Just did this on a 1997 Toyota Camry 3.0 because the impact gun could not budge it. Been working on this bolt for 1 hour. I tried this trick and 2 seconds later it came off like a hot knife to butter. Thanks for posting this :)
Just tried it on my '95, worked awesome! One little bump just like the vid and it was loose. Thanks for the upload, I would have wasted a lot of time trying different things.
Awesome worked for me on my 07 ford fiesta (UK) if your not sure which way your engine turns just turn the key for half a second and see which way it spins, get a friend, record it or check data for vehicle it will tell you if it's clockwise or counter clockwise 👍😉 I wedged the axle stand with a spare wheel and just to make sure a gearbox that was lying around lol but it worked a treat ofc everyone got out of the way and I stuck my head in the footwell when I cranked the key :IMPORTANT: Always remember to Disconnect the wires to the coil pack first !!! Cheers 🍻
thanks for this very educational video , it worked on my GF's 2006 Nissan Altima 2.5 L QR25DE engine , that damn bolt was there for good . now for those who does not know what direction this bolt threads off ? it is counter clockwise vs engine crank clockwise . to thread it in ( tighten it ) it is clockwise up to 140lb/ft , at 2 stages . thanks again for this wise tip mate , it sure popped that sucker out
@Twinturbo120 I put red Loc-tite on my bolt, installed it, then used a hammer and breaker bar to get it as tight as I could. You just hit the end of the breaker bar in the same direction you tighten it. They also make chain vice grips you can use to hold the crank pulley in place (use an old belt so you don't damage the pulley) while you tighten the bolt. The breaker bar and hammer has worked for me without issue for 6 years now.
@animal2499 Are you asking what if the belt is broken? The crank pulley turns the belt, not the other way around. You can still loosen the bolt with the belt off.
This was so fast and simple that it should be patented. Thanks so much. I see safety as the big issues with this. You are right to warn people. Worked perfectly in my 1995 Nissan truck. Thanks so much.
this tactic works great as an emergency without air tools. My compressor took a shit on me. this worked great. Make sure your engine rotates clockwise. and then Tightening is usually always easier then removing the bolt except do not use this method to tighten. You will have to access the flywheel there is usually an inspection plate you can access and I was able to insert a prybar into a whole in the flywheel and then use a torque wrench to tighten the crank bolt to spec by myself. hope this helps someone!
I put red Loc-tite on my bolt, installed it, then used a hammer and breaker bar to get it as tight as I could. You just hit the end of the breaker bar in the same direction you tighten it. They also make chain vice grips you can use to hold the crank pulley in place while you tighten the bolt. The breaker bar and hammer has worked for me without issue for 6 years now.
Yeah, it is going to need to be heated up. It may even need to be so hot it melts the rubber in the pulley so don't be surprised if you have to replace the pulley. Now, you say they have tried to get the crank pulley off. So they got the bolt off but the pulley is stuck on there or is the bolt still on there and won't come out?
Hello thank you for this informative video. I'm just wondering if it is okay if I have the drive/serpentine belt off the car along with the steering pump before I start the starter crank.
On older cars have you ever noticed that the crank pulley needs to be reworked or it's wobbilying? I can't get parts in SE Asia and this has been an issue for my 88 Mitsubishi Lancer, ugh.. I've had it machined two times now.
all looks good, I was always taught (including my certification for engine rebuild specialist) that the proper way is to remove the fuel pump relay or fuse, start the car, let it run until it runs out of fuel, try to crank again to verify the fuel is out, then proceed, as unhooking just the ignition pack will still allow fuel to dump into the cylinders. however, I believe the crank bolt on the Zetec is single use, and can snap in the crank when re-torqued. at least thats how the Duratec is.
YO!!! Thanks for putting up this vid. My son and I fought with his for hours. Then I watched this and "POW"! we had the nut off in like three minutes. You're the man.
Wow! I never thought to use this method. I purchased a 750 ft/lb Impact gun and it won't budge the crank pulley bolt on my Acura MDX. I had the timing belt replaced a little over a year ago so I thought it would a little easier getting this bolt off. Should I just disconnect the three coil packs on the front to stop the truck from starting?
