Ford 3000 starting issues.....engine tight?

Hi guys, I picked up a cheap project ford 3000 diesel. Last fall I was working away at getting it up and running and I'm a bit stumped at the moment. The tractor had been sitting in a barn abandoned for at least 20 years. I believe the engine was stuck but after pulling the tractor 100ft down the driveway it seemed to free up. I changed out the diesel and fuel filters and oil. Tried cranking over but it cranked super slow, (I definitely should have pulled the injectors and oiled the cylinders). After a number of minutes and some ether, it came to life. The next time it cranked so slow even with ether I couldn't get it going. I dragged it down the road and got it to bump start in 8th gear, ran for probably 30 min. Thought it was a weak starter after a new battery and cables. But after replacing the starter it's still cranking so slow it barely turns over. I noticed when the the tractor was running that its not cooling but that's another problem. Im not sure why its still cranking so hard. Maybe a crank bearing is half seized? I put a pry bar on the flywheel when the starter was out and I turned it a quarter turn with no effort. Im wishing now I did a full turn, but I thought it was just the starter. Any ideas as to what might be going on? Im thinking my next step is to pull the injectors and see how it turns without them or drop the pan and inspect the crank and rod bearings? Thanks

This post was edited by dmaxdude on 01/25/2022 at 07:32 am.

If I am reading your post
correctly you have not tried a
new starter. If you have not it
still could be a bad starter.
Just because the starter turns
over dosent mean the starter is
good.

Pull the starter and bar it over one full turn, if it doesnt get tight while barring the engine replace the starter

Sorry to sound confusing, but yes I have already replaced the starter

(quoted from post at 11:06:34 01/25/22)
Pull the starter and bar it over one full turn, if it doesnt get tight while barring the engine replace the starter

Click to expand...

I might have to do that, although it already has a new starter. I'm kicking myself for not baring it all the way over when the old stater was taken out. That rear starter bolt is such a PITA :lol:

Did you do anything to lubricate the cylinders before you pulled it 100 feet down the driveway and freed it up, like penetrating oil or ATF or anything?

I didn't and I know I definitely should have....I was pretty brutal I guess. To be fair the only reason I thought the engine was stuck was because the starter couldn't turn it over. I only pulled it down the driveway to see if that could turn it over, and within 100ft it was turning, the engine definitely couldn't of been stuck to badly.