if I have both rear wheels off ground and trans in gear, engine does not turn over, both wheel just spin.

does it matter which wheel I have on the ground when trying to turn engine over via rotating a wheel?

How about holding one side with the parking brake, using a vice grip clamp, while you turn the other wheel?
It doesn't matter which side you turn as long as the other side is held firm.

I don't know if it matters but every time I read about it, it is the left rear that is free to turn.

One wheel has to be locked or on the ground and the tranny in a gear.

If I am using a lift, I put two lug bolt in one side and position a bar that rests on the arm of the lift between the lug bolts. I can then turn the other wheel to rotate the engine.

I just dropped entire car to the ground on wheel and tires. in neutral it rolls freely but in all other gears it won't move. something is bound up

correction, not bound, just very hard to roll. and I have all spark plugs out.

307 sbc v8 engine.

Done it that way for years...use 4th gear, easier for wheels to push engine than in lower gears, then bounce, bounce, bounce....it'll move the engine. Slowly, slowly....catchee monkey!

Yup, that'll work. You can also get a manual starter switch, just two jumpers and a button, battery and solenoid, to use the starter to "bump" the engine into position while you watch the timing mark. Cheap. Any parts store. For lazy people like me.

Jack it up.
Take a piece of angle iron and drill two holes in it that line up with two lug bolts.
Make the piece about 1.5-2feet long.
Bolt it to the wheel at an angle to the floor.
Much safer than trying to hope a piece lays in there and hold..

That acts as a brake for that wheel.
Now put it in 5th gear and turn the other wheel backwards, that will spin the motor forwards.

Rich

Rich - please forgive the stupid question, but why does turning the wheel backward spin the motor forward? Seems a forward gear like 5th would have motor and wheels going the same direction.

if both wheels are turning forwards, yes.
If you have one wheel locked in position on an open differential,, you need to turn the free wheel backwards to get it to spin the motor forwards.

Go give it a try...you will see.

rich

Ah, got it. Relative to the backward-turning wheel, the fixed wheel is turning forward (even tho it's not actually moving). Makes sense.

I use a 1" wooden dowel, or old hammer handle to stick thru the wheel spokes. The brake caliper stops the wheel from turning. If the wheel is off , use a clamp on the rotor and backing plate.