6G Celicas Forums

Replaced the battery as it was old. When I went to start it, there was smoke from the engine bay and a seized sound. What was seized? The engine wouldn't turn over. Smelled like rubber. Any ideas?

This post has been edited by gts4: May 2, 2014 - 3:36 PM

The belts didn't get eaten up did they?

Not sure. What would cause this just from sitting for a couple of months? Thanks

Leave the car in 3rd gear and push it, you will soon find out if it's seized or not. Might just be a Jammed up starter motor. Some movement might just free up what's stuck.

This post has been edited by Nial: May 3, 2014 - 12:43 AM

Actually 5th would give you the most mechanical advantage to turn the motor over. 1st is the hardest.

You should also use a 3/4" or 19mm socket on the crankshaft pulley bolt to turn the motor over by hand. A massive pipe to slide over the handle of the ratchet as a cheater bar is highly recommended. Remove the sparkplugs and pour liberal amounts of WD-40 or PB Blaster into the 4 cylinders before trying to break it loose. Motor oil works too but wd40 or PB will help freeing the rust and lubricating whats left of your cylinders and rings. Probably best to let the cylinders sit overnight with the stuff soaking in them beforehand. If you try to crank the motor dry, with the plugs in and using the starter you will be more likely to damage the motor.

Once you get it free and have turned the motor till your arm is sore(with the occasional capful of oil down each sparkplug tube) crank the motor with the starter a few times to blow all the junk out before putting the plugs back in .

This post has been edited by Special_Edy: May 3, 2014 - 5:30 AM

Check the alternator. If it is not used it will seize and when you turn the engine over the belt will slip on the pulley instead of it turning. This would cause the burnt rubber smell.

What BJM said. I highly doubt your engine is seized.

Timing belt?

Could also be the idler pulleys for the timing belt

Unless you stored it with the plugs out, oil cap off, and hood up for rain and snow to get into the engine then I doubt the engine is seized up. More likely as mentioned one of the pulleys seized up, so take the accessory belts off and try to start the engine.

OP, does the starter kick in? does it make the whirl sound, or the chug chug wants to turn over sound?

Yes