Posted by David Sherman on Thursday, December 16, 2004 at 2:45AM :
In Reply to: Waking an old engine. posted by Robert N. on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 at 8:01PM :
I'd go with Norm's advice (as always). Towing a vehicle with a sticky engine is a good way to turn a small problem into a big one. But one other way to help break it loose gently, besides trying to turn the fan, or using a breaker bar or the starter crank if it has one, is to simply jack up one rear wheel, put it in gear, and work the wheel back and forth until the engine starts to move. Depending on the gear, you can get more or less leverage, and the inertia of the wheel and tire gives it a bit of a kick, without forcing it to turn when it really isn't ready. You can give it as little or as much force as you want this way.