Car Just died at stop sign and now will barely turn over
- Thread starter keadams
- Start date
acidcrashdburnd
New member
Put car on jack stands and see if you can spin front tires? Did you ever try talking the accessory belts off and try starting? My 1993 Oldsmobile did this the ground mount on the unibody was so rusted it broke off when I touched it had to drill new hole and run new nut/bolt.trace the ground cable and check then double check the connection points.
acidcrashdburnd
New member
I have seen this happen on an old 2.8 Z24 spun a bearing. 
Hope that's not your case, good thing the 3.8 engines are a dime a dozen at junk yards.
Hope that's not your case, good thing the 3.8 engines are a dime a dozen at junk yards.
Scottydoggs
Killa Bee
Scottydoggs, I have done everything from the front page except tracing for the ground. I am hoping to do that this weekend. The tranny thing is now on my mind. I spoke to the tranny guy and he said to unbolt the torque converter from the flywheel and see if the converter spins freely. If it does it is not the tranny. If it does not it is the tranny. Problem is that I cant even get to the bolts on the flywheel without turning the motor over. Any other thoughts or ideas?
BillBoost37
New member
Ok, just seeing this again.
When you say the car won't turn over, you mean you turn the key and the starter gives you a clunk and the engine doesn't turn at all? As you already know, something must be binding it up. Let's figure out what is the cause.
I'd pull all six plugs and belt(s) again. (Is this motor NA or SC?) Then try the key. It's sat long enough and the plugs have some oil etc on them that maybe there was no water. Try tuning if over via the key, if it's the same. Pull the passenger wheel and the plastic splash shield that keeps you from seeing the crank bolt on the front of the harmonic balancer. Try turning the motor with a ratchet or long breaker bar. If it doesn't want to easily turn forward, then try rotating the crank backwards. The idea here is if it won't move forward, often a motor will move backwards. If it moves backwards then something in the engine assembly is likely broken and binding the motor.
On the unbolt the torque converter and try spinning it. What this does is only checks the torque converter. Which would bind your engine to the trans directly w/o any possible slipping, which is what an automatic needs to stay running in gear.
When you say the car won't turn over, you mean you turn the key and the starter gives you a clunk and the engine doesn't turn at all? As you already know, something must be binding it up. Let's figure out what is the cause.
I'd pull all six plugs and belt(s) again. (Is this motor NA or SC?) Then try the key. It's sat long enough and the plugs have some oil etc on them that maybe there was no water. Try tuning if over via the key, if it's the same. Pull the passenger wheel and the plastic splash shield that keeps you from seeing the crank bolt on the front of the harmonic balancer. Try turning the motor with a ratchet or long breaker bar. If it doesn't want to easily turn forward, then try rotating the crank backwards. The idea here is if it won't move forward, often a motor will move backwards. If it moves backwards then something in the engine assembly is likely broken and binding the motor.
On the unbolt the torque converter and try spinning it. What this does is only checks the torque converter. Which would bind your engine to the trans directly w/o any possible slipping, which is what an automatic needs to stay running in gear.
BillBoost37
New member
Kev...checked, called. I'm currently selling your number for $5 a pop to telemarketers and all kinds of places. I doubt your old enough for AARP, 
They'll be calling you though.
They'll be calling you though.ilovemygtp26
New member
So, my car did the same thing last week to the t. Cant figure it out. Sounded like I had a slight knock before it happened...I can get it to turn a half a turn after screwing with it.. any ideas??
A knock sound before it happened tells me it spun a bearing and locked up. Probably rod knock. That motor is toast if that is the case. Harder to hydrolock the S/C motors since there is no plastic UIM to fail like on the GT's.
When you pull the plugs check all of them for damage to the tip as well.
Hopefully you've been running Premium gas in it as well.
When you pull the plugs check all of them for damage to the tip as well.
Hopefully you've been running Premium gas in it as well.
Seems like the same exact thing happened to me two weeks ago.
I'm thinking it's the timing chain... well, crossing my fingers at least.
Here's my scenario:
Car was idling with the AC on for about 30min while I was sitting in the back seat watching a movie with my son on a laptop with the a sound system plugged in through a power inverter... then, out of nowhere the car dies. I figure the battery died and the car shut off.
About 30min later someone kindly offers to help me jump start it. Nothing, barely turns. I then check all the spark plugs, all good, no water, perfect shape. I check the oil, aslo perfectly clean, no water, nothing, just pure good clean oil. I take the battery out, take it to get checked out and charged. Battery checks out and a quick charge put on it. Try starting, same thing. I then remove the starter, take it to get checked out, and it checks out.
