Let's play "how screwed am I?"

So my Taco has been sitting for the last two months while I waited on the weather to cooperate so I could finish some repairs. So repairs are now done, and I tried to start it. It turned over at first, then stopped. I thought, "well, maybe it's the battery" and tried again. Then the starter motor turned, but the engine didn't move. I tried one more time—and the engine made a horrible grinding noise.

Rather worried, I checked the oil—full. Then I realized that it had gotten quite cold during the last two months and checked the antifreeze—which was very low. Indeed I couldn't see any. So I filled the radiator and overflow tank, which took less than ½ gallon all told.

Does anyone have any idea what might be going on here, and whether I should try to start it again? I had no engine troubles prior to this.

 

What kind of repairs?

 

What kind of repairs did you make to it? Was the antifreeze low before you parked it for awhile?

Low coolant isnt good, in the sense that coolant doesn't just disappear or burn off...it's either leaking out (best case scenario) or there's a bigger problem at hand like a blown headgasket. But with it being that low I'd think you have a leak somewhere

 

I’d try boosting it especially if it hasn’t run for a while, battery could be dead.

Sweet duster btw!

 

Ball joint and inner tie rod end.

 

Yes, the coolant was low before. I'm not sure how low, but it wasn't nonexistent. I'm not sure where it's going, or how fast it's leaving. But the horrible grinding noise is what worries me.

 

Grinding as in flywheel gears stripping on the starter, or grinding internally in the engine?

 

If you heard a loud metallic sound like a loud audible clank while attempting to start it and the motor isnt turning over then the engine is locked up


If you're hearing a loud grinding sound from the starter that's a definite clue that you've got a bad starter or worn flywheel

 

Charge the battery and try again before worrying.

I'm betting it will start just fine.

 

This would be my guess also

 

Does it sound like this ?????????

https://youtu.be/P2vALliYg3Y

 

It's not the battery. It felt like it broke through some obstacle when the engine made the awful noise.

Thanks! It's my favorite thing!

 

Maybe some oil down the spark plug holes. Let it soak and try to turn it over by hand. Maybe rings just corroded to cylinder walls? Hoping for something simple. If the cylinder was full of coolant then it could of bent a rod?

 

The engine. It's definitely not the starter spinning.

 

No. It turned, just with a grumbly grinding noise. I suppose I had better try it again.

 

Just to be safe and make sure you don't have coolant in one or more cylinders, I'd pull all the spark plugs before you try to crank it over again.

 

Where are you located? It is really hard to diagnose over the net. Can you post a vid etc that shows the issue etc.

 

Cranking an engine with any non compresible fluid in the cylinders is no bueno

 

Grinding noise? You sure it's not the starter/flywheel? When one wears down, it won't engage fully and often grind during starts. Dealt with this problem on a Jeep many moons ago.

 

As others have mentioned if you do have water or coolant in a cylinder it doesn't take much to hydraulic a cylinder . A engine can't compress this without major damage such as a bent connecting rod and even damage to a ring land on a piston

I've even seen it kick a rod out the block !!


My suggestion even suggested by @SR-71A is to pull the plugs and crank the engine over . If you do see water squirting out that's a bad sign