Consider prying the crankshaft pulley bolt loose before releasing the motor mounts if you intend to remove and repair your engine. Even with the use of strong tools and lengthy leverage bars, the crankshaft pulley bolt is known for being difficult to extract. Additionally, as you attempt to press down on the bolt head, the pulley has a tendency to continue spinning. The rest of the removal, rebuild, and reinstall process can be completed without interruption once this bolt has been released. Here are four methods to get rid of this obstinate bolt.
Despite the fact that the bolt is located on the engine’s side, you can use putty to provide a sticky dish for your preferred lubricant. Putty should be shaped like a half-bowl and affixed directly below the crankshaft pulley bolt.
In order to properly lubricate the bolt, the dish’s sides should extend past it. You may need to brush away some of the grease and filth beforehand to help the putty stick in place.
Spray lubricant all over the dish and leave it overnight. The following morning, check the bolt to see whether it has moved. If not, reconnect the putty bowl, add more putty, and allow the lubricant to pierce the bonded materials.
In order to remove that obstinate bolt if you just have a 3/8″ impact available, you might need to rent a 1/2″ or even 3/4″ monster impact from a rental business. Get a plug-in model, as you’ll probably need to reef on the bolt for longer than ten minutes.
To prevent rounding off the sides, make sure the tool has a solid connection to the bolt. If you decide to round out the bolt, you’ll need to remove it slowly and carefully with an extraction tool.
Before using the impact, lubricate the bolt by spraying it down. Before re-lubricating the bolt, allow the impact hammer to pound on it for a few minutes. Continue doing this until it breaks free.
To try to break the bolt loose using leverage, you can get a breaking bar that is at least three feet long. For this project, it is not proper to create your own breaker bar, or cheater bar as it is frequently referred to. Instead, you need to get a strong bar that won’t snap under pressure.
Your effort is multiplied by several with longer bars. Instead of simply pushing down on the end of the bar, try repeatedly giving it a tiny push to try and jar the bolt loose. As you work, make sure to apply a lot of oil to the bolt. Be patient; it will take a lot of time and effort to release the bolt using a breaking bar.
If you’re bold, you may try to remove the crankshaft pulley bolt using the force of the starter. When the car starts, be sure to verify which way the pulley rotates. For instance, unlike the majority of other compact car engines, the crankshaft of Hondas rotates counterclockwise.
Put your socket over the crankshaft pulley bolt and press the ground with the end of your ratchet or breaker bar. Make sure the breaker bar is positioned to push the bolt counterclockwise to loosen it as soon as the pulley begins to turn. If not, you risk breaking the bolt’s head completely off or tightening the bolt even more. The crankshaft pulley should be briefly spun by quickly bumping the starter, which should free the bolt. Only make a few attempts at this technique, and after each one, check the location of the breaker bar.
Remove your engine and take it to the shop if you are unable to remove the bolt holding the crankshaft pulley on. Take it to an import car repair facility for a more specialist approach. You shouldn’t bring your complete car into the shop since after the pulley bolt is loosened, you’ll have to tow it back home. Instead, transfer your engine there and let the professionals use their incredibly powerful impact tools to pry the bolt open. If the bolt needs to soak in high-grade lubricant before removal, you might need to leave the engine at the shop overnight.
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Crank bolts have reverse threads, right?
For crank bolts, the threads are “normal” and tight on the right and slack on the left. The R side cup is left-hand threaded with the most popular English BB standard, therefore you’re confusing them with BB cups. Alternately, the L pedal is always manually threaded when using pedals. For both, crank bolts have a standard R hand thread. However, Campy left both of the built-in bolt/extractors that came with its C-Record cranks connected into the arms. Therefore, a special Campy L hand threaded crank puller is required if you want to remove them and use standard bolts.
Without a puller, how do I remove a crankshaft pulley?
The crankshaft pulley removal process might be difficult. Many people attempt to remove it using a puller, however this frequently results in damage to the crankcase or pulley.
Using a strap wrench is the most straightforward method of removing a crankshaft pulley without a puller. The safer method is to use a pipe wrench with other tools, such as a breaker or cheater bar.
The crankshaft pulley can be removed without a puller, as this article will demonstrate. This is a much safer and simpler approach. You’ll be able to remove the pulley in no time if you follow these instructions!
How is the crankshaft pulley removed?
You must be cautious to take safety precautions as you get ready to take the crankshaft pulley out of your car without a puller. Always put safety first. Wearing safety gear, hand gloves, and eyewear is necessary to safeguard your eyes. Then, place your car on a level, plain surface, extinguish the engine, and apply the parking brake. You can then proceed with the next set of instructions for pulling a crankshaft pulley without a puller.
Step 1: Take off the serpentine belt
To access the harmonic balancer, you must first remove the serpentine belt, also referred to as the drive belt or the accessories/alternator belt. To perform this, remove the engine cover from the car as well as any plastic guards or shrouds that were covering the engine’s working area. Next, put pressure on the serpentine belt by positioning it underneath the spring tension to aid guarantee that it is fastened.
