Hello everyone, I finally freed up my driveway to accept delivery of our 1980 spider. to my understanding the car ran last year and stored there after, the people I got it from said the engine is frozen. I was not concern about it because is going to be converted into an electric car for my wife. I do however would like to revive the engine before I pull it out, I've sprayed some liquid wrench in each cylinder hoping it will free up any stock rings. I have not look at the crank to see what size the bolt head is, if there is one to use to rotate the engine. If not, where can go to turn the engine manually to see if does rotate.

I am new to these cars but I consider myself a "gearhead". Thank in advance.

Ben

unless there was something wrong with the motor to start with, it shouldn't freeze withing a year? MAke sure the timing belt isn't broken??
Please do post your electric conversion, are you using AC or DC? and what type of controller and batteries will you be using?

I picked up a Spider last summer that had set outside for 10 years and the engine wasn't frozen up. I think that if
you engine won't turn over that it has a mechanical problem and not frozen up. IMO

When shimming the valves, I take all the plugs out and can then turn the engine with a 19mm on the intake cam nut and pull towards you.

if the auxillary shaft is out of time, it can prevent the crankshaft from turning. Try turning the motor backwards by hand and see if it turns.
BTW, don't scrap the motor once you convert it. 2L motors are desirable and are getting harder to find

The crankshaft nut is 38mm, or 1.5".

Thank you everyone for your inputs, I myself was surprised to hear the engine was frozen within a year of static. I got a 1972 Corvette three years ago which sat for 12 years, the engine rotated without a problem. I am leaning towards some mechanical issue. If indeed it is frozen, I have not tried yet. If it is dead I do plan on keeping it and re-build down the road for future in another project can.

This car main purpose in life is to run 100% elecric, I will start a new post when I start on the project. I will be using a DC motor from netgear I believe and soliton JR controller and Lithium Batt. It will be a 144V, 160ah powqer source. Once I start and have all the components for the builld I will start a seperate post for the built.