Help needed with repairs

Hello,
I'm posting on behalf of my partner who has hit a wall with repairs on our 1986 90.
Basically, and apologies in advance for my lack of technical knowledge, but we had to do a clutch and fly wheel change. We were able to replace these ourselves and the engine was turning after each replacement. They all looked and worked well. However after getting the gearbox back on, and it appeared to connect well and all threads and nuts tightened and aligned, the ignition will not start. A click click sounds. The starter motor has been replaced, full battery operational and we are unaware of any other issues. We have tried rocking to start, in gear to start No luck, similar results. So we are really at wits ends as to how to progress... Any advice or suggestions would be amazing. Thank you.

Forgot to say it is an LT77 gearbox and she had been out of action 6 months whilst trying to find time off work to do repairs. We feel the gearbox may be jammed but have no idea how to fix it. Thank you

Is your battery in good condition and fully charged?
Have you remembered to re-fit the engine to chassis earth strap?

If the car “was running” before these changes, then best place to start is what was changed.
1. Can you turn engine by hand (socket on crank pulley) not in gear?
2. Not been running for 6 months,charge battery? Where the terminal posts and connections cleaned before it was put back on if it’s been off for 6 months?
3. A click click usually because of dirty connection or low battery. At the battery ,starter or solenoid.
The click is from solenoid which mean it “should” be good, a spanner across the 2 big terminals will do the job to turn starter but not recommended if you are unsure of what your abilities/ knowledge. You managed to change a clutch so am sure you can get this sorted.
You say “new starter” why?

I am no expert but would be the first place to start for me, an 86 is pretty basic so should be fairly straight forward.

Good luck

You would have needed to disconnect the earth strap to the gearbox to drop the box out. You might have missed this in the darkness of the gearbox tunnel.

The battery has been charged and checked and is in full charge and a good battery holding charge. We are just checking the engine to chassis earth strap.
Yes all was cleaned before battery replaced.
We got a new starter since the last was the original and was worn so we hedged bets and got a new one in so that we could take the old away and give it some love and attention. Just checking with Andrew if we can start engine by hand.
Thank you all.

No engine will not start when turned with hand not in gear

Do you mean will not turn?

marjon said:

Do you mean will not turn?

Click to expand...

Correct

I guess it’s gonna get deeper into what you did now.
Did it run before you started your work?

Why would you suspect the gearbox?

marjon said:

I guess it’s gonna get deeper into what you did now.
Did it run before you started your work?

Why would you suspect the gearbox?

Click to expand...

It was running fine and starting up first time all the time. The rear prop shaft broke during driving one day and after being picked up by rescue people as it happened on the motorway, the hand brake stopped working and the clutch too. We knew the clutch was due a replacement so I our wisdom went ahead to do all that. Of course this may have been a mistake on our part. Hand brake fixed but then the problems mentioned started. We manually tried the engine at each stage of clutch and fly wheel replacement and all worked beautifully. Then gearbox on and we are where we we are. Again apologies if my technical knowledge is poor, Andrew is under argo as we speak. Thank you again

Ok the plot thickens!!!
My move now would be remove propshafts and go back to step 1.
If you broke a prop shaft then you may have a gearbox/ transfer box problem and I am sure somebody with a bit more understanding/knowledge of these will have to come in.

What do you mean, broke a prop shaft? Do you mean one of the universal joints on the end failed? If so, that is not unusual.
If the starter solenoid is clicking, but the starter isn't turning I'd suspect the new starter or connections to it, now that you have ruled out the earth strap to gearbox. If the box was jammed and the starter trying to turn against it, you'd know it! There'd be some canny clanking going on.
Take you're starter off, it's an easy job. You can test it on the garage floor.

Al2O3 said:

What do you mean, broke a prop shaft? Do you mean one of the universal joints on the end failed? If so, that is not unusual.
If the starter solenoid is clicking, but the starter isn't turning I'd suspect the new starter or connections to it, now that you have ruled out the earth strap to gearbox. If the box was jammed and the starter trying to turn against it, you'd know it! There'd be some canny clanking going on.
Take you're starter off, it's an easy job. You can test it on the garage floor.

Click to expand...

Thank you all for the help will look further at starter

Are you sure the battery is good?

bluehaze said:

Are you sure the battery is good?

Click to expand...

Yes we have tested several times, cleaned all connections re tested, charged. As far as we can say the battery is great

I imagine the splines did not enter the clutch plate and you have forced things together

As freelance says it’s possible, although I think it’s quiet a long pull to mate everything up if the splines are not lined up in the plate. But if you don’t understand I will admit it’s possible.
There has been extra info come out after the first post for help. A broken prop, how broke? To some a worn UJ is not broken to others it’s really broken. We still have no idea on this.
We have also been told there is a suspicion the gearbox is jammed, but no reason as to why?

As Mary points out lack of thecnical terms/knowledge so we have to work on basics, and work backwards as to what was done, how and why? Step by step.
I will admit that I believe there is a high probability we will end up back with the gearbox out.
We don’t even know if the car rolls on the ground. After the breakdown.
Maybe Mary could go back through the posts and answer all the missing little questions we may all get a better picture.

freelance said:

I imagine the splines did not enter the clutch plate and you have forced things together

Click to expand...

Thanks. Andrew had this suspicion today as a possibility. Any tips on how to prevent this happening if we do have to go down the gearbox removal and putting back on? Thank you

Is your clutch operating I.e if you put it in gear can you roll the vehicle ( you shouldn't be able). If you depress clutch , can it roll, it should. If it rolls out of gear but still will not turn over, I'd suspect starter. Try putting old one back in. I can't see how gearbox has seized unless something catastrophic happened when prop gave up.
Maybe gearbox seized and caused prop to wind up( thinking out loud here.) sorry haven't read it all but did engine turn over with starter when box was off.