+Daniel Bailey Make certain your engine spins clockwise before you try doing this. Also, I think the harmonic balancer on that vehicle has to be torqued to spec (something you can get away with guessing on a car as simple as the Escort in this video) so you'll need something (like a chain wrench or holding tool) to hold the pulley in place when you put the bolt back in so you can torque it properly. Yes, if I were to work on this vehicle (and the engine does indeed spin clockwise) I would disconnect the coils and then make sure your bar is braced against something that won't bend or break. Of course this is all at your own risk.
+ZX2Fast Thanks for the reply! I have a Honda tool I use for the crank. It has a long handle and the other end fits right inside the crank pulley. My torque wrench only goes up to 150ft/lb and I believe the Acura needs 180ft/lb. I'll figure out something.
@Rick8683 The engine is still stock and has not been opened up, rebuilt, or so mush as made an abnormal noise since I bought the car in 2000. The engine has over 210,000 miles on it and still puts up more than 170psi of compression on a cold engine.
I may have to do this on a GM 3800. When putting the bolt back in you used Loc Tight on the threads? How much? Around all the bolt threads? Then wrench it on with your breaker bar as hard as you can?
@StavrosCustom Serpentine means one belt controls all rotated accessories like your water pump and alternator. Some people call them fan belts even if it doesn't drive a fan but even a serpentine belt can drive a fan.
OK I'll repeat a question you didn't answer earlier, how do you tighten the bolt back down? I have an automatic, and short of jamming a screwdriver into the flywheel or using a chain wrench to hold the pulley, I don't see any way to keep the engine from turning while I retorque the bolt.
Recognize the NAPA pull handle, but you did use a 6 point impact socket for this as well. A 12 point could very easily round off your bolt. I used a 5 foot long pipe cheater on the small handle. A Snap On 1/2 inch drive 19mm 6 point impact socket to engage the bolt. Over 200 foot pounds of torque to break, but it did it.
tried this for the first time ever just now... cool little method I used on my 2001 nissan maxima... took 3 tries... mine was so torqued... I forgot to unplug ignition system tho... luckily I was literally just tapping the key.... car didnt start on me...
Is it standard procedure to replace the intake cam seal? How would I go about that? Are there any seals on the VCT or exhaust cam that I should be aware of? I'm just wondering in case they need replacing while I'm in there? Any help is much appreciated.
If it isn't leaking, I wouldn't replace it. Unless we are talking about a 200,000 mile engine. My 260,000 mile engine still has the factory cam seals and they don't leak. If you remove the gears (timing procedure in my videos) you can use a seal puller to remove the old seals. there is an o-ring on the VCT plug (the plug you remove to get to the VCT gear bolt) but I've never seen it leak. Replace that only if it is broken.
I didn't disable the ignition system on mine.... I bumped it for less than a second which successfully loosened the bolt, but I heard the starter grind for a second..... Do you think I messed it up?
Verify that the engine rotates clockwise when you start it, get a better 21mm, if all else fails you'll have to purchase a good compressor or take it to a shop and have them break it loose. You may be able to find a mobile mechanic that will come break it loose.
I went to a shop the guy used all his Impact gun (Air) the nut did not even move lol. He has no clue on how to get this nut out. Someone told me to use a propane torch on the bolt too.
@brianperry55 Are you sure your crankshaft rotates clockwise? Just because a battery shows 12 volts doesn't mean it is charged or that it is putting out enough current.
That's much easier than what I did! I used extensions on my wrench supported on a jack stand. Then rested a prybar on the extension to support it. Placed my tire iron in the pully slot to keep it from turning and put a small section of 3 inch pipe over the wrench extensions and the other end of the tire iron. With a long pipe on the johnson bar to pry on. The tire iron actually bent a little before the bolt broke free.
I have a electric impact wrench that puts out 220 ft pounds and it didn't even budge that bolt on my car, so I did do this method and it worked... what a relief too. I had no other way of changing my timing belt cause of that stupid lower timing belt cover that was flat out in the way. Seems like the designers can't design a timing cover that splits just right above the crank pulley... no, that had to split the cover just below the cam sprocket instead. If it weren't for this method, I was seriously thinking about modifying that cover with a grinder.... lol.
How do you properly re-torque the bolt? I had a friend take the pulley off a Honda Civic years ago, got it off without a holding tool. Tried to tighten best he could on re-assembly but after a few hours of running the bolt backed off and teh pulley was wobbling and apparently it ruined the crankshaft.
