I recently purchased a 1973 2.0L that I am in the process of restoring. According to the previous owner the engine hasn't run in 5 years. I drained the oil which looked OK. The other day I dropped the engine out and was going to take a look at it. My question relates to if the motor is ceased. I am able to turn the fan clockwise and counter-clockwise but only about 180 degrees. Is that normal? I am not a mechanic so I have no idea. What other things can I do or verify that the engine is good? For example, pull the heads? I will take the valve covers off today and post some pics. Thanks in advance for the advice.

Did you pull the sparkplugs before you tried to turn the fan 360 degrees? If not, you should and try again. If it moves 180, it is not seized, but you could still have something broken that is preventing full movement. Pulling the plugs first should let it go all 360.

Yes, the plugs have been pulled. It seems to stop about 180 degrees in both directions.

More than likely a dropped valve in a cylinder.

Try to adjust the valves.

I have had several engines like that which had rusted rings in one cylinder from sitting for a long time with a valve open. Might as well start to remove the heads to see what you have.

Turn it slowly just incase, don't want to bend/damage anything else.

I just finished rebuilding a 2.0 motor on a 73. Sounds like a good project. Trust me when I say that the mechanical motor part of the rebuild is cake compared to the electronics and peripheral systems that have to be running well after you get the motor back in the car. Are you going to keep the d-jet or go to carbs?

As far as your problem, could be any number of things but I would start by lightly sticking a screwdriver down the spark plug holes and turning the motor to find out which cylinder or at least narrow it down to which two cylinders the problem is possibly in. On a healthy cylinder the screwdriver should only poke into the cylinder an inch or so before contacting the piston when that cylinder is at top dead center.

Post up some pics

Why did you take it out before you tried to start it? Did the PO say something that made you decide that? If it was broken, trying to start it probably would not have broken it too much more.

Anyway, be careful if you are rotating the engine using the fan, if that is what you are doing. The blades of the fan cannot be repaired so you will have to buy a new fan. Some say you should not take the fan apart either. You mentioned valves. You should take the covers off and watch the valves as you rotate.

I can't remember which direction is correct, CCW or CW, but watch the distributor and turn the engine in the firing order direction.

Since it is out, take the tranny off and use the flywheel. Might even be able to do it with a pry bar on the flywheel teeth.... one at a time thru a hole in the seam between the tranny and engine.

Again, if it was in the car you could use one rear wheel. many more options with it in the car, which is where you need it to drive the car....