[Robert68]

Finally pulled the cougar out of the garage after weeks of putting it back together. Tried to start it and just heard CLUNK. A few times. Then just a consistent clicking. Battery has full power. Tried to crank it over by hand but couldnt get it to budge. I could do it fine before i put spark plugs and starter in. Removed plugs and still nothing. Belts are off. The only thing i can think of is remove starter to get to ground wire and take it off and use a sanding bit on my dremel to take off paint to ensure a good ground. I will try to turn it over by hand again once starter is out. Dont know whats going on. If any one has any advice or has ran into this before please help!

 

[Bad69cat]

Probably need more info - but turning it over by hand is a good start - manual or auto? Might make sure the starter gear retracted - isn't hung up or something

 

[Robert68]

3spd auto. Couldnt get it to turn over by hand, which is unsettling. I could a couple weeks back. Just went and got a new silenoid but im getting the exact same thing. Starter looked fine. Gear was where it was on my old starter from the old motor. Re did the ground to the block. And like i said took the starter out and still couldnt get it to budge. Used a breaker bar on center bolt and it still wouldnt go. Maybe my electrical is messed up somewhere? I used my old harness. But it worked on my old motor. Nothing that would keep it from at least cranking over

 

[lbesq]

Just an old fart rattling at the head, but if you can not get your motor to turn over by putting a breaker on the crank, then you may have another issue. Hope not.

Lloyd

 

[Jester1023]

Could you tell us if the oil pump was primed before you tried to crank the engine? Is the torque converter properly seated on the input shaft of the tranny? There is nothing electrical that will prevent you from turning the engine by hand...something mechanical is bound. I have seen newer style starter castings that were remanufactured have casting bulk bind the flexplate. It does sure sound like a torque converter bind. Did you seat the toque converter in the transmission, then bolt it to the flexplate? Or was it the other way around?

 

[390XR7]

I'd drop the starter sounds like it's hung up.with the starter off the motor see if you can turn it over by hand.

 

[Cedar Rapids Ia]

Juat another old fart thinking out loud.... are any of your torque converter bolts binding up on the fly wheel?

 

[towcat]

One more thing to check, flywheel bolts are two different lengths, I used one that was to long and it bound up against the block and nothing would make turn until I found it. Let us know what you find.

 

[yeloxr7]

Pull the spark plugs then try to turn it.

 

[Bad69cat]

He did pull the plugs...if it's not just a bolt to long somewhere, the only thing that you might want to try is droping the pan and taking a peek. maybe break the main journal bolts loose to see if that gets/proves your guts out, if it moves then you have something binding internally. Hope that's not the case, but it's the last thought before you yank it I guess.....

 

[302xr7]

did you make sure to ground the new solenoid?

 

[Bad69cat]

You could turn it over with the trans in neutral before or no trans in the mix? Not sounding good - how apart did you have this thing - new bearings and the whole shmo?

 

[Robert68]

Torque converter was not seated properly. Thought i had it seated right. This was my first time doing a swap. Was a good learning experience. Very thankful for all the help and advice. Never been part of a forum either. Excited to see this project through. You guys are awesome!

 

[Jester1023]

I'm glad you got it straightened out. It's a very common oversight...I did the exact same thing with my Cleveland/FMX.

 

[Bad69cat]

Good deal! PHEWWW - wasn't anything to sinister at least! It's a good thing you caught it before running it and destroying the pump in the trans - been know to happen many times. One reason I'm a fan of putting it in a an assembly rather than mating them up in the car....

 

[Robert68]

Brothers... i come to you in time of mourn. As i was wrenching the bellhousing back down.. i cracked it. Along with the rest of my spirit

 

[Cedar Rapids Ia]

Geesh...done that myself years ago. I invented new curse words and it sat in the garage for weeks before I started back on it again. Keep the faith, you can overcome it.

 

[Bad69cat]

AWE SOB!! No way......well, it's an FMX so all is not lost I suppose. Cheese -n- rice I was hoping to keep the bad luck to myself! The good news is those bell housings are comon as it gets, the bad news is the PITA you have to go through to get it done.....sorry to hear it. A torque wrench can be your best friend. When in doubt - break it out......

 

[Robert68]

! I used a torque wrench the first time but this time i tightened it with a 5/8 wrench because a socket wouldnt fit. Its about an inch crack. But still really sucks. I sat on my couch and pouted the remainder of the day

 

[kooade]

One of my friend just did the same last week. I have had good luck welding them back up. If you have another block to bolt it to it helps to keep it straight.