Previa engine seized, ran out of oil

[Yahshoor]

Howdy folks,

I assume that the engine is toast - but while I have all kinds of mechanical aptitude, I know next to nothing about internal combustion engines. So I hope you-all don't mind if I ask you some questions. The engine on this 97 previa was ran with almost no oil in it, and the oil that remained was totally black. Battery tests good, and the starter was recently replaced, If I turn the key, I hear either a) nothing or b) a brief tortured metal-on-metal sound. I put three quarts of oil in - half a quart in the front oil reservoir, two and the remaining in the oil access point under the driver's seat - and still nothing.

I would think that attempting to turn over the engine by hand might be worth trying, to see if it is genuinely seized, but that would be impossible without getting the van up on ramps, right? Is there anything I should try? The Internet seems to think that the only thing for me to try is an engine swap, which is probably out of my league. Any advice?

[Yahshoor]

For what it's worth, I have pulled the sparkplugs and have sprayed in WD40, and am now trying to figure out how to rotate the shaft by hand. Internet advice seems to be to try to rotate the "equipment drive shaft pulley" by hand, which I believe is the business end of the SADS right behind the radiator... but I am not having much luck as of yet. I may pull the radiator, if only to get a better grip.

[bikeregg]

It seems your options are to rebuild the engine or put a new/rebuilt engine in it. With no idea how long it was run without enough oil, there could be all sorts of issues that need addressed. Essentially it boils down to excessive wear or damage on any moving part. Also, one or more seal could be toast as well (if they weren't to begin with).

Quit trying to turn it over. Drain the oil and look for metal shavings or fragments. Then you could pull the oil pan which would give you a good look at anything that wouldn't come out with the oil. If you see either shavings or fragments, the engine is toast.