Spark plugs good, battery good, starter good, oil good. Grounds all look good. So, I attempt another jump start. Very slow to turn over, so I let it sit attached to the running car with the jumper cables. Finally, I try starting it, and it starts, but sounds like the belt tensioner is going bad as it's making a lot of racket.
I'm on a road trip, so I figure I'll just jump in and head home immediately... Then, I go down the street for 2miles, now cruising at 60mph, and the car suddenly shuts off (not "slowly dies," but sudden stop). I put it in neutral, and coast to a stop... then, tow it home (4hrs away mind you).
The one thing I haven't tried, is removing all the belts and then trying it. Could be that the AC seized up... but, seriously, could a belt seriously lock up a motor? I would think the belt would just slip until the crank pulley burned a hole through it.
Could it be the timing chain? If the timing chain went, couldn't it lock up the motor?
I really hope the engine didn't seize up... but how is it possible for it to seize up so that it first has trouble, then starts, then seizes again? Seizes again? It's gotta be the chain, is what I keep telling myself.
Please help.
PS. A little background: The car had no issues, No Engine Codes, no Service Engine light, and back in January I did the entire intake manifold and LIM UIM gasket rework. It's a '99 NA 3.8 GT
I'm thinking it's the timing chain... well, crossing my fingers at least.
Here's my scenario:
Car was idling with the AC on for about 30min while I was sitting in the back seat watching a movie with my son on a laptop with the a sound system plugged in through a power inverter... then, out of nowhere the car dies. I figure the battery died and the car shut off.
About 30min later someone kindly offers to help me jump start it. Nothing, barely turns. I then check all the spark plugs, all good, no water, perfect shape. I check the oil, aslo perfectly clean, no water, nothing, just pure good clean oil. I take the battery out, take it to get checked out and charged. Battery checks out and a quick charge put on it. Try starting, same thing. I then remove the starter, take it to get checked out, and it checks out.
Spark plugs good, battery good, starter good, oil good. Grounds all look good. So, I attempt another jump start. Very slow to turn over, so I let it sit attached to the running car with the jumper cables. Finally, I try starting it, and it starts, but sounds like the belt tensioner is going bad as it's making a lot of racket.
I'm on a road trip, so I figure I'll just jump in and head home immediately... Then, I go down the street for 2miles, now cruising at 60mph, and the car suddenly shuts off (not "slowly dies," but sudden stop). I put it in neutral, and coast to a stop... then, tow it home (4hrs away mind you).
The one thing I haven't tried, is removing all the belts and then trying it. Could be that the AC seized up... but, seriously, could a belt seriously lock up a motor? I would think the belt would just slip until the crank pulley burned a hole through it.
Could it be the timing chain? If the timing chain went, couldn't it lock up the motor?
I really hope the engine didn't seize up... but how is it possible for it to seize up so that it first has trouble, then starts, then seizes again? Seizes again? It's gotta be the chain, is what I keep telling myself.
Please help.
PS. A little background: The car had no issues, No Engine Codes, no Service Engine light, and back in January I did the entire intake manifold and LIM UIM gasket rework. It's a '99 NA 3.8 GT
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BillBoost37
New member
McFly, after talking to Kevin.. his motor with plugs out didn't turn by hand. We speciulated that a bearing spun and was locking it up.
Remove the belts, remove the spark plugs and try to turn the motor over. Ensure the battery checks out. If a cell died, that could give you some of the symptoms that you have. Try turning your motor by hand.
Remove the belts, remove the spark plugs and try to turn the motor over. Ensure the battery checks out. If a cell died, that could give you some of the symptoms that you have. Try turning your motor by hand.
I took the belt off, put the car in neutral, put a breaker bar on the crank pulley... and it's jammed. Won't go in either direction. The AC spins by hand, as does every other pulley, and the car will roll freely in neutral. As I said, the battery is good. Has 12volts, tests good, and plenty strong.
So, is it worth doing the bearings from the bottom without pulling the motor, or is it best just to get another motor? The pistons and heads seem fine.
So, is it worth doing the bearings from the bottom without pulling the motor, or is it best just to get another motor? The pistons and heads seem fine.
Scottydoggs
Killa Bee
before you start looking for a new engine, unbolt the torque converter and try to spin the engine again, the trans could be locked up and holding it.
if its still frozen the engine is sized up. no sense in rebuilding it at all, find a used engine and swap it.
if its still frozen the engine is sized up. no sense in rebuilding it at all, find a used engine and swap it.
Scottydoggs
Killa Bee
2 of the bolts will be easy to get, the 3 rd may be a problem depending where the engine stopped. long wrench will be your friend.
you did pull the spark plugs and then tried to turn the engine?
you did pull the spark plugs and then tried to turn the engine?