+Matt K To do it proper you have to hold the crankshaft in place. Some people take the inspection plate off the bottom and wedge something into the teeth of the flywheel and others wrap a bit of old belt around the crank pulley and use a chain vise to prevent it from moving. I always use a bit of red Loctite as well too be certain.
What if the ignition is left on and the engine actually starts up for a second? Would it damage anything inside the engine and if so, what would be potentially damaged?
On most cars it would not. But if the crank pulley slides off, it can damage the timing components which could damage valves if you have an interference engine.
It has been answered in previous comments. I put loc-tite on the bolt and use a breaker bar with a hammer to install it. Hit the end of the bar with the hammer (in the direction you tighten it) and it'll get the bolt tight enough to stay. The chain-wrench would work better, just use an old belt so you don't damage the grooves on the pulley.
I've got an '01 Nissan Pathfinder (VQ35DE engine) with a crankshaft pulley bolt that absolutely will not budge, even after torching it for so long all the scale rust on the outer edges of the pulley has burned off, even using this method, and a couple powerful 1/2" impact wrenches. Any other ideas that don't involve a 1" wrench?
My husband has a 1991 cutlass cierra and they have tried everything to get this crank pulley off even this and nothing works. Any old time suggestions?
I put red Loc-tite on my bolt, installed it, then used a hammer and breaker bar to get it as tight as I could. You just hit the end of the breaker bar in the same direction you tighten it. They also make chain vice grips you can use to hold the crank pulley in place (use an old belt so you don't damage the pulley) while you tighten the bolt.
what if I already have the valve cover open and the camshafts are lose? Can I still crank it? I'm trying to avoid having to put the pieces back onto it...I should have thought about this prior to getting them off.
Not all engines in Honda's rotate counter-clockwise. A quick Google search reveals this is only a concern with some pre-2000 Honda engines. Certainly verify the direction your engine rotates before you attempt this. If you are looking at the crank pulley, it should spin in the same direction as a clock.
couldnt you break the starter like this? I was just thinking of putting the trans in drive with the e-brake on? I'm dealiing with a forward facing V8 (5.8 ford)
I can't imagine a scenario where that could happen. I have seen many engines that were locked up and it was discovered by trying to start it and it wouldn't. If that won't break the starter, nothing else will, unless something was already wrong with the starter.
My electric impact gun wouldn't budge that thing. I also couldn't get it off with a breaker bar with the car in gear, belts on and the brakes on! I think King Kong put this one on. I still haven't got it off yet. I may have to try this since my spark plugs are already out.
@bradyhpifirestorm If you have a Zetec, use a hammer and loc-tite to just get it as tight as you can and it'll be fine. If you have a car with an un-keyed dampener then you'll need to use a chain vice to hold the crank pulley in place while you tighten it up. Be sure to use something like an old belt to keep the chain from digging into the crank pulley.
@HunterCO1 Simple, put the car in gear, block the wheels, use torque wrench. If you do not have a torque wrench, tighten it as much as you can and use Loc-tite. Back before I collected the tools I have now, this worked out just fine for me.
@b18cyacrxs That was a Ford Racing UDP. It is fine to run, but the timing gear eats the back of the aluminum pulley. I ended up putting my OEM pulley back on because I wanted the extra cooling power and amperage.
I forgot you are a mechanical engineer and an award winning engine designer. You can't even type a coherent sentence and you want me to believe you know about mechanical loads?
@Rick8683 It would be, if this engine wasn't internally balanced. After hundreds of members have put a collective millions of miles on these engine with under-drive pulleys without issue, I would guess it has no negative impact on this engine. This pulley was on this engine for about 160,000 miles. The turbo has been on the engine for over 60,000 miles.
I read many comments on this and i still wonder what can go wrong if something does go wrong...Murphys Law? Im having a hard time losening this bolt on my Mitsubishi Space Star 2004... I cant think of anything go wrong or mechanical broken...except peoples safety?
Everything we do is risk versus reward. If no one is standing near that side, then it shouldn't be able to hurt anyone. Just be sure to disable the ignition so the engine doesn't start. I had an electric impact when I made this video and it didn't get the bolt out.
@@ZX2Fast What if my wrench brakes into half or gets bend...ik had this when I tried manually to losen it....? As long as theres no engine damage i try it... Oh..by the way..is this a big engine ..mine is 1.6 litre..
