Need Moral Support - Starter Seized Post Plenum Pull

[SteelBlueZR1]

So, I managed to successfully complete my first plenum pull alone to fix and replace the secondary actuator solenoid, which was leaking badly, and system vacuum now holds. Using Jim's really handy secondary tester, everything worked as it should... BUT, I went to start up the car and the starter turned and then seized.

I made sure the battery was fully charged and left the car on a trickle charger overnight, and tried again this morning. Engine cranked for a second and now starter just clunks or clicks. Arghhh!

I was hold to cover the coolant passages in the plenum when putting the plenum back on, but maybe some coolant got on the starter, or I did not drain enough. I am now really concerned that coolant got in the engine cylinders.

So, I have ordered a new Delco starter on EBay, which will arrivein a few days and would love the help and expertise of my WAZOO brothers when doing the starter installation and plenum pull #2.

Also, I need your advice on how to prove there is no coolant in the cylinders, and/or evacuate any coolant before starting the car to prevent anti-freeze in my oil.

Thanks for the help and support

[LGAFF]

Just did mine last night

[XfireZ51]

Really not a big deal. BTW, I have a couple of spare starters.

[Paul Workman]

If ever you think you might have water in the cylinder(s), you can pull the plugs and crank it. If there is water in there, it will come squirting out and likely splatter on the cieling if tthere is enough in there. That will clear them pretty well. This works for a cylinde filled with fuel as well.

[Z51JEFF]

Pulling the starter is pretty much straight forward.If you got the plenum off and the car and back together,the starter is the easy part.There are several NOS starters on Fleabay for around $185 if anybody needs one.

[Jagdpanzer]

Burt,
If you think coolant may have drained into one of the cylinders then you should emediatly pull all of the spark plungs and try to crank the engine over to blow it out. If a cylinder has enough coolant in it the motor will hydraulicly lock up and stall the starter moter when you try to crank it with the plugs in because coolant will not compress.

[SteelBlueZR1]

If I turned over the motor with the starter and it cranked for a few seconds combined, before pulling plugs, is the starter turning the crank and hydrolock capabable of causing internal engine damage? I am pulling plugs first thing this morning and will try cranking and see what comes out.

[Paul Workman]

Damage resulting from hydolock is not unheard of, but -
1) pull the plugs first and try cranking it to clear the cylinders. If one or more are "wet", that should take care of that.

2) If the problem is not hydolocking, then you may only be looking at the starter (and that ain't no biggie - aside from pulling the plenum again).

Sight unseen, I'm kinda doing a head-scratch as to how you could have got that much coolant in to the cylinder to begin with...ASSUMING you drained a couple gallons out of the radiator before pulling the IHs. Therefore, I'm leaning toward it being starter-related.

Good luck this morning. Let us hear what you find.

P.

[SteelBlueZR1]

My ZR-1 is running great and the starter was not seized. I pulled the plugs this morning and found some antifreeze had leaked during the plenum pull into the d/s front cylinder. This fluid prevented the engine from cranking at all, and was evacuated easily with a pump. So my first plenum pull was a success, and no second pull is needed, as the starter seems fine. I installed new platinum Delco spark plugs and then said a prayer, and turned the key...
The engine started right up for the first time, post plenum pull, and the exhaust spewed white smoke for a few minutes. I immediately had the oil changed, in case it was contaminated with anti-freeze.

I drove the car and found it ran super strong and accelerated smoother than ever, after replacing the fuel pumps, the secondary actuator solenoid, secondary vacuum canister, the map hose, and zip tying all the vacuum lines.

A huge shout out to Jim for calling me this Sunday morning at 8am to offer to come over and give me a hand with the spark plugs. It was great to have Jim around to confirm that all was ok before starting her up the first time... not to mention his super cool tools that make every job easier -

1) A plug socket with a piano wire to pull it out of the heads, after installing the #8 plug.
2) A secondary tester, consisting of a secondary actuator plug, battery terminal connectors and a button switch to test the secondaries without probing the ECM.
3) Every imaginable terminal/Connector tool to replace the plugs for my TPS and IAC which had broken tabs.

A BIG THANK YOU to Jim and everyone who provided me moreal support at what seemed like a very dark time that luckily resulted in no long-term problems and a super strong running LT5!

[dredgeguy]

Bert,
Glad it went well and has a happy ending!

[secondchance]

I love a happy ending!