How hard to turn crank manually on 2004 Aveo ?

[leaknoil]

I have a 2004 that died while I was driving it about 35 mph. Coasted to a stop and it has never started since. Never heard any strange sounds or had any issues with the car at all prior to it just dying all of a sudden. Fluid levels are all fine. Makes exactly the same sound as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjhSR8RJPw4 . Pullys all turn and not much else happens.

It's sitting in a dirt yard now and there is not a lot I can do on it there. Limited tools and unstable surface. Timing belt was replaced about 5k miles ago at a dealer. I can get the timing belt cover off enough to just see the top of the belt and it is still there and *seems* like tension is good. I don't have the tools or space to get the cover off completely to see if something happened below.

I thought maybe the engine was seized so, I took off the serp belt and tried turning the crank by hand. I was surprised to find it turned pretty easily. Thetre is still some resistance but, I can do it with one hand and didn't need a breaker bar. I can see the timing belt move and the cams rotate through the oil filler. Metal sounds are maybe a bit loud but, it turns freely. Should it be this easy to turn ? Seems a bit like I have no compression but, I am not sure how hard it should be to turn. If the timing belt broke I hear all the valves get bent but, the belt is still there. Maybe one of the other pullys went though. Seems the likely thing and I'll have to get it somewhere to check further but, I figured I'd ask how hard the crank is to turn when it's all working right. Any thoughts on any checks I can do with just a socket set in a dirt field ?

[jimzdat]

If it's turning that easily, something isn't right from the sound of things - just because the timing belt is turning doesn't mean that it didn't "jump" time; which would have resulted in bent valves and no compression.

Without some removal of covers or running a compression check, it's all just guesswork at this point, unfortunately....

[leaknoil]

Pretty much what I guessed. Not a lot I can do where it is. I am just hoping I can triage it a bit first. Where I need to tow it if it needs a whole engine rebuild is going to be a lot different than where I tow it if I have some hope it's something else.

[avguy]

The amount of hand force needed to turn the crank bolt, particularly with the serp belt removed, is somewhat subjective. On the 3 belts that I've done, I left the plugs in and was able to turn the engine with just a ratchet, and I don't recall it being any big effort. I'm 5'7" 150 with probably just average arm/hand strength, so I'm thinking that maybe 'turning easy' for you isn't necessarily indicative of a problem.

Have you tried spraying carb cleaner into the intake to see if it will fire up and run for a couple of seconds? If doing that doesn't bring any good news, do you have anyone available at that location to crank it for you? If so, the compression test that Jim mentioned would be good to do, but simply checking for spark while being cranked should help to diagnose also.

[leaknoil]

Well, that's somewhat positive news then. I've never worked on an engine like this before. My experience is all old motorcycles and a few old cars. Turning the crank with the plugs in is not for the faint of heart on those things. It freaked me out when it turned with a ratchet.

The amount of hand force needed to turn the crank bolt, particularly with the serp belt removed, is somewhat subjective. On the 3 belts that I've done, I left the plugs in and was able to turn the engine with just a ratchet, and I don't recall it being any big effort.