@robertlc3 I don't know that much about the Neon but it does sound like the front cover. You have to use a jaw puller to get the balancer off of them because they are pressed on. They don't pull off like the ones on the ZX2.
There is a tool that looks like vice-grips with a chain at the end. If you use that (along with an old bit of belt too prevent damaging the grooves) too hold the crank, you can then tighten the bolt.
Put vehicle on jacks and then put it in gear. Now lock one of the lug nuts with breaker bar against the floor. Then hand tighten or use torque wrench to tighten the crank bolt. You can also remove it by doing the opposite way, that is lock the crank using breaker bar and socket and tighten lug nuts.
A chain strap wrench (with a section of old drive belt to prevent damage to the belt grooves) will be needed to hold it in place while you use a breaker bar to get that bolt loose. You could go rent an air compressor and see if someone will let you borrow an impact wrench and remove the bolt that way.
Nice video, but you don't have to unplug any coils to keep the car from running. Just give the ignition switch a quick turn so you only let the starter bump a bit, it's plenty to crack loose that bolt.
The less than half second turn won't dump enough fuel in the cylinders to wash the walls. The Zetec bolt is grade 10 and not torque-to-yield so it can be used as many times as you wish.
I don't think it has reverse threads but a quick Google search should turn up your answer. If the engine rotates clockwise (from your point-of-view) while looking at the pulley, then this should work for you.
I meant 'any' circumstances except a cool, dark place. Such as a dairy barn. Old Skoda engines with 3 mains had thrust bearing halves that could slip when the damper was removed. My initial comment was a joke, as you well know.
It doesn't always work and sometimes you have to heat the bolt with a torch then it will come off. I used a small propane torch to heat mine and off it came with a couple of starter bumps.
Yeah, that would suck. That is why I made the title so long. Since it'll only work on the passenger facing clockwise engines. Still, maybe the comment you left will help keep people aware. I'm sure a lot of people skim the title.
@ZX2Fast Yeah thats it. you have the crank shaft timing belt gear then the crank shaft pulley and then the bolt. its on a taper. no key way at all. The crank is timed with a pin into the side of the engine block and the camshafts are timed with a plate at the back of them. Try that with one of them engines and uh oh lol
@YourePrettyGoood As long as your engine rotates clock-wise this will work for you. On forward facing engines I just put my breaker bar on there with a cheater pipe, brace it against the floor, and that works out great for me.
ZX2Fast great thanks, but I guess the key to do this successfully is to not run the motor but I do have control to just crank the motor. As soo as I press the start button it will start. So is there anything that can be disconnected to stop engine from starting but just cranking over a couple of times
I've been working at motors for nearly 50 years now and that is the nicest straight forwardist example of how to do that.
ABSOLUTELY THE BEST VIDEO I HAVE SEEN ON HOW TO DO THIS! YOU ARE AS GOOD AS CHRIS FIX AND HE IS GOOD!
Just did this on a 1997 Toyota Camry 3.0 because the impact gun could not budge it. Been working on this bolt for 1 hour. I tried this trick and 2 seconds later it came off like a hot knife to butter. Thanks for posting this :)
Did you use 1/2 inch drive breaker bar or 3/4 bar???
1/2"
i did not think this would work but after trying to undo the bolt for over an hour it was do or die and it worked thank you for this tip
Just tried it on my '95, worked awesome! One little bump just like the vid and it was loose. Thanks for the upload, I would have wasted a lot of time trying different things.
After viewing this my husband said, "This guy is a genius!" You just made his day- thank you!
I'm glad it worked out for you, thanks for the comment.
Awesome worked for me on my 07 ford fiesta (UK) if your not sure which way your engine turns just turn the key for half a second and see which way it spins, get a friend, record it or check data for vehicle it will tell you if it's clockwise or counter clockwise 👍😉 I wedged the axle stand with a spare wheel and just to make sure a gearbox that was lying around lol but it worked a treat ofc everyone got out of the way and I stuck my head in the footwell when I cranked the key :IMPORTANT: Always remember to Disconnect the wires to the coil pack first !!! Cheers 🍻
Hey I wanted to thank you for your video! It helped me out with my 1995 Toyota Corolla. I was very leery at first but I'm a believer now. Thanks!!
