Flathead locked up while not running

[earthman]

Here is the situation. I drove the '51 Ford to work a week ago and it purred along as usual before i parked it. No noise, no problems at all. After work i tried to start it and it wouldn't crank with a full charge. Tried to jump it with no effect. Tried to pull it and it still would not turn the engine. Just dragging the tires. Thought it might have a blown gasket or crack letting water fill a cylinder and locking it on a compression stroke but removing the plugs made no difference. Tried to move the car backwards in high gear to counterrotate the engine
but no luck.

 

[AZRodDave]

That sure is odd! I suppose there is only one way to find out, though; get it home and pull the engine out and dismantle. Sorry to hear it ...

 

[zzrodder]

Whaaa??? Can you get any movement at all at the crank pulley? Maybe pull the starter and see if you can move the flywheel back and forth with a pry bar against the ring gear teeth.... Stray bolt jammed against the flywheel/block ?? [S[S

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

Following zz's thinking... could be your starter and drive are "piled up" on the flywheel.

.

 

[kenny c]

Cousin's 40 had a starter let go and he went through every thing you did before realizing it was the sarter. Good luck.

 

[MercuryMac]

I vote with the other guys, E-man. My flaming optimism tells me it's the starter because that's the cheapest fix. That counter-rotating should have popped the starter bendix drive loose though. Good luck.

 

[earthman]

I towed it home and will pull the starter off and see if the motor will move.
Thanks everyone so much for the opinions.

 

[sluggo]

Sounds like starter to me

 

[AZRodDave]

Any news???

The consensus suspected the starter. Did you get to look at it yet?

 

[sneakysnake]

"I gots to know"

 

[earthman]

Haven't got under it yet. Actually it's difficult to get to on this car. Got the heater and lights in the '37 so i can drive it to work. Aiming for Friday. Thanks for everyones concern.

 

[junker39]

This may sound crazy but, I had the "opportunity" to look at a locked up older Chevy pick up, maybe a '90 model, a while back. It seemed frozen like yours is doing. I tried every thing. Then, pulled the starter and got a big screwdriver on the ring gear to try to turn it that way. It would move maybe a half tooth each way. A buddy was standing there watching and he said hey, check this out. The alternator, p/s/ a/c, serpentine belt was doing strange things when I was moving the flywheel. Come to find out, the alternator was locked tight and it had killed the 350 and wouldn't let it turn over at all. I wouldn't have believed it if it wasn't right in front of me. I took the belt off and the engine turned great. Put the starter back and fired it up. It may be worth a look at that. Just a suggestion. Good luck.

 

[Got Rust?]

Waiting to hear on this one, I'v had a piston come up and wedge a valve on a stroker motor (not one I did) was not and easy fix.

 

[earthman]

Y'all were correct. It was the starter. Some research indicated it isn't uncommon for starters to jam on flatheads when using 12 volts. Ford used this goofy backward starter drive. The case slid off leaving the guts still jammed. Required precise application of the BFH. The solution is a 12 volt starter.
Thanks for steering me in the right direction.

 

[AZRodDave]

Glad you got it sorted! These guys are pretty darn smart on here! [cl

 

[smallfoot]

Glad it was the "cheaper" fix...[cl

 

[earthman]

Glad it was the "cheaper" fix...[cl

Maybe, i'm paying alot for a fancy Powermaster starter tho

Glad you got it sorted! These guys are pretty darn smart on here! [cl

Yep. Lots of experience to rely on.

 

[Old Iron]

[clit's nice when it turns out to be a relatively easy fix [cl

 

[earthman]

[clit's nice when it turns out to be a relatively easy fix [cl

Especially since the easy ones are all i can do.

 

[Got Rust?]

So it was a 6 volt starter that went bad bad?
Glad it got done without major $$$