Okay... cool. The way people have been talking in the FAQs and such, I thought I was supposed to be able to turn it. I think it has to be the starter. Just waiting for a slightly warmer day. It's a little cold out there to be under that car under just a carport. And I have a little time. Thanks for everything, people! I was scared $#!+less. Now I feel a lot better. It ran SO great after the tuneup... I can't wait to get it on the road again.

 

I would have to strongly disagree with this statement. Every one I've come across has been very easy to turn by hand. Maybe technique? I always turn a pulley while putting lots of tension on the belt and it works great.

 

you turn the main pulley or you get some accessories to spin without the belt?

 

regardless it's not moving. I'm thinking maybe the bendix is hung in the flywheel... or maybe the starter housing cracked and it's not meshing properly. Once when I tried it last night, it didn't engage and the starter DID spin. The rest of the time I can just hear it lock and "hum". I'm really hoping it's just a starter problem. I'll find out Monday, hopefully

 

i had something kind of like that happen with my pickup, the starter had actuly started to fall out of the houseing, the bolts were all loose and it was only partialy engageing, then it started not starting, i went under the truck and the starter was almost hanging by the wire's, i was amazed i hadnt seen this earlier, 5 min's later it was fixed but yeah it just sounds like a starter prob since it doesnt seem that your batt has a hard time keeping a charge or provideing enough power to engage the starter

 

Feelin better all the time :-) I just knew I'd dropped a buncha cash into a car I couldn't keep going right now. I used to repair starters and alternators so.. I should be able to handle a starter problem with ease

 

If the car is parked where you have a few feet of room, put it in 4th & roll it backwards & forwards a foot or two.



That will tell if the engine will turn.

 

Ah... I wish it were a standard. Unfortunately, I have an automatic. I guess I could put it in 2nd. Don't know how good an idea that would be though. I'm just getting another starter this morning. I hope that's the problem and, if not, at least I'll know the starter is good.

 

also... on a totally different note... this car has the typical rusted window rails on the doors. I heard there were some plastic replacements I could get. Anyone know a good source?

 

Well... I got the starter off today. When I tested it, it spun fine... but didn't seem to be kicking out properly. Maybe under load it just wasn't handling it. Although I couldn't get the ring gear in there to turn. Still... I have a new starter showing up in the morning. Fingers crossed that that fixes it.