engine won't turn over
- Wes Bender
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 4861
- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:54 am
- Location: Somewhere in the Gadsden Purchase, USA
Re: engine won't turn over
Martin, you don't understand. All of these engines are over 50 years old and just waiting to self- destruct. You shouldn't rebuild your own engine because, 1) you don't have the tools, 2) you don't have the skill, 3) you don't know how to use a torque wrench and 4) there are no parts left to fix whatever is broken. Now sign the titles to these cars and send them to me. I will hopefully be able to dispose of them for at no additional cost.
Disclaimer: I rebuilt my first 356A 1600 Super engine on a milk crate in a carport. It wasn't easy. I had to replace the roller-bearing crank and rods with plain bearing units. I burned a piston 25,000 miles later, so I probably didn't know what I was doing........
Disclaimer: I rebuilt my first 356A 1600 Super engine on a milk crate in a carport. It wasn't easy. I had to replace the roller-bearing crank and rods with plain bearing units. I burned a piston 25,000 miles later, so I probably didn't know what I was doing........
Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints.....
-
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 376
- Joined: Wed May 10, 2017 4:14 pm
Re: engine won't turn over
Removing all 4 spark plugs and trying to start it will take less than 15 minutes and tell you quite a bit. If it still doesn't roll over, the motor has to come up. If it does crank, then you've got a weak starter or high compression.David Trower wrote: ↑Fri Nov 11, 2022 4:24 pm I have squirted oil into the cylinders with no satisfaction. No sense in turning ir over with 36mm socket as I know it turns over. I haven't checked ground strap, will do. I will probably put the SC engine in and see what happens. Thank you to every one who have made suggestions. David
- Martin Benade
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 12179
- Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:52 am
- Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Re: engine won't turn over
Wes it’s true- I am clueless, but on my recent rebuild I have over 300 miles and it still runs!
Cleveland Ohio
62 Cabriolet
56 VW
02 IS 300
04 Sienna
62 Cabriolet
56 VW
02 IS 300
04 Sienna
- George Hussey
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 746
- Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:22 pm
- Location: atlanta georgia
- Contact:
Re: engine won't turn over
Martin Benade wrote: ↑Fri Oct 21, 2022 9:32 pm I’d check the ground connections at the transmission and battery end as well as the battery positive terminal.
agree grounds are critically important especially on 6v
George Hussey
-
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 176
- Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 4:06 pm
- Location: Petawawa Ontario
engine barely turns over and putting engine in
I have just got back to looking at a few of my problema with my A engine.
Engine barely turns over as though the battery was nearly dead. Battery is new and tested.
I removed the A engine and put a SC engine in and it cranks just fine.
I am baffled and am going to take the A engine to my mechanic.
The other problem I have when putting the engine in is getting the top right bolt to stay in place as I push the engine in. The top left bolt is accessable but the right bolt goes in as I push the engine in. How can I get this bolt to stay in place?
Thank you to all that have written offering suggestions.
David, near Ottawa, Ontario
Engine barely turns over as though the battery was nearly dead. Battery is new and tested.
I removed the A engine and put a SC engine in and it cranks just fine.
I am baffled and am going to take the A engine to my mechanic.
The other problem I have when putting the engine in is getting the top right bolt to stay in place as I push the engine in. The top left bolt is accessable but the right bolt goes in as I push the engine in. How can I get this bolt to stay in place?
Thank you to all that have written offering suggestions.
David, near Ottawa, Ontario
- Mike Wilson
- Classifieds Monitor
- Posts: 11490
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:37 pm
- Location: SW Los Angeles
Re: engine won't turn over
Keep us posted on the analysis of the A engine. Something is wonky. As far as the top bolt. Some silicon it in place, others may use body putty. I drilled a hole in the head for a roll pin so it can't spin when tightening it up.
Mike
Mike
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe
-
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 2189
- Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 9:34 pm
- Location: Monterey, CA
Re: engine won't turn over
I also drilled the bolts for a roll pin. I think that was Ab Tiedman's solution, he used to sell the bolts with roll pins installed. If the bolt slides to the front when the engine is installed, just reach up and push it back in place.
- Harlan Halsey
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 2339
- Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2012 2:05 pm
- Location: No Cal SF Peninsula
Re: engine won't turn over
Magnet. Or do as I do: Cross drill the end of the bolt, slide the washer and nut down safety wire and use the safety wire to hold the bolt out.
