Got a 91 4runner with a blown head gasket. Tried to start it when we got it and the starter made an ugly grinding noise. At first I thought it needed shims. Well when we tore the motor down, one cylinder was full of antifreeze. Would all that extra compression cause the starter to skip teeth or something?

 

yes it could of caused it if the teeth on the starter or plate where already eaten up a little from someone keep trying, i would pull starter and inspection plate at bottom of motor and look at the teeth on it all and see what is messed up, it also could be an alignment problem but i don't think so.

 

Pulled the starter. I thought maybe the shaft wasn't fully extending, but I had it tested and it passed. The teeth on the starter don't look brand new but they aren't busted up that bad either.

 

It only take about 2 tablespoons of fluid to hydrolock an engine. So no starter was going to turn that engine over.

So what happens? Either the starter engages and just growls against that immovable fly-wheel, or after a few (a dozen?) tries it just gives up and refuses to engage.

Will it work now that the engine is no longer hydrolocked? Maybe. Maybe not.

 

yeah there was probably 2 CUPS in that cylinder. I guess I will stick it back on there and see what happens when we get it back together