My 1998 Escort's crankshaft pulley won't turn a full rotation.
Asked by EscortBob Feb 28, 2016 at 03:14 PM about the 1998 Ford Escort 4 Dr SE Wagon
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
I can turn the crank pulley pretty freely until a spot just short of the timing marks lining up and then it sticks hard. The starter will turn it. I've gotten the car to "run" but it just barely goes and then dies. Clatters the whole time. Everything points to a dropped valve seat. Am I overlooking something simple that would stop the crank from turning?
6 Answers
No your right, its probably a bent valve, take the valve cover off, you should find a loose rocker-arm, this be the cylinder with the problem.
I'll pop the cover off and see what I find. thx
I removed the valve cover and rolled the valve train through a cycle nothing weird seemed to happen. Rockers all seemed tight all the way through. Curious that I can rotate the valve train with the belt off. Is the piston hitting something? No plugs are damaged.
What belt did you take off, the timing belt or the serpentine belt? And what size engine is this?
Both belts are off. 2.0 engine in 98 escort. So what I'm saying is that I can roll the valve train when it's independent of the crank. When I turn the crank pulley with the timing belt off it still sticks in that one spot whether I turn forward or back. My theory is there's something in there the piston is hitting.
How about taking the inspection cover off down by the starter and take a peak. Could you tell where the clatter sound came from? How about getting one of those flexible scopes with a light to see inside the cylinders? Maybe bring each cylinder up to its top dead center and stick a magnet inside, or fish around to see if there is anything there? Other wise gonna have to look inside the oil pan.