- Martin Benade
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 12179
- Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:52 am
- Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Re: engine won't turn over
Or my method, a few turns of masking tape on the bolt just below the head. It makes a nice press fit, works great as long as the threads are clean.
Cleveland Ohio
62 Cabriolet
56 VW
02 IS 300
04 Sienna
62 Cabriolet
56 VW
02 IS 300
04 Sienna
- Brian R Adams
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 3287
- Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:34 pm
- Location: N. Nevada
Re: engine won't turn over
I reviewed this thread twice, but didn't find that David pulled the spark plugs to see if the starter spins the engine easily. (Sorry if I skimmed right past that ...)Dave Whittick wrote: ↑Fri Nov 25, 2022 11:20 pmRemoving all 4 spark plugs and trying to start it will take less than 15 minutes and tell you quite a bit. If it still doesn't roll over, the motor has to come up. If it does crank, then you've got a weak starter or high compression.David Trower wrote: ↑Fri Nov 11, 2022 4:24 pm I have squirted oil into the cylinders with no satisfaction. No sense in turning ir over with 36mm socket as I know it turns over. I haven't checked ground strap, will do. I will probably put the SC engine in and see what happens. Thank you to every one who have made suggestions. David
-
Welcome to the era of policy-based evidence-making.
Difficile est saturam non scribere (Juvenal)
Difficile est saturam non scribere (Juvenal)
- Jim Clement
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 1461
- Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:46 am
- Tag: 1957 356 A Coupe
- Location: Calgary Alberta
Re: engine won't turn over
David
did you get your engine to your rebuilder to put it back on his test stand to see / find out what the problem is ?
did you get your engine to your rebuilder to put it back on his test stand to see / find out what the problem is ?
- John Clarke
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:38 am
- Location: East Sussex, England
- Contact:
Re: engine won't turn over
I really do give up asking what stopped Dave installing his engine. The Above Posts are reference to an engine that WON'T TURN OVER !
Yes ?
Jay
Yes ?
Jay
- Sebastian Gaeta
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 3047
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:50 pm
- Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Re: engine won't turn over
NM
Last edited by Sebastian Gaeta on Sat Jul 01, 2023 6:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
Sebastian Gaeta
www.arbormotion.com
Registry #8339
'65 C coupe
'64 C cab
-------
2014 Boxster 981
2005 997 C2 Cab
1967 Karmann Ghia Convertible
1966 VW Single Cab
1966 Ducati Cafe Racer
1964 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1963 Beetle
www.arbormotion.com
Registry #8339
'65 C coupe
'64 C cab
-------
2014 Boxster 981
2005 997 C2 Cab
1967 Karmann Ghia Convertible
1966 VW Single Cab
1966 Ducati Cafe Racer
1964 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1963 Beetle
- Doug McDonnell
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 6061
- Joined: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:21 am
- Location: Augusta,Michigan
Re: engine barely turns over and putting engine in
Easy way to get the top passengers side bolt to stay until you have a washer and nut on it is to just stuff a rag against the head of the bolt up there in the no mans land/blind caviaty- but be sure to remove it after you have finished. I do like the bolt head with the roll pin in it or a hose clamp around it though.David Trower wrote: ↑Thu Mar 30, 2023 8:46 pm I have just got back to looking at a few of my problema with my A engine.
Engine barely turns over as though the battery was nearly dead. Battery is new and tested.
I removed the A engine and put a SC engine in and it cranks just fine.
I am baffled and am going to take the A engine to my mechanic.
The other problem I have when putting the engine in is getting the top right bolt to stay in place as I push the engine in. The top left bolt is accessable but the right bolt goes in as I push the engine in. How can I get this bolt to stay in place?
Thank you to all that have written offering suggestions.
David, near Ottawa, Ontario
1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.
- Martin Benade
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 12179
- Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:52 am
- Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Re: engine won't turn over
I’ve both emailed and talked on the phone to David Trower. He seems like a fine fellow, I guess just not keyed in to the forum lifestyle.
Cleveland Ohio
62 Cabriolet
56 VW
02 IS 300
04 Sienna
62 Cabriolet
56 VW
02 IS 300
04 Sienna