Possibly Hydrolock

[KnightBonne02]

Ok so i gonna own up to this right off the bat it was a stupid mistake... So i got cleaner in my intake when I had throttle body off and when I put everything back together the car wouldn't start...I asked a mechanic acquaintance of mine and he said that if the cleaner got down in the intakes below the LIM the cylinders wouldn't fire and I could hydro lock it...well I killed the battery how many times I tried so I began to disassemble engine to clean out fluid...But in conclusion I have to ask is it just a waste of time

[RJolly87]

Is the engine actually rotating, just not starting? Or is the engine not moving at all?

If the engine is not rotating, you will need to pull all of the spark plugs out all at once, and then slowly rotate the engine over by hand using the harmonic balancer bolt. This will push most of the fluid out of the cylinders through the spark plug holes, enough that it should safely start on it's own once spark plugs are back in, assuming you didn't fry your starter in the process of trying to start it.

If it is rotating but just not starting, you will need to determine if you are missing fuel, spark, or compression. Given the very low likelyhood of the latter being the issue, I would start by checking everything you pulled of and messed with, and then maybe pulling the spark plugs to make sure they are not coated in goo.

And it's only a waste of time if the engine took damage, but you will only find that out after you get it emptied out and running again.

[KnightBonne02]

Should the harmonic balancer rotate easily or does it need umph

[RJolly87]

With spark plugs out, it shouldn't be hard at all. With spark plugs in, the only thing that should be fighting you is compression, and you will feel that come on and then drop off.

If you rotate the engine backwards a bit, and then are stopped by what feels like solid metal to metal contact while rotating forwards with the spark plugs out, then you have a serious problem.

[RJolly87]

And it may need a little bit of oomph. I have a 1/2" drive 18" breaker bar. I would expect that with no spark plugs in, turning the engine with this would be no sweat, with a high degree of fine control. Turning over the engine with normal compression would require some oomph (for me, but I am a big dude too). Turning with compression is still doable with 3/8" drive stuff, but the lack of leverage makes it a great way to bust your knuckles once you hit the down stroke.

As a point of reference, taking out the harmonic balancer bolt takes 2 dudes in full beast mode by hand.

[KnightBonne02]

We'll the balancer moved no problem five full rotations used breaker bar but whenn I took the spark plugs out the ends you could tell had cleaner on them they looked and smelled of it

[RJolly87]

If you turned the engine over with the spark plugs out, and it turned easily, and no fluid came out, and the engine does not spin when you turn the key, your problem lies elsewhere.

If the engine spins when you were hitting the key previously, but was just never starting, then your spark plugs may be coated too badly, and should probably be cleaned or replaced. It would also be good to double check your work up top to make sure something up there wasn't affected.

[KnightBonne02]

Yeah nothing came out but the spark plugs were coated I cleaned them up thinking that was the issue... haven't got it put back together yet still cleaning engine one section at a time about to drain oil and lift engine out for some tender lube and cleaning once I get it back together well see if she works

[RJolly87]

Well that's great and everything, but you still haven't clarified the exact symptoms. We still don't know if this engine is physically rotating, whether it be under the power of the starter, or by hand.

[KnightBonne02]

Oh I seen the lifters moving and got a good 6 full rotations on the harmonic balancer in thinking the spark wasn't there cause it was coated and me trying to start it over and over I probably killed the starter but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it...but as for as engine elation I think I'm good if the lifters and valves where moving right

[96 SSEi]

hi, if you can turn the crank/HB, hydrolock is not the problem......what cleaner did you spray in and where did you spray it?

how was she running before you made the boo boo?

I would first rule out the easy stuff before you jump to conclusions - check for spark and fuel please

don't pull the engine until you have a good reason.

got no spark...........start here...http://easyautodiagnostics.com/gm/3.8L/ ... sor-test-1

post back with results on spark and fuel please

[96 SSEi]

I am also thinking on the lines of flooded engine- you put cleaner(combustible stuff) and you have engine pumping fuel into cylinder.
gas burns at a ratio of 14:1 - so 14 parts air to 1 fuel. if fuel ratio is too high, no amount of spark will ignite the mixture
I would remove air filter to let it breath better and pedal to floor to cut fuel supply and see if she fires

just a thought..............cant hurt to try.......later