Originally Posted by FredR

In root cause analysis always remember that info that eliminates problems is just as important as info that incriminates! We now know quite a lot more relevant info than we did from your original mail - a positive!

Sounds as though you possibly goosed the starter motor from excessive/repeated use- remember these are not designed to work continuously.
I definitely did. I got pissed off and held the key until I made the loud CRACK and stopped dead. I replaced the starter with a brand new unit and it did not spin the motor. The starter works without issue now the engine is free.

Your latest info tells me that something suddenly got in the way of the rotating assembly so what possibilities could we be talking about here?
Could any of the following have relevance?
-A friend of mine could not rotate his motor because the valve seat fell out of the head and jammed the valve open and locked the piston when rotated forwards- but the motor was not seized.
I don't believe this is the issue, I have looked eyes on the valves through the intake holes and they are all intact and seal perfectly (they hold back the pool of oil that leaks down after shutdown and sitting from the intakes above
-Something fell into the inlet tract and jammed the piston
I don't know what else could have fallen in besides valve seats and they are intact
-Did you do anything to the car just before the problem occurred?
nothing other than crank it for way, way too long like the idiot jagoff that I am. No changes were made between driving it last and when it failed to start and subsequently seized
- could something have dropped off the clutch and jammed forward progression of the motor
I doubt this as well because rh clutch engages and disengages fine - I've driven the car several times since I got it started again
- is it possible one of the accessories was jammed? I doubt a belt driven accessory could lock the motor completely but...?
I removed the fan, pulled the alternator belt and physically cut the power steering belt because the tensioner for the PS pump/belt is rusted and jammed
- when did you come to understand the pistons were not seized and that you could move the motor backwards [slightly]?
after I pulled everything off the front of the motor, all accessory belts, all timing covers, distributors, valve covers, and spark plugs. After removing everything the engine still would not turn forwards but would turn backwards. The timing belt is exactly how I set it when I replaced the timing belt last year - .5 tooth off from dead center on timing marks - within Porsche spec

Originally Posted by James Bailey

just do the compression check....I think you have a dead hole. It probably ate something nut, bolt, washer and was hitting that and locking up. Where it went is anyone's guess either passed out an exhaust valve or is now beaten into the piston....but easily can damage the piston in the process.

Originally Posted by Tmm20

And I just got off the phone with the fourth local Porsche expert today ive spoken to who has no clue what the hell could have happened. Guy said he's been working on them 30 years and has never heard anything even remotely like this. When they seize, according to him, they're done and that's the end - they never turn backwards freely and absolutely never break loose ever again. It just does not make logical sense.

Originally Posted by FredR

I seem to remember writing just that earlier this evening.

When you think something is seized and then you find out that it is not "seized" at all what does it tell you?

Tells me you were barking up the wrong tree completely- no offense meant [].

As I said earlier any motor that is well and truly seized does not suddenly free itself and certainly not under atmospheric conditions.

Without wishing to be too unkind, trying to bump start a car in a condition like this is anything but smart as is trying to break it free with a bloody great crow bar- hopefully the clout on your head did some good!

Appreciate the sentiment - I dare say we have all walloped something that should have been handled differently. Crikes I have seen main dealers do this!

The picture is looking rosier already I would say [optimistically]. if your compression pressures seem OK [as they may well be] then we can focus on getting your breather system sorted.

Still important we find out why the crank locked- if nothing else it is important we ensure it does not/cannot happen again.

Originally Posted by James Bailey

My wife's 928 was running down the road and a screw from an intake boot clamp that had been left in the intake worked free from the clamp and went into the engine.....rattle rattle then it split the cylinder...that clamp had been in there for no one knows how long. Finally got sucked in. Huge cloud of coolant smoke

Originally Posted by Tmm20

I agree it was stupid to crank it, stupid to use the breaker bar and try bumping it free - but I've done all this work in a gravel driveway, sometimes in the rain and mud, sometimes in six inches of snow. When it seized I assumed that was the end of the engine and acted accordingly - trying to just break it free to see if it was catastrophic or not.

No offense taken, I know and admit where I made mistakes but desperation and anger can influence judgement right alongside working in the cold, mud, and snow in gravel. I knew it wasn't hydrolocked, so worst case scenario ( in my head ) it breaks free and shatters whatever was "broken" to stop it turning in the first place.

I know I put hundreds of pounds of force through it trying to break it free and it didn't budge and then suddenly it broke loose months later with a tiny bit of force (in comparison).

Originally Posted by FredR

Welcome to the human race!

Hopefully you now know you are among friends so lets dump the GM motor transplant crap overboard and focus on getting you sorted! I have changed motorcycle piston rings in a snow storm on the side of the road and commissioned pumps in 57C [in the shade] heat where there was no shade- I have also had to do the inlet manifold in 45C heat with stinking humidity- but some shade- so not too much sympathy in that dept!

You have a good basic model to own with options open to you if you can get it working correctly.

In this part of the world there is a concept called "The Jins" -literally translated means "the evil genie". When things go wrong inexplicably such is often credited to these creatures- maybe you got a Jins!

Remember- "Chance favours the prepared mind"- every time!

So - focus on the compression test- make sure you do it correctly-do not electrocute yourself and keep an open mind about the possibilities for the original "seizure".

Oh- and welcome to the list!

Originally Posted by Tmm20

I forgot to mention, and I don't know how I forgot, the oil filter did have some copper and silver shavings in it when I changed the oil the first time. Very fine, very small shavings. I honestly have no idea how the hell I forgot to mention this until now.

Compression test results will come tonight.

Originally Posted by FredR

The bump on the head explains that one!

Originally Posted by Tmm20

When I tell you i saw my own skull I was not playing - it cut through to the bone and blinded me for several minutes. Its been rough to say the least.

Originally Posted by FredR

Makes my butt pucker just thinking about it!

Last time I did potentially serious damage to my cranium was over 40 years ago on my 650 Triumph Bonneville when a former teacher of mine decided to pull in front of me from the opposite direction at some traffic lights- the bike stopped instantaneously and exploded into flames [fibreglass fuel tank]- I went flying through the air, somersaulted 3 times and ended up just short of a lamp post with one leg either side of it! Child generation prospects just saved! Crash helmet well totalled though!