Possible oil starvation- engine rebuild?

[BNelsonAz]

My son's 1980 Fiat Spider acts like the motor is seized. It was a quart low on oil, but not completely starved. I want to turn the motor manually to possibly see where the weld is. Does anyone know the size of the main pulley bolt? I tried a 32mm but it was too small.

Also as a follow on (I know this depends to a certain extent on the extent of damage) what does an engine rebuild run? I have a pretty good machine shop that does work for me, and I can do the heavy disassembly.

Are there rebuild motors available out there?

Ok...I'll stop now

[BNelsonAz]

Just saw one on Ebay. $2500

[mpollock]

The crankshaft pulley is 38 mm, or a 1.5" socket will also work.

[BNelsonAz]

mpollock...Thank you!!

[djape1977]

maybe it ain't siezed, it may have jumped acouple teeth on a timing belt. try turning it wrong way round

[azruss]

being a quart low on oil will not seize these motors. they have to run dry for quite a while before they will seize.

[BNelsonAz]

being a quart low on oil will not seize these motors. they have to run dry for quite a while before they will seize.

See that's what I was thinking Russ! However, it sure feels like it's seized. It was at the MIN point when I checked it so that may be more that 1 quart low.

[BNelsonAz]

maybe it ain't siezed, it may have jumped acouple teeth on a timing belt. try turning it wrong way round

That might be I did seem to notice that looking at it the belt was way on one ege of the pulley

[BEEK]

acts like its seized? does it turn? put the car in 4th gear and roll it forward, the engine will turn

[azruss]

If the timing is off, the crank could be jammed against the aux cam lobe. If that is the case, the motor should turn backwards for several degrees. If the timing is off, you dont want to move the crank very far. Pull the belt cover off and look at the timing hole in the aux pulley. that is the same size as the cam pulleys and you can figure out its position in relation to the cams. If you need any help getting that sorted out, give me a call and then I have an excuse for a road trip.

[BNelsonAz]

acts like its seized? does it turn? put the car in 4th gear and roll it forward, the engine will turn

Yep no turn-ee. Back wheels just sliiiiiide.

[BNelsonAz]

If the timing is off, the crank could be jammed against the aux cam lobe. If that is the case, the motor should turn backwards for several degrees. If the timing is off, you dont want to move the crank very far. Pull the belt cover off and look at the timing hole in the aux pulley. that is the same size as the cam pulleys and you can figure out its position in relation to the cams. If you need any help getting that sorted out, give me a call and then I have an excuse for a road trip.

Nice! Would be great to have some help. Right now hard to get time on it because my job is getting in the way of all the important stuff!

[vandor]

If you do all the work yourself, you might/could do it for ~$1000.
I would not have a machine shop rebuild it. No idea why, but machine shops regularly mess up Fiat engines.
If you want to go that route take it to a good import repair shop.

An engine rebuild usually costs $2500-3500, depending on what is done and what is broken. Could be a lot more for a hi-po build.

As others said, it would need to be 2-3 quarts low for it to starve of oil. That is not what happened (unless someone filled it back up with oil
A lot more likely that the timing belt jumped a cog and the rod hit the fuel pump lobe at the end of the auxiliary shaft. If that is the case all you need to do is get a new timing belt (and possibly a tensioner, since you are already there...).

[BNelsonAz]

If you do all the work yourself, you might/could do it for ~$1000.
I would not have a machine shop rebuild it. No idea why, but machine shops regularly mess up Fiat engines.

Probably because they haven't learned to curse in Italian...

An engine rebuild usually costs $2500-3500, depending on what is done and what is broken. Could be a lot more for a hi-po build.

A lot more likely that the timing belt jumped a cog and the rod hit the fuel pump lobe at the end of the auxiliary shaft. If that is the case all you need to do is get a new timing belt (and possibly a tensioner, since you are already there...)

Praying that this is the case!

[BEEK]

I
I would not have a machine shop rebuild it. No idea why, but machine shops regularly mess up Fiat engines.
If you want to go that route take it to a good import repair shop.

i take exception to that

i have 30 years experience working on fiats, just because i own a machine shop now, doesnt mean i have forgotten all my fiat knowledge

ps, i knew it wasnt ment to me