You are welcome, I'm glad it could help.
thanks for this very educational video , it worked on my GF's 2006 Nissan Altima 2.5 L QR25DE engine , that damn bolt was there for good .
now for those who does not know what direction this bolt threads off ? it is counter clockwise vs engine crank clockwise . to thread it in ( tighten it ) it is clockwise up to 140lb/ft , at 2 stages .
thanks again for this wise tip mate , it sure popped that sucker out
@Twinturbo120 I put red Loc-tite on my bolt, installed it, then used a hammer and breaker bar to get it as tight as I could. You just hit the end of the breaker bar in the same direction you tighten it. They also make chain vice grips you can use to hold the crank pulley in place (use an old belt so you don't damage the pulley) while you tighten the bolt. The breaker bar and hammer has worked for me without issue for 6 years now.
Thank a million! I was scraping with that bolt for over an hour. Then i googled and found this video. Thankyou and God Bless. Happy New Year!
Was suggested to do this on a stubbon Mitsu 2.0 engine, but never knew how to do it safely until I watched this. Thanks for the vid!
@animal2499 Are you asking what if the belt is broken? The crank pulley turns the belt, not the other way around. You can still loosen the bolt with the belt off.
This was so fast and simple that it should be patented. Thanks so much. I see safety as the big issues with this. You are right to warn people. Worked perfectly in my 1995 Nissan truck. Thanks so much.
this tactic works great as an emergency without air tools. My compressor took a shit on me. this worked great. Make sure your engine rotates clockwise. and then Tightening is usually always easier then removing the bolt except do not use this method to tighten. You will have to access the flywheel there is usually an inspection plate you can access and I was able to insert a prybar into a whole in the flywheel and then use a torque wrench to tighten the crank bolt to spec by myself. hope this helps someone!
I put red Loc-tite on my bolt, installed it, then used a hammer and breaker bar to get it as tight as I could. You just hit the end of the breaker bar in the same direction you tighten it. They also make chain vice grips you can use to hold the crank pulley in place while you tighten the bolt. The breaker bar and hammer has worked for me without issue for 6 years now.
Thank you ! I've spend all day trying and I saw your video and it took two seconds to get the bolt loose. my car is .....96 Toyota camry
Yeah, it is going to need to be heated up. It may even need to be so hot it melts the rubber in the pulley so don't be surprised if you have to replace the pulley.
Now, you say they have tried to get the crank pulley off. So they got the bolt off but the pulley is stuck on there or is the bolt still on there and won't come out?
Hello thank you for this informative video. I'm just wondering if it is okay if I have the drive/serpentine belt off the car along with the steering pump before I start the starter crank.
Yes, that is okay.
On older cars have you ever noticed that the crank pulley needs to be reworked or it's wobbilying? I can't get parts in SE Asia and this has been an issue for my 88 Mitsubishi Lancer, ugh.. I've had it machined two times now.
all looks good, I was always taught (including my certification for engine rebuild specialist) that the proper way is to remove the fuel pump relay or fuse, start the car, let it run until it runs out of fuel, try to crank again to verify the fuel is out, then proceed, as unhooking just the ignition pack will still allow fuel to dump into the cylinders. however, I believe the crank bolt on the Zetec is single use, and can snap in the crank when re-torqued. at least thats how the Duratec is.
YO!!! Thanks for putting up this vid. My son and I fought with his for hours. Then I watched this and "POW"! we had the nut off in like three minutes. You're the man.
Wow! I never thought to use this method. I purchased a 750 ft/lb Impact gun and it won't budge the crank pulley bolt on my Acura MDX. I had the timing belt replaced a little over a year ago so I thought it would a little easier getting this bolt off. Should I just disconnect the three coil packs on the front to stop the truck from starting?
+Daniel Bailey Make certain your engine spins clockwise before you try doing this. Also, I think the harmonic balancer on that vehicle has to be torqued to spec (something you can get away with guessing on a car as simple as the Escort in this video) so you'll need something (like a chain wrench or holding tool) to hold the pulley in place when you put the bolt back in so you can torque it properly.
Yes, if I were to work on this vehicle (and the engine does indeed spin clockwise) I would disconnect the coils and then make sure your bar is braced against something that won't bend or break. Of course this is all at your own risk.
