What happened?

I just got a Massey Harris 44, i bought it not running, the guy said it was running a year or so ago. I almost had it running today, it fired a couple of times, i went to turn over the engine again (with starter), it just made a clunk and the engine wouldn't turn. I then got the crank handle to turn over the engine because i thought the starter got stuck. I couldn't get the engine to budge :cry: . I then pulled the starter and the engine still will not turn?
I don't know what could of gone out? any one have any ideas?
 
Pull the plugs out and try to turn it over. You may have a hyd lock due to water or gas or oil in one or more cylinder. Also look for a wet plugs. You also might try using a pry bar of some type and turn the engine back wards from the starter hole and see if it turns back wards.
 
I already pulled the plugs, they where dry and the engine still doesn't turn over. I will try an turn the engine backwards and see where it gets me.
Thanks for your time
 
Well, i just went out to turn the engine over backwards, it was all i could do to finally brake it loose. I then turned the engine over with the crank handle and it got to the same point and wouldn't turn? i then turned the engine backwards again, it went half way around and then it wouldn't move.
So there must be something hanging up like a bolt or something? being the engine turns a half turn each direction.
Any ideas of what could be hanging up?
Would this be in the clutch? :?
Thanks for any help
 
I had a jeep flathead once that I bought siezed like that, it was a valve stuck in one position, it would let the engine rotate to the point the cam hit this immoviable valve stem.... but you could back up to that point too. So don't force it, you will have bigger problems.
 
Might be a lot of things. Start with the valve train, as others have
suggested. Might have a bent rod, hitting the side of the block,
too.
 
I had a 30 MH that did the same thing. I pulled the head and a mud dobber had got in through the smoke stack and built a nest. When the piston came up and crushed the nest it wouldnt turn over.
 
I'll look at the valves and ect tomorrow.
The engine had been turning for quite a while before it locked up.
When i turned the engine backwards and then forwards a couple of times, then the engine turned completely over 3 or 4 times, then it locked up again. It's almost like something is catching somewhere?
Thanks for everyone's time and help.
I'll look into it more tomorrow
 
You say it sat a year or so bet it has either a stinking bunch of rings or a broken ring and that is due to the cylinders being dry of oil and also having rust in the cylinder form sitting a long time. I would try putting about a 1/2 cup of ATF in each cylinder and let it sit over night or a few days. I missed the sitting for a year or so if i had seen it I would have said to do an ATF treatment in my first post
 
Really could be anything, I would pull valve cover and pan.
The pan can come off without pulling the engine. I would
suspect it is a rod issue, based off the fact you can turn it
about 3/4 turn. The rods will not clear the side of the block
unless all the way in.
 
Thanks for everyone's impute, i pulled the head yesterday and found a lot of rust flakes and carbon build up on top of the cylinders.
I got everything cleaned and now the engine turns over just fine.
Thanks for everyone's help

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