I have had my 2000 S40 for 15 years. I love my car. I put new plugs and coil packs on it today and it would not start after. The engine will not turn clockwise if you try to turn on flywheel. It will turn counter clockwise though. (Only turned counter clockwise to see if the engine was froze. Did not turn it that way more than quarter turn.) If I unhook the serpentine belt I can turn at the flywheel like normal. The cams do move like they are supposed too.

I am afraid I know the answer to this yet I want to ask the experts. Something major happened to my lower end of motor didn't it?

Thanks.

 

Huh, it was driving fine before you changed the plugs and coil packs? Assuming the belt is still on, I can't really see why you would have cooked your engine. Are you sure you are rotating the correct belt? The timing belt is behind the aux belt.


My guess would be that you either did not plug the coil packs in correctly, or they are in the wrong order or they are incompatible coil packs, or the sparkplug connectors have not been seated properly.


Just doesn't add up.

 

if the engine cranked over when you tried to start it, your lower end should be fine. I'd look closely at the connectors to the coil packs as they often crack and your replacement may have made any cracks worse. As noted, check all connections, plug gaps etc.

 

OK i checked all the wires.. They are fine. I will add that the first time i tried to start it after new plugs it did not back fire but did like a hiccup. Now the starter sounds like its bound. I can not get the engine to turn clockwise if the serpentine is attached. if I take the belt from the flywheel I can turn clockwise. The cams will turn like they should when you disconnect the serpentine belt. I will add that I do 1 plug wire at a time. I have done all work on car myself from brakes to timing belt and everything in between. I am going to try to disconnect the starter and see if it is locked or engaged. It is the only thing i know to do... I was hoping I am missing something...

 

What does that serpentine belt run to? Alternator? a/c compressor? Turn everything by hand and see if they turn freely.

Did you put the old coil and plugs back in and see if she will starts?

 

One other thing, closely inspect the wiring harness for each of the coils. I ended up replacing my harness about 6 months ago because the wiring was all but toast just where it meets the fitting at each coil. You could have twisted and turned the stuff enough that the brittle wiring broke.


I would not bother troubleshooting the serpentine belt...the two items are unrelated. You switched the plugs and it was working beforehand - 99% probability that your issue is related to the plugs: bad plugs, wrong plugs, bad connection, crappy harness, etc.

 

Engine will not turn on crankshaft with or without serpentine belt on. It is locked. Removed valve cover today. Now before I remove the heads and look at the pistons is there a guide here about removing the head and checking out the valves. Engine will not turn over at all when I put a socket on the crankshaft and try to turn. What do i look for? Would buying a new motor be easier?

 

Sounds like you put long plugs in a short hole. You might want to pull one out and compare it to the old one.