[Sionnach31]

I had a shop quote me $900 for starter and labor, which said I needed a starter before they could further diagnose my no-start.

I decided that was too much and hired a pretty knowledgeable mobile mechanic to come check me out; after a battery replacement of a completely dead battery I felt overflowing with joy that next we'd find the starter needing replacement and get onto the work.

It cranks a bit then doesn't crank a bit, and fella grabbed a ratchet to test the turn-over via the harmonic balancer and crank. He's claiming my whole engine is shot, seized, likely due to a bearing and/or low-oil. I let him know I always topped off oil whenever I saw my oil light and he suggested that perhaps my oil sensor was down and misreading. I have never really driven with that oil light on, yet did drive on an engine light for a couple months after my ODB2 claimed my basic issues were O2. I trust guy wanted the work of a simple repair and is missing out now, and gave me his best and honest opinion.

He wasn't a weak dude but kinda small; should he have been able to turn the motor with a ratchet? I paid $5K for the car and definitely don't want to put another motor in, paying some place another 5K. I'm ready for the worst news but definitely need to hear if there's other options, other diagnosis to be done, etcetera.


update: I did end up with a mechanic coming over as the post said. wouldn't the guy trying to turn my crank, and being unable, kinda mean a starter repair would be kinda futile at this point, if the engine is seized? He claims he's done this on many cars, and even BMW's, without removing the spark plugs and dropping compression and all. I've been wondering if I should remove the plugs and try to turn it over with a breaker bar and socket.

[e90yyc]

Turning the engine by hand is not easy with spark plugs in. It can be done, but it’s not going to turn in a smooth and linear fashion. You’re going to get a kinda of jerky movement due to compression.

I recently did this myself and used a rather large breaker bar to do it.

If I was you, absolutely I would take every opportunity to double and triple check the claim that your engine is seized.

If you remove your spark plugs, it should be relatively easy to turn the crank by hand. So, that’s probably a decent option if you’re not confident in the mechanic’s assessment.

[eljay]

As said above, a diagnosis that the engine needs a replacement because it cannot be turned with "a ratchet" is pretty weak in my books.

[eljay]

You mentioned that you topped up oil whenever you got a light for low oil.
How often did this happen in mileage? And have you found any of the typical N52 oil leaks?