Can’t crank My Engine Over By Hand

[AJ Fresh]

2006 Subaru Impreza 2.5i non-turbo wagon

Hi Guys, I recently did my first timing belt job. I thought it went well as I started the car and the engine seemed to run fine. A couple of days later I noticed some issues with the engine and decided to get back under the timing belt cover and check things out. Timing belt itself looks fine. Crankshaft and camshaft markings all line up like they should when camshafts markings are straight up. The problem is in getting the crankshaft sprocket marking straight up. The engine is EXTREMELY resistant to being cranked over. This was not a big deal the first time around. In finishing the timing belt install I hand cranked the engine several times by hand to check the timing between the camshafts and crankshaft sprockets and everything looked good. I didn’t have any difficulty doing this.

I bench 250lbs x 5 and deadlift 225lbs for a workout and I am now having MUCH more difficulty getting the crankshaft sprocket straight up. The engine wants to spring back against my clockwise cranking of the engine.

Why I Went Under the Timing Belt Cover Again
As I have been using the car in the past few days I noticed that the engine sounds like it knocks when I start it up, but it starts easily. It also makes an extra clicking sort of sound when it idles. Sometimes as it idles, around 500rpm, the revs drops a bit and the i hear/feel a knocking going on. Could that be my ECM still relearning? For the most part the car is running smoother than normal when the ECM is relearning it’s fuel mixture.

I notice more vibration out of the engine than normal. I have seen that before, I believe it is usually tied to a misfire in at least one of my cylinders. I have a known internal oil leak. Lately that engine vibration hasn’t been present. It popped up again just after the timing belt job. Other than that the car moves as fine as it did before the timing belt job and has been driving fine.

I’m not entirely sure if the knocking issues are related to my timing belt work. My main concern right now is my inability to crank the engine over by hand.

Please help, I had to call off of work on account of this. I can’t make any money while my car is apart or in questionable condition. I am in an emergency situation. Thanks in Advance, -AJFresh

Topic

[AJ Fresh]

As I sat here attempting research, somehow out of nowhere a question popped into my mind. “Did you put the car in gear?” ?!?! Ran outside to check – yes I did. Relieved the tension on the breaker bar I locked under the AC compressor then took the car out of gear. Engine turns over like butter LOL

Now I can turn to the issue that brought me back to the timing belt in the first place
-Why do I have increased engine vibration?
-Why is there some kind of knock/sound/brief vibration on startup?
-Why does idling periodically get rough?

All that comes to mind is that my cylinder heads are out of sync. Maybe I should remove the timing belt, rotate either camshaft around once from having it’s timing mark straight up where it is now, back to top again, and reinstall the timing belt. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks again

[Andrew Phillips]

Did you replace the tensioner? The tensioner bearing will make a sound just like you describe.

[AJ Fresh]

Yes, I replaced the belt tensioner and the 3 other idler pulleys my first go around at it

[Author]

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