Crankshaft Pulley Bolt Removal

[Oliver]

Hello all,

A bit fundamental this one. I can`t get the pulley bolt undone. I`ve got an airgun but my compressor hasn`t got enough puff i think (i wish i had bought a bigger one). It worked when i replaced the cambelt on my MGF, but it won`t budge the Isuzu one.

Basically, does anyone have a method of locking the crank pulley so i can use my breaker bar instead ?

Oliver

[dapinky]

Oliver,

I feel for you, mate.

When i did mine i burnt out my 'Toys-R-Us' compressor and still got no result!.

I did a bit of a write-up on it at the time, which has been transcribed onto the wiki -
So, just clicky the wiki

Make sure you use good quality tools (I used Halford Pro, with a lifetime guarantee) as the torque figures in the book bore no resemblance to the tightness of the bolt!!!!!

[Oliver]

Dapinky,

Thanks for that.At the moment i`m trying to resist the temptation of putting my breaker bar against the floor and cranking the engine on the starter. Or has anyone done this

Oliver

[Enright]

You would NEVER get the force required into it that way.
From what I've heard it takes car in gear, person sitting on brakes and and a very long breaker bar extension to have any effect.

[muley]

Dapinky,

Thanks for that.At the moment i'm trying to resist the temptation of putting my breaker bar against the floor and cranking the engine on the starter. Or has anyone done this

Oliver

I did it on my old Triumph Herald - I wouldn't do it on my Elan - don't forget you would be transmittting the force through the cambelt

Jim

[DeeAitch]

This worked for me - wedged on the floor along with a length of scaffold tube on the breaker bar - 3/4" drive would have been better

[Oliver]

Hi Jim,

No i have gone off that idea. Presumably the bolt unscrews anti-clockwise ?!

Oliver

[Oliver]

This worked for me - wedged on the floor along with a length of scaffold tube on the breaker bar - 3/4" drive would have been better

I haven`t i MIG welder but i might try to fabricate a similar tool. I have a grinder and a drill. I think that is the way to go. Thanks all.

Oliver

[dapinky]

I did it on my old Triumph Herald - I wouldn't do it on my Elan - don't forget you would be transmittting the force through the cambelt

Jim

Jim,

If the starter was operating on the ring gear on the flywheel, then (as it is bolted directly onto the crankshaft) there would be NO load on the cambelt at all, surely?

I still don't think it would either work, or be a good idea, though!

[Oliver]

I have just had a brainwave (it dosen`t happen very often). I just means i will have to wait `till Monday eve.

I can get a Ingersoll Rand compressor (towed behind Transit type ie. BIG). Amongst other tools (jack hammer etc), it is used to power a 1/2in drive air gun, like mine.

Pull up outside my house, deploy air lines into garage, connect my windy gun to huge compressor, job done. I`ll try it anyway.


Oliver

[Candles]

Like you, I used an air impact wrench but the other stories I seem to remember from LEC were successful with an assistant standing on the brakes, 5th gear engaged and a large breaker bar.

Let us know how you get on with the road drill!

Candles.

[Oliver]

Hi Candles,

Yes i will update you on how the giant compressor performs. It must have a great deal more puff than my tiny one. Just one thing - the thread is anti clockwise ?

By now you must be doubting my mechanical know-how, i`ve only done one cambelt before, but that car is still running, my MGF, and that is a difficult one, apparently, so maybe i`m not as stupid as i think i am.

When i finally get the bolt off, i`m going to do a photographic walk-through of the cambelt and water pump replacement. I`ll post them somewhere relevent.


Oliver

[RayD]

Oliver,

See Here...

Ray

[Oliver]

Cheers Ray,

I`ll look a bit harder next time. I`ll try the big compressor next then plan b.


Oliver

[muley]

I did it on my old Triumph Herald - I wouldn't do it on my Elan - don't forget you would be transmittting the force through the cambelt

Jim

Jim,

If the starter was operating on the ring gear on the flywheel, then (as it is bolted directly onto the crankshaft) there would be NO load on the cambelt at all, surely?

I still don't think it would either work, or be a good idea, though!

Dave,

D'you know - I think you're right! I blame the dangerous combination of red wine and old age ... it did work on the Herald though.





Jim

[John_W]

Oliver,
These photos might help. I replaced my timing belt last weekend.

The main points are:
- Make up a bracket as shown to lock the pulley.
- Undo the lowermost engine mounting bolt (shown in the bracket photo and just visible in one in-situ photo) and then replace it to bolt on the bracket.
- Use two short (about 2cm) M6 bolts (edit to correct to M6 from M5) through the bracket to locate in the holes in the pulley.
- The pulley now is not going anywhere.
- Use as many extension bars as needed (about 15 inches) and an extremely long lever handle.
- Note the use of an axle stand at the fulcrum.
- Lean on the handle very hard (it is normal right-hand thread - ie unscrew anti-clockwise).
- Use only a good quality socket, as my picture shows what happens to a socket which is part of a cheap set which has done me OK for the past 30 years. Halfords Professional is OK.

Good luck,
John

[Candles]

Good pics.

[Monty]

Nice one John when you going in to production on the bracket

[lotuska]

Have you thought of going down to your local tyre fitters and ask them if they will try their equipment on it?

Normally it only costs a some beer tokens...

And once its loose you should be able to shift it yourself when you get home.

[DeeAitch]

One point to note - the holes in the pully are threaded. I thought M6 but I'm doubting myself as mine was 1 year ago and JW's last week
I used an impact socket as these are a tad stronger. Best to use one that drives of either the flats or a full hex - you don't want that bolt rounded off!

And my tool is up for rent
Any proceeds to the LEC fund