Can I safely hand crank my SBC that has a blower and belt attached? I ask because I put a socket on the crankshaft bolt and it doesn't want to rotate easily. The engine is a fresh build that, at the time, I believed I had sealed up good about a year ago. Spark plugs are out. It turned over easily before the blower and belt were put on. The engine was primed with oil at the time of storage as well. Has been covered in my garage for the duration. I feel stupid for asking, but I also don't want to force or loosen anything. How many foot lbs should it take to turn it over with a socket/ratchet, given the blower/belt, and am I missing something else? I should be spinning the crankshaft bolt clockwise correct? And if I were to prime the engine again, the dizzy too spins clockwise? Thanks guys, xwing
It turned over easily before the blower and belt were put on. When did you put it on? Last year? The blower shouldn't bother anything. Engine Might be kinda stuck. Just to elimate any wonderment, pop the belt off and spin the blower. Then put the socket and bar on the crank nut and see what happens. You should be able to rotate the crank slowly and easily with plugs in using a 18" breaker bar and one hand.
Why do you think you will hurt the belt? Have you watched the top fuel teams start their 10,000HP fuel motors from the blower snout?
Unfortunately the engine stand I have uses the bell housing bolt points, so I can't get a flywheel on w/o taking it off the stand
Whats on top of the blower? Carbs, block off plate, duct tape? When the blower is rotated, it might be trying to draw air in and can't.
Agreed. I was more weary of stripping/rounding the bolt and having to find somewhere to mount it other than the stand to fix a problem I created.
Yes blower was put on about a year ago, but I don't think I tried turning it over once it was installed. It's been a busy year and I remember my neglected engine that's tucked away in the corner. So I sprayed some fogging oil in each chamber and went to turn it over and got a little worried. I'll try again tomorrow after it airs tonight, and take the tape off the blower as suggested. Thanks for the awesome reply. I will let you guys know what happens tomorrow. MUCH APPRECIATED!
It sure is "suctioning". Blowers suck in a lot of air. Not sure, at hand crank speed, if it's enough to make the engine hard to turn though. Like has been suggested, try turning it with the belt off. If it's still tight, you may want to open it up and have a look inside.
Yeah, not sure if that's a word, or politically correct. At any rate, I'll try with the belt off. And if it was stuck a bit maybe the oil over night will help. I'll update...
Like they say take the belt off - and spark plugs out - use the 3 bolt holes in the damper , and let them stick out and turn it over using the 3 bolts and a 2 ft bar If its too tight with that set up then take a peek and see what is wrong DND
if it has duct tape on top of the blower, then air can't get into the blower. But it should still turn at low speeds easily, since it is not fully sealed. there is clearance between the rotors and case. pull belt off, see if you can turn the blower, see if you can turn the engine, go from there.
Tape was constricting air flow on the blower, as seen pulling it down. Pulled the tape off and the belt off. I didn't figure my paper towel in the spark plugs was air tight. First slow turn shot a few paper pieces out. I guess they absorbed oil and packing them in was tighter than I thought. Pulled those out, along with no tape or belt and it spins! thanks fellas
I had one like that tip when moving and smashed the alt and valve cover.....lucky it was a core motor
Usually the blower snout has a 1/2" sq drive for a turn-over bar, Thats what most racers use to rotate the engine
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