Autopsy Report: engine #11H-001216

[Lucky]

Got the dead engine up on the bench & Kenny & I started tearing into it.

Pulled the valve covers, cams everything looked good.
Pulled the engine covers, Clutch & flywheel look good, Starter clutch bolts look peened, not factory.  not the way we do it either, but they appear tight.

balancer gear on crank is loose, at least if not all of the knocking...

signigicant corrosion in the water pump housing.

crank still wont turn.

pulled the heads. had to give the pistons a bit of a tap to get the heads to slide off, one ring on the rear piston is partially stuck. only slight, slight scorring on the skirts.  tops of pistons are carboned, but below the rings look shiny & newish, no evidence of slap.

Crank still won't turn.

Can slightly wiggle clutch in gear tooth backlash, CANNOT MOVE THE CAM CHAIN DRIVE GEARS OR CRANK.

without splitting the cases, 99% sure it's the crank bearings...

[fret not]

"99% sure it's the crank bearings..."

Maybe, but what about the balancer gear being loose?  What does a close inspection of the shifting mechanism show?  Anything bent or obviously worn?  Didn't you say it went "KLUNK" when it stopped?  I would look for something out of place like a cam chain tensioner or slipper, or something else jamming the works.  Wouldn't it be nicer if it weren't the crank?  We're all pullin' for ya.

[Lucky]

The cams are out & I can wiggle the clutch basket. the rods move on the crank. i can turn the starter clutch by hand (one way).  all that leaves is the crank bearings.

havent pulled the flywheel yet, but i'm thinking taping/pounding on the crank bolt might free it up...  the bearings would still be FUBAR though...