+ZX2Fast Thanks for the reply! I have a Honda tool I use for the crank. It has a long handle and the other end fits right inside the crank pulley. My torque wrench only goes up to 150ft/lb and I believe the Acura needs 180ft/lb. I'll figure out something.
@Rick8683 The engine is still stock and has not been opened up, rebuilt, or so mush as made an abnormal noise since I bought the car in 2000. The engine has over 210,000 miles on it and still puts up more than 170psi of compression on a cold engine.
how would you tighten it when you put it back on?? thx im really curious ?
I've been doing this for over 20 years but thanks for the video, good instructions.
I may have to do this on a GM 3800. When putting the bolt back in you used Loc Tight on the threads? How much? Around all the bolt threads? Then wrench it on with your breaker bar as hard as you can?
Just a dab of Loctite. It is best too have a holding tool and torque wrench, but I had none of that when I did this video.
@StavrosCustom Serpentine means one belt controls all rotated accessories like your water pump and alternator. Some people call them fan belts even if it doesn't drive a fan but even a serpentine belt can drive a fan.
Thank you so much for this video, the method worked perfectly for us! It saved us from having to buy a new tool and saved us time!
Works on the ford escort as well...
OK I'll repeat a question you didn't answer earlier, how do you tighten the bolt back down? I have an automatic, and short of jamming a screwdriver into the flywheel or using a chain wrench to hold the pulley, I don't see any way to keep the engine from turning while I retorque the bolt.
Recognize the NAPA pull handle, but you did use a 6 point impact socket for this as well. A 12 point could very easily round off your bolt.
I used a 5 foot long pipe cheater on the small handle. A Snap On 1/2 inch drive 19mm 6 point impact socket to engage the bolt. Over 200 foot pounds of torque to break, but it did it.
tried this for the first time ever just now... cool little method I used on my 2001 nissan maxima... took 3 tries... mine was so torqued... I forgot to unplug ignition system tho... luckily I was literally just tapping the key.... car didnt start on me...
Is it standard procedure to replace the intake cam seal? How would I go about that? Are there any seals on the VCT or exhaust cam that I should be aware of? I'm just wondering in case they need replacing while I'm in there? Any help is much appreciated.
If it isn't leaking, I wouldn't replace it. Unless we are talking about a 200,000 mile engine. My 260,000 mile engine still has the factory cam seals and they don't leak. If you remove the gears (timing procedure in my videos) you can use a seal puller to remove the old seals. there is an o-ring on the VCT plug (the plug you remove to get to the VCT gear bolt) but I've never seen it leak. Replace that only if it is broken.
Great info. Thanks!
I didn't disable the ignition system on mine.... I bumped it for less than a second which successfully loosened the bolt, but I heard the starter grind for a second..... Do you think I messed it up?
Probably not.
If this does not work and it broke my 21mm. What is your suggestion?
Verify that the engine rotates clockwise when you start it, get a better 21mm, if all else fails you'll have to purchase a good compressor or take it to a shop and have them break it loose. You may be able to find a mobile mechanic that will come break it loose.
I went to a shop the guy used all his Impact gun (Air) the nut did not even move lol. He has no clue on how to get this nut out. Someone told me to use a propane torch on the bolt too.
Propane probably won't get hot enough, try heating it with MAPP gas.
get a new car
@brianperry55 Are you sure your crankshaft rotates clockwise? Just because a battery shows 12 volts doesn't mean it is charged or that it is putting out enough current.
That's much easier than what I did! I used extensions on my wrench supported on a jack stand. Then rested a prybar on the extension to support it. Placed my tire iron in the pully slot to keep it from turning and put a small section of 3 inch pipe over the wrench extensions and the other end of the tire iron. With a long pipe on the johnson bar to pry on. The tire iron actually bent a little before the bolt broke free.
when you did this did you have to re time your engine or were you able to just put it back on and it started fine.
I have a electric impact wrench that puts out 220 ft pounds and it didn't even budge that bolt on my car, so I did do this method and it worked... what a relief too. I had no other way of changing my timing belt cause of that stupid lower timing belt cover that was flat out in the way. Seems like the designers can't design a timing cover that splits just right above the crank pulley... no, that had to split the cover just below the cam sprocket instead. If it weren't for this method, I was seriously thinking about modifying that cover with a grinder.... lol.
