'37 Ford all locked up
 

Went to the Post Office. When I came back. the car wouldn't turn over. just a slight "Thunk" sound that seems to come from the starter with each push of the starter button. Headlights won't work either! Tried push starting, wheels locked up. Tried rocking, no joy. Is this the bendix portion of the starter broken or locked up? Short of towing it to a mechanic, is there remedy or anything else to do?

Thanks all

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

are you using first gear or third to rock it?, third works better
Headlights not working, ---perhaps battery or dirty terminals??

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...p;d=1602310801
Very nice 1937 Ford Sedan that you have. I hope that you get your problems sorted out quickly without complications.

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

I had the exact same thing just for a quart of milk. Shut down engine at store as normal.
come out just the starter clunk. So we towed it back to our shop (I did pop the clutch &
smoked the tire) in short remove starter its perfect. Ring gear jammed against the
block so we tapped it back with a punch put four spot welds equally spaced. That is a
poor design in my book the shoulder on the flywheel should be on the block side not the
rear side cause the thrust of the bendix is pushing toward the block. Although its a first
for me...

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

Are you trying to start with the clutch depressed? Or is the transmission in neutral? What is the condition of the battery?

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

If the lights don't work I suspect you have a battery issue.

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

New battery, tests at 6.2 volts. Tried popping the clutch in all gears, with screeching tires as referenced above, even reverse (Going backwards) I had a similar issue with my Model A and was able to rock it back and forth with success. This situation seems different. Its just shut down. Very odd and outside my years of experiences. I replaced the solenoid with a new one with no difference. If there's any other advice, I'm all ears!

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

Methodically....that 's my approach.

Jump the starter direct from a battery. A 12v. will do for now. Keep the ignition off, car in neutral. You don't want to start it, just see if the starter will engage the engine.
Do that please and report back...

No headlamps leads me to believe this isn't a stuck clutch issue but rather a bad connection somewhere.

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

I'm with Mike (Kube). Had exactly the same experience and was sure it was the starter....only to find it was a loose battery ground. So, you put in a new battery recently??? I'd check my connections there first.

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

A bad battery or connection would cause the drive train to lock up?

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

A loose battery cable will NOT lock the engine so that when you tou the car and let the clutch out in gear the wheels will slide.
A friend/customer decided to drive his father’s ‘36 roadster to his father’s funeral.
So when he got in the car and tried to start it the engine locked up.
The starter ring gear had slipped forward and was jammed against the engine block.
He had a spare flywheel with a new ring gear on it so I installed it.
Been fine ever since, in fact my wife and I drove it in the Piedmont 4th of July parade that year with some big shots in the rumble seat about 10 years ago.

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

You might just loosen the two long bolts that hold the starter to the engine and put it in second gear and rock it back and forth.
I have had success doing that if it is a locked starter drive.
Beautiful Ford. The same year I am.

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

sure sounds like a stuck starter bendix, you might have touched the start button when the engine was still turning over and the results can be a stuck starter--I know I did just that. had to loosen the two starter bolts and wiggle the starter and it sprung back, but still had to remove to reset the bendix

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

I tend to agree with you alan but why no headlamps? two issues reared up simultaneously?

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

Remember, NEW does not equal GOOD. I chased my tail for 2 weeks before an old timer asked me to try starting the car while he looked into the battery with a mirror. Sure enough, one cell of this NEW battery bubbled like a volcano when I put a load on the battery. This was many years ago. I think the problem is either a too loose or dirty connection somewhere or a bad battery.

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

.

Bad battery or loose connection STILL does not explain drivetrain being locked-up! DD

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

Don't have anything to add, but I hope you get it going. That is a SWEET looking car!

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

I would try to remove the starter, its only two bolts and the negative wire.
Then you know if the starter is the problem.

Gear box stuck i two gears gives similar problems.

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

I agree the locked up condition does sound like the transmission is in two gears. It also sounds like the battery is bad. I suggest he take the battery to an auto parts store and have it tested or put a voltmeter on the battery and read when trying to start. Fix one thing at a time. If he can get it started he can look into the transmission or clutch. Assuming the clutch is stuck, forcing it to release, could lead to transmission damage. A stuck clutch will still allow the engine to start in neutral

Re: '37 Ford all locked up
 

Absolutely not: Dead battery or no battery it must turn over with a push.
Does it move by pushing in neutral: yes or no? If yes problem is before the
drive train. If not the clutch is not releasing (which I don't think so) and I rule out being locked in two gears because the engine will run with clutch down and when released it will stall. Again I say remove starter and look in there with a light and If that ring gear has clearance- gear and block is ok then next to pry
ring gear with a bar to turn it and its a no go: Then pry the other way all engines will rock a little not much but a little. The next could be, a toasted
timing gear. we all know anything in the valve train even a stuck valve will
cause a lock up. Me it would be engine out even to replace a the ring gear.
way less labor intensive.. Still say the ring gear slid out.......