1992 mazda b2200 base manual 2wd 90k miles

I only use my truck maybe 6 times a year for dump runs.
I always check the fluids before starting and change the oil religiously. That being said it still needs some work. Mainly gaskets and timing belt ( ticking time bomb)...

Anyways I went to start it a couple months ago, and heard an awful grinding/ clunking noise... never happened before. It usually purrs like a kitten... so I immediately shut it off. At first I thought there where leaves or sticks in the radiator fan.. nope. Tried it again for a couple of seconds while someone cranked it for me.. then I determined it was coming from inside the engine, sounded like the top end. So I removed the valve cover looking for maybe a broken rocker arm... nope totally clean up there... I finally determined it was the bottom end. I started having nightmares about a spun bearing, broken timing belt, piston hitting a valve.. etc.. well today i was going to take a video of the noise.. and no start.. good fully charged battery.. so I'm hoping the starter blew up.. maybe the small starter gear broke... so I guess I'll have to buy a new starter and while it's off I'll try spinning the flywheel to see if anything is bound up..

Anyways what's the best way to spin the flywheel?

Thanks I'll try to update the post as I figure things out.
I do need an excuse to rebuild the whole engine but I'm hoping I didn't cause serious damage by cranking it for a few seconds trying to diagnose..

 

Not being familiar with your engine I would think you could get a socket on the front pulley and turn the engine looking at the flywheel thru the hole where the starter went.

 

Welcome to the forum

We have a resident and longtime member that collects these(lol) but all joking he works on them on more than anyone I know of. So, hang in there I am sure he will see the thread and respond .
be patient....

 

Welcome to the forums!

The B2200 engines are a non-interference engine......meaning that the valves won't hit the pistons if the timing belt broke. The bottom ends of these engines are very stout, so I doubt that you have any issues there if the engine has not been abused. I would be inclined to think that if you don't start your truck very often, then the starter bendix could have developed a little rust on it and is not fully retracting the starter gear.......and the flywheel is hitting it, producing the awful noise you hear.

To manually turn the engine over you can use a pull bar or larger ratchet with a short extension and a 21mm socket to slip on the center harmonic balancer bolt, and turn the engine over with that. You may want to remove the starter and take it into a shop that can bench test it to make sure that it is working properly, also.

Keep us posted on what you find out please. BTW.....that's a very nice looking B2200 truck you have there!

 

Well unfortunately it's not a starter issue. I had it tested and it has enough torque to rip a mans arms off.
the battery is completely dead now so I bought a new cheap one. I guess I'll put it all back together and try to get a video of the sound it makes. While I was under the truck taking the starter off I noticed what looked like a crack in the transmission housing, so I drained the oil expecting it to be dry.. nope full of clean oil... the saga continues...