Removing the crankshaft pully... ARGH!

[Matt Timion]

I just can't do it.

My new engine is sitting in my garage and I figured I should replace the timing belt and water pump before I throw it in my car.

The damn bolt holding the crankshaft pully on won't budge.

At first I stuck a prybar and a screwdriver in the hole to offer some sort of resistance. The end result was a bent screwdriver and prybar.

Today I hooked up the air tools to try to move the thing. Nothing.

Does anyone have a secret (maybe with pictures?) on how to get this thing to budge? My next plan is to just take it to a mechanic and pay them to do it for me.

[diamondlarry]

It seems that someone here, perhaps Dax?, mentioned something about sticking something in the teeth of the flywheel and getting a 3' or 4' prybar and doing a lot of jumping up and down.

[JanGeo]

My brother says that you need a 500-600 ft-lbs air impact wrench to crack it loose - for some reason the bolt seizes on the crank. This came up when I asked about my friends timing belt change.

[Bunger]

With the air tools did you try all the following:

1. Crank the air pressure to about 120psi, this is probably 30psi over the rating on your gun, but it should take it.

2. Tighten, loosen, tighten, loosen... sometimes does the trick.

3. Are your air tools lubed? Seems to help out a little bit.

4. Are you using impact sockets? Normal sockets will not deliver as much torque to the bolt. (normal sockets flex more, thus absorbing some of the twisting force)

5. PB Blaster on the bolt

I hope these help!!

[molecule]

it once took an 11ft bar to break a honda pulley bolt loose...
9ft didn't work !!!

also a socket extension fits perfectly in the pulley hole and will not bend...however it can crack the lip of the block/oilpan

high tq impact wrench is recommended
followed by long *** breakerbar (may require welding...lollercopter)

[MetroMPG]

went thru the same thing with my accord. ended up taking it to the garage and the mechanic used his (better) impact wrench to break the seal. he was nice about it though - just had me pull up to the bay and he got it through the access hole in the fender well and wouldn't take any money.

[JanGeo]

Ahhh professional courtesy is alive and well.

[n0rt0npr0]

Right on Bunger.

You need that 120psi.
You need decent impact sockets.
The impact wrench should be lubed well.
Try not to use extensions.
Then, Tighten, loosen, tighten, loosen. And stay flush dead on that bolt head so you transfer all that energy upon your nemesis.
Fun stuff:)

[Matt Timion]

With the air tools did you try all the following:

1. Crank the air pressure to about 120psi, this is probably 30psi over the rating on your gun, but it should take it.


The gun is rated at 90psi, so I did stop at 80. I'll try cranking it up to 120 tomorrow.


2. Tighten, loosen, tighten, loosen... sometimes does the trick.


Tried this a little bit, but not too much. WIll try more with the 120psi tomorrow.


3. Are your air tools lubed? Seems to help out a little bit.


Air tools are fairly new, only been used twice. I'll lube it up though for good measure.

4. Are you using impact sockets? Normal sockets will not deliver as much torque to the bolt. (normal sockets flex more, thus absorbing some of the twisting force)


Using an impact socket, yes.


5. PB Blaster on the bolt


I did this before the impact gun.

I'll be trying this again tomorrow, and then I'll be taking it to the shop down the street from me. Do you think I can lift a motor into my trunk? It doesn't seem that heavy.

BTW, does anyone know what I torque this bolt to once I'm done changing the timing belt?

[Bunger]

The gun is rated at 90psi, so I did stop at 80. I'll try cranking it up to 120 tomorrow.

I'll be trying this again tomorrow, and then I'll be taking it to the shop down the street from me. Do you think I can lift a motor into my trunk? It doesn't seem that heavy.

BTW, does anyone know what I torque this bolt to once I'm done changing the timing belt?

I've gone as high as 150 psi before... dunno how good that is for the hammers, but I've had the same tools for 6 years now, and they are still working ok. =)

Are you lifting the entire motor or just a short block? The entire thing can be a bit much for a single person.

119 ft/lbs on the crank pulley bolt.

[Matt Timion]

I've gone as high as 150 psi before... dunno how good that is for the hammers, but I've had the same tools for 6 years now, and they are still working ok. =)

Are you lifting the entire motor or just a short block? The entire thing can be a bit much for a single person.

119 ft/lbs on the crank pulley bolt.

Well, it would be just hte block, head, and intake. No tranny or anything, but i agree that would be around 200+ lbs and even though I have 26 inch pythons (http://www.nwo.it/foto_Hulk_Hogan.jpg) I probably couldn't lift that thing.

Just curious on that 119ft/lbs... if I'm having this much of an issue getting the bolt off, how in the world am I supposed to properly tighten it?

Should I put the transmission on and maybe put it in gear?

[n0rt0npr0]

I first bought a strap wrench for just this application. Wish I knew how to explain how to use it to you.

