2.9 V6 Ranger Locked motor

Mar 10, 2006 4 Replies
H

I am swapping motors in my ranger pickup. I noticed while bolting the motor to the Tranny, that the motor is "Stuck". I can turn the motor freely for almost 1 revolution of the fly wheel, then it hits something solid and doesn't move.



This is an automatic tranny, 2.9 V6.



I had the intake off for a couple of weeks, so it's possible something fell into the intake and is blocking a valve. I took the valve covers off and can move each valve.



Is there any way that the tranny could be holding the motor? I'm farily positive it's in neutral, but the pickup is blocked so it can't move the truck to be sure.



I want to exhaust all options before I pull the intake off to see if anything is blocking the valves or pistons.



Any ideas?



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B

I think you pretty much know the problem, dont you. And taking the intake off again is only one step in the middle. Find out for sure by rotating engine fore and back, seeing how many degrees the engine is free.

Anyone can make that mistake, but that's one reason why you dont leave an engine sitting around partially dismantled. Now it IS conceivable you can find a mechanic who has the skill of a surgeon and can fish through the plug hole and get that screw -or whatever - out of the cylinder without pulling the heads.

It's up to you.

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S

Yes, it may be possible, but not being familiar with the Ranger's design, I can't say for sure. I had a car once that had a bolt back out of the flywheel, flex plate or converter far enough to prevent rotation.

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H

I think I will try unbolting the Tranny first. I was careful about the motor while it sat a part...but stuff happens...As for fishing through a plug hole, I think I'd even try that before pulling the heads off.

So what would 1 revolution of the fly-wheel be? I would guess that's one revolution of the motor.

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S

If it were me in the same position, the first thing I would do is hook up an air hose, pull the plug wires (don't mix them up, label them in case you think you'll forget) and clean the dirt around the plugs. Here is where I would remove one of the spark plugs and make sure it is the correct part for that truck. If someone had put the wrong plug in that truck and it was just

1/4" longer than the original, the engine would not turn over. Even if just one of the plugs were longer than the other, there is a possibility the engine would not complete a stroke. Next, I would take a telesoping magnet and fish around inside the cylinder bore for any foreign matter. Could be a screw, nut or bolt stopping the piston from completing it's cycle, that is small enough to remove through the plug hole.

If you check them all and come up with nothing, then I would start removing the valve covers and work my way to the heads.

BTW, was the engine you are swapping into the truck known to be running before it was removed from its original vehicle? Were you able to start it up and hear it running? What I'm getting at is that if you know the engine were running beforehand, then you can pretty much check off some of the obvious items such as seized water pump, broken or jammed timing chain, etc. Otherwise, for all you know, the engine may have been toast before you even considered it.

Good luck Sharky

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