The tensioner can then be released by pushing it in the opposite direction of the spring using a wrench socket. Remove the belt from the nearby pulley by shifting it. After that, remove the drive belt from the bottom pulley and the other pulleys. Additionally, this is the initial stage of removing the harmonic balancer.
Step 2: Identify the center bolt
In front of the crankshaft is where you’ll find the center bolt. It is in charge of maintaining the harmonic balancer’s position. You will require additional tools to be able to release the middle bolt because it is so tightly secured.
Step 3: Loosen/remove the center bolt.
By hammering the center bolt free with a socket after placing the socket on the bolt, you can loosen the center bolt. If that doesn’t work, you can also start the car’s engine, tighten the socket onto the bolt, and rotate the bolt. When the bolt is extremely tight, this method operates more quickly.
Step 4: Remove the crankshaft pulley
Although the majority of people remove a bad crankshaft using a crankshaft pulley removal tool or a puller, you can alternatively use a cheater bar and a socket. Stick the cheater bar on the end of the socket after fixing it to the bolt inside. Snap it in after that. The engine should be turned in the same direction as the cheater bar. Make sure you learn which way the vehicle’s engine rotates.
Try to wedge it in the engine compartment against a strong metal. Since the bolt has a right-hand thread and is holding the crankshaft pulley, it will begin to turn when you crank the engine. Then, turn the ignition with your car key in it. This will cause the crankshaft pulley bolt to loosen. Once the bolt has loosened, you can remove it manually.
Now you may carefully draw it out from beneath the crankshaft pulley using a large screwdriver. To remove it, you can also use a 1/2 or 3/4-power impact cannon.
If you want to know how to take out a harmonic balancer without a puller, you may also follow the detailed instructions above. The details mentioned above also show a brief demonstration of power steering pulley removal without a puller.
Q: How do you remove a stuck crankshaft pulley?
Have you got a crankshaft pulley that needs to be removed right now because it’s stuck? What you must do is as follows.
To remove the crankshaft pulley bolt, one method is to use a three-foot breaker bar or a longer breaker bar. Make sure you use a strong breaker bar that you can try to bust the bolt with.
You might be able to break the jammed crankshaft pulley with a 1/2 or 3/4 horsepower impact drive that you can rent. Make sure to choose a plug-in type because reefing the bolt could take 8 to 10 minutes. Additionally, try lubricating the crankshaft pulley bolt to help it loosen up a bit. As you continue to hammer on the bolt, you can do this periodically.
Use the starter motor to loosen the crankshaft pulley bolt if you’re inquisitive about how to remove crankshaft pulley bolts without an impact pistol. To accomplish this, attach the socket to the bolt and wedge the ratchet’s end into the ground. Then, make sure the ratchet is positioned so that it can turn the crankshaft pulley bolt counterclockwise when the pulley starts to turn. After that, start the engine by turning the ignition key.
Q: What tool is used to remove the crankshaft pulley?
A half-inch drive impact gun is the appropriate tool for removing a crankshaft pulley. In order to fully attach it, you might also use a torque wrench. As a result, it would be beneficial to adhere to the instructions in the service manual when removing a crankshaft pulley and to take the necessary safety measures before raising and supporting the front end of your car. ABC stands for “Always Be Careful,” as the saying goes.
Q: Is a crankshaft pulley bolt reverse thread?
A crankshaft pulley bolt has a typical thread, and turning the bolt counterclockwise loosens it. In order to prevent the bolt from backing out while removing the crankshaft pulley, the engine is turned in the opposite direction from the direction of the bolt’s removal. The water pump and the oil pump may be harmed if the crankshaft is turned incorrectly. Additionally, you might want to learn how to stop the crankshaft pulley from rotating.
Q: How much does it cost to fix a crankshaft pulley?
A crankshaft pulley replacement or repair should cost between $350 and $400. While labor is expected to cost between $150 and $180, the cost of the parts is approximately $200 to $220. However, prices may differ depending on the location or service provider. Find a local auto repair who can fix the crankshaft pulley on your car effectively and without making any mistakes.
How can a pulley be taken off without a tool?
Though it is technically possible, you shouldn’t try it under any circumstances.
Consider how much force the engine can still produce if it is only idling. Imagine how firmly the pulley must be fastened to the power steering pump in order to maintain alignment with the belt. The pace at which the pully spins and the vibrations would completely destroy the system if there was even a tiny bit of yielding.
Anything less than the specialized puller can harm the pulley and the pump if the pulley is attempted to be removed, costing significantly more to replace than the tool itself. Here’s how to do it if you insist on doing it without the puller tool:
- After removing the pump from the car, tap the wedge connecting the pulley and the pump with a piece of metal pipe and a hammer.
- Using the blowtorch to warm the pulley’s core, remove it.
- Hit it from behind with a hammer to knock it loose.
I can’t emphasize enough how quickly things can go wrong if you employ any of these techniques. I’ll walk you through the process of removing the pulley with a $20 puller in the portion after this one because it will make the job so much simpler.