Rotating Engine Using Wheels?

91 Civic, manual transmission, here. I am doing a timing
belt replacement. The front of the car is on jackstands, and
I put the transmission in 5th gear. I freed the pulley bolt
just fine, but then I wanted to rotate the engine so #1
piston was at TDC blah blah. I thought turning either of the
front wheels by hand would, via the manual transmission,
also rotate the engine. But no luck. I put the pulley bolt
back in and rotated the engine to get #1 to TDC. As I turned
the crankshaft pulley (via a socket on the pulley bolt), the
front wheels turned roughly in synch with the pulley's
rotation just fine.

What might have prevented my turning the engine by manually
turning the front wheels?

 

Of course, if both front wheels are off the ground the far wheel simply
rotates the opposite way because of the differential.... Whenever I do that
I say "D'oh!" or something similar in effect!

Mike

 

Of course, if both front wheels are off the ground the far wheel simply
rotates the opposite way because of the differential.... Whenever I do that
I say "D'oh!" or something similar in effect!

Mike

 

compression and gear ratio. and you need one wheel locked if you want
to do it by turning the other. should be easy enough in top gear.

 

compression and gear ratio. and you need one wheel locked if you want
to do it by turning the other. should be easy enough in top gear.

 

Yes indeed, "Doh" on me. Both wheels are indeed off the
ground. Thank you, Michael.

 

Yes indeed, "Doh" on me. Both wheels are indeed off the
ground. Thank you, Michael.