If you can't get that bolt out with 120psi, then you will have to heat it up, and then use the impact. You won't have to heat it very much, maybe touch the flame for 15 seconds. That will help break the oxidation that is welding that bolt to the pulley.

[DaX]

Here's the ghetto way I did it once (and it worked) for an engine out of the car.

Go to home depot and buy a plane-jane 2x4 and some manilla rope thin enough to weave through the holes on the crank pulley (this works for the Civic pulleys with the holes, not the Acura pulleys with the big hex hole in the center).

Take the manilla rope (the stuff I got was 50 lb test) and begin weaving it through the holes on the pulley...I had to go around twice (double rope going through the holes). Finally, put the 2x4, skinny side of the board touching the pulley, on top of the pulley, with nearly all the length of the board hanging off one end. Wrap the rope like hell around the end of the board hanging on the pulley. You now have something to hold the pulley still with (about an 8 foot lever arm). Have someone hold that, someone hold the engine stand, and someone work a breaker bar with about 3 feet of pipe on it. I guarantee it will bust.

I'll try to dig up pictures of my setup when we did this.

Since that time, I have purchased one of these:

http://imageserver.isnweb.com/SIRHO70.jpg

It has become incredibly invaluable. I can't remember what site I ordered it from, but I got it for $120 and it will handle both Civic style and Acura style crank pulleys. Just do a google search for SIR Tools HO70 and look for the best price.

[Matt Timion]

Some guy just recently told me on honda-tech:


remove a spark plug, insert about a foot of rope into the cylinder and turn the crank until the rope does not allow the crank to turn. then stick your breaker bar and socket . that should do the trick Ive done it many many times good luck


Seems a bit bizarre if you ask me.

[thisisntjared]

to take off mine i put the car in 1st gear, disconnected the battery, and stomped on the brakes while my friend took his air tools to it. it popped right off. this was after i sprayed it every day for 3 days with pb blaster.

ive heard some people just took the starter off and wedged a screwdriver in the flywheels.

[Bunger]

Some guy just recently told me on honda-tech:


remove a spark plug, insert about a foot of rope into the cylinder and turn the crank until the rope does not allow the crank to turn. then stick your breaker bar and socket . that should do the trick Ive done it many many times good luck


Seems a bit bizarre if you ask me.


I've done this before, but I put rope down #1 and #4... I don't think you HAVE to, but it made me feel a little better evening out the load.

Ohh and DAX... you're a crazy mofo! I have never even thought of the 2x4 and rope idea, thats awesome! Thats for sure, ghetto fabulous!

[Matt Timion]

Ohh and DAX... you're a crazy mofo! I have never even thought of the 2x4 and rope idea, thats awesome! Thats for sure, ghetto fabulous!

I will end up doing this if the 120psi won't work. If I do this however I'm going to need to resecure the engine to the pallete. The last thing I want is the engine to flip over because of all of the torque.

[JanGeo]

isn't a couple of valves open a little at tdc on one of the two cylinders? should be a compression stroke on one and an exhost ending intake starting stroke on the other.

[DaX]

Ohh and DAX... you're a crazy mofo! I have never even thought of the 2x4 and rope idea, thats awesome! Thats for sure, ghetto fabulous!

My dad gave me the idea. He used to use the method to tighten up jacks on hydraulic elevators.

Matt - if you have someone holding the 2x4 against the floor and you're on the breaker bar, the engine shouldn't flip because of the balance of moments...especially if the engine is on the floor.

[Matt Timion]

Matt - if you have someone holding the 2x4 against the floor and you're on the breaker bar, the engine shouldn't flip because of the balance of moments...especially if the engine is on the floor.


I'm still gonna tie it down though... just for my sanity.

here's an odd tidbit though. The exhaust shroud is actually made of plastic. I thought they were always metal to help disperse heat. Japan is crazy!

[molecule]

i can barely picture this 2x4 idea...
i need pictures...
i've been staring at stereograms all night...
my mind is contorted...to say the least...lol
http://www.colorstereo.com

[JanGeo]

I LOVE THAT STUFF!!!! My dad was a gunnery sargent in the army WWII and forward observer for the big guns and used to look at stereo photos all the time. This really jumps out at you when viewed on the computer screen.

[Ryland]

I have a chain visegrip just for this kind of thing.

http://botools.info/img/502f423030303041583931582e30312d4131373837584f4437 513249344d2e5f53434d5a5a5a5a5a5a5a5f.jpg

wrap it around your heated pully (heat drives water out of rust, the water in rust makes it swell) douse it in PB blaster, and start hammering on it, use the same vise grip for retourqing it.

[DaX]

i can barely picture this 2x4 idea...
i need pictures...
i've been staring at stereograms all night...
my mind is contorted...to say the least...lol
http://www.colorstereo.com



Molecule...I finally got in touch with my dad...he deleted the photos before he sent them to me. Sorry about that. :(