Posted by Paul on September 30, 1999 at 14:19:24:
In Reply to: IS IT TOAST? posted by PWRWGN on September 30, 1999 at 11:50:18:
{{My son has a 76 Power Wagon with a 318. The other day he went
to start it and it turned over real slow and had a "squeal" in
it. All fluids are full, oil water ect. and has maintained it
pretty regularly. I haven't had a chance to check it our but
could the motor have frozen up? Or what are some other things
to check. }}
I would check to make sure the alternator is good. If it has gone bad, it can allow the battery to discharge and not be recharged. It will also drag the engine down via the belt. Put a charger on the battery and then take the belt off the alternator. If it doesn't spin easily, it's definately bad. If it does, but the engine cranks and runs normally, one of the bearings is seizing under load.
If the engine was frozen up, it wouldn't crank at all. The squeeling tells me though it's the alternator as the belt is being dragged over the harmonic balancer pulley.