The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Stuck 400 small block

Any suggestions out there? 400 chevy (8000 miles on rebuilt)400 automatic tranny (rebuilt) been sitting for 18 months, can't get it to turn over with the starter (just clicks) seem to have good ground,good juice to the battery. Just pulled plugs and WD-40 the cylinders. Any ideas to get it to unseize?

'just clicks' might indicate the starter or solenoid - with the plugs out have you tried to turn it by hand?

Bill

In the past, when confronted with this issue, I take a wrench and turn the engine over by hand from the flywheel, use a screw driver if necessary to advance it through the gap at the starter. If you can move it by hand, It is either the starter, or solenoid. Don't mess around, just get a whole new starter and solenoid and bolt it up and you will be fine. If you cannot turn the engine by hand, no starter in the world is going help.

No fan blade on the front(no room, elec. fan) What other ways to turn it over by manually?

Should be a bolt on the front of the crank on the pulley/harmonic damper. Put a socket and breaker bar on that bolt. Turn the whole thing clockwise from the front. Keep plugs, out, squirt in some WD-40 or similar, liberally, let it sit for a few minutes. If it wont' turn try rocking it back and forth. If motor is OK, it will turn by hand.

Took apart a big GMC V6 with bad bearings a few weeks ago, even then I could turn it a bit, (but not easily).

Thanks alot for all the suggestions, experience is a great thing. I'll try the pry-bar on the flywheel in the morning. Thank God for Stovebolt

Are you sure your battery is OK ?. I've had an problem where starter just clicks due to battery being run down. Maybe put a charger on it to confirm thats not the issue.

Filled each cylinder with a mixture of diesel and ATF, let it set for a couple hours and was able to pry it loose on the flywheel end. Still can't turn with the starter but I need to shim the starter cause it jams up. Tomorrows goal is to turn it with the starter. Thanks for all the help.

If it has 8k miles, I would think the starter had been used successfully. FLAPS ought to test for free...battery, too. And check the wires & connections while you're at it.
You might consider pulling the heads to get a look at the bores. If they're bad enough, no amount of juice is gonna fix 'em, even if you get it turning over...you'll just ruin the rings. After only 18 months, I wouldn't expect any problems if the engine was buttoned up.
It would be nice if you could get a socket & breaker bar on the front crank bolt. I like the feel of turning an engine over this way, especially before cranking it.
I can't wait to try out my 400, but project is on hold 'til spring.
Good luck.

cm