and oil, I cleaned it the best I could before removing and changing the Spark Plugs. On June 23rd, I attempted to install a new Honda Timing Belt on the F22A1 and while setting the Camshaft, Balance Shafts, and Crankshaft (in that order) to TDC, noticed that the Crankshaft Pulley would not turn.

 

I am under the assumption that water has worked its way into one or more of the cylinder(s). Last Friday, I bought a can of Sea Foam Deep Creep and have sprayed liberal amounts of it into all four cylinders. Yesterday, I tried moving the Crankshaft, but yielded the same results: no movement.

 

 

 

The Questions

 

I have never dealt with this situation, so I have a few questions:

 

1. Can the Head Gasket be reused, just in case I have to remove the head?

 

2. Can something else bind the Crankshaft, keep in mind the Rear Main Seal has been changed, the Oil Pump Housing has been re-sealed, and the F22A4's transmission is bolted up right now but not torqued down.

 

3. Is 14 days of moisture enough to seize pistons, or am I barking up the wrong tree?

 

4. Can Spark Plugs leak moisture into a cylinder if submerged themselves?

 

5. Can I hit the top of the Pistons without damaging them? This is assuming I am using a 20-inch 3/8" drive extension made of chrome plated steel inserted through the Spark Plug hole and a 16-ounce steel ball peen hammer.

 

6. Are there any other methods of freeing a seized motor? The F22A1 Wiring Harness has not been removed and replaced with the F22A4, so I cannot use the Starter Motor right now. Although, I did read that this method can snap the piston o-rings if they are seized.

 

7. Is there anyway to verify that the pistons on a motor are seized?

 

Question 1 is the most important right now, as I believe the Head is going to come off before this is all over.

 

 

 

Thank you all for your time and thank you for any information.

[James Matteu]

2. Can something else bind the Crankshaft, keep in mind the Rear Main Seal has been changed, the Oil Pump Housing has been re-sealed, and the F22A4's transmission is bolted up right now but not torqued down.

 

It was something other than the pistons. Upon further inspection, I noted the A/T Drive Plate seemed to be really close to the Block. I compared the A/T Drive Plate of the F22A1 to that of the F22A4 and noted a difference of about 1mm; the F22A1 being closer.

 

I loosened the Transmission Housing Bolts from the Block, about 3mm. Then stuck a flat head between the Transmission and Block, and between the A/T Drive Plate and Rear Main Seal Housing. I bent the edge of the A/T Drive Plate away from the Block, then tried to hand turn the Crankshaft. There was a dull clunk, like some part of the edge of the A/T Drive Plate was still snagged on the Block, then the Crankshaft came free. It spins easily now. I am going to check the edge of the A/T Drive Plate before continuing with my installation of the F22A1, but am confident all is well now.

 

Right now, I have to shower, I'm taking the kids to Ollie Koala's.

[Kastigir]

Headgasket cannot be reused.