The bastards design stuff like that so people have to pay them to get it done
How do you properly re-torque the bolt? I had a friend take the pulley off a Honda Civic years ago, got it off without a holding tool. Tried to tighten best he could on re-assembly but after a few hours of running the bolt backed off and teh pulley was wobbling and apparently it ruined the crankshaft.
+Matt K To do it proper you have to hold the crankshaft in place. Some people take the inspection plate off the bottom and wedge something into the teeth of the flywheel and others wrap a bit of old belt around the crank pulley and use a chain vise to prevent it from moving. I always use a bit of red Loctite as well too be certain.
What if the ignition is left on and the engine actually starts up for a second? Would it damage anything inside the engine and if so, what would be potentially damaged?
On most cars it would not. But if the crank pulley slides off, it can damage the timing components which could damage valves if you have an interference engine.
@plug007 It uses the crank pulley to hold the timing belt gear in place? That doesn't sound right at all.
It has been answered in previous comments. I put loc-tite on the bolt and use a breaker bar with a hammer to install it. Hit the end of the bar with the hammer (in the direction you tighten it) and it'll get the bolt tight enough to stay. The chain-wrench would work better, just use an old belt so you don't damage the grooves on the pulley.
will the pistons interfere with the valves if the timing belt is broken?
I've got an '01 Nissan Pathfinder (VQ35DE engine) with a crankshaft pulley bolt that absolutely will not budge, even after torching it for so long all the scale rust on the outer edges of the pulley has burned off, even using this method, and a couple powerful 1/2" impact wrenches. Any other ideas that don't involve a 1" wrench?
My husband has a 1991 cutlass cierra and they have tried everything to get this crank pulley off even this and nothing works. Any old time suggestions?
I put red Loc-tite on my bolt, installed it, then used a hammer and breaker bar to get it as tight as I could. You just hit the end of the breaker bar in the same direction you tighten it. They also make chain vice grips you can use to hold the crank pulley in place (use an old belt so you don't damage the pulley) while you tighten the bolt.
You mean when you put the bolt back in through balancer? We're you replacing the balancer or a crankcase position sensor?
@@Jack51971 I replaced just the balancer. This engine has the CPS in a different location.
what if I already have the valve cover open and the camshafts are lose? Can I still crank it? I'm trying to avoid having to put the pieces back onto it...I should have thought about this prior to getting them off.
It depends on what engine. On the engine in this video, that would be okay.
Not all engines in Honda's rotate counter-clockwise. A quick Google search reveals this is only a concern with some pre-2000 Honda engines. Certainly verify the direction your engine rotates before you attempt this. If you are looking at the crank pulley, it should spin in the same direction as a clock.
@lude970109 Not on a US Zetec. There are reliefs cut into the top of the pistons to clear the valves.
couldnt you break the starter like this? I was just thinking of putting the trans in drive with the e-brake on? I'm dealiing with a forward facing V8 (5.8 ford)
I can't imagine a scenario where that could happen. I have seen many engines that were locked up and it was discovered by trying to start it and it wouldn't. If that won't break the starter, nothing else will, unless something was already wrong with the starter.
I could not get it with any manual tools. I bought a $70 half-inch bit 7 amp impact driver and got it first attempt. Worth it.
My electric impact gun wouldn't budge that thing. I also couldn't get it off with a breaker bar with the car in gear, belts on and the brakes on! I think King Kong put this one on. I still haven't got it off yet. I may have to try this since my spark plugs are already out.
@bradyhpifirestorm If you have a Zetec, use a hammer and loc-tite to just get it as tight as you can and it'll be fine. If you have a car with an un-keyed dampener then you'll need to use a chain vice to hold the crank pulley in place while you tighten it up. Be sure to use something like an old belt to keep the chain from digging into the crank pulley.
Ok to remove the bolt and my question is how you hold the pulley when you have to torque it?
How else would you tighten it to spec if you aren't using a wrench? Do you use your pecker or something?
hi, in order to use this trick the timing belt must be on so dmg to valves dont occur?
Thank you for posting this video it really helped me out in the situation I was in
I'm glad it helped. I think you'll need a balancer puller to get your off, though. It doesn't just pull off like mine.
Oh my CHRIST!! THANK YOU!! I was losing my mind outside trying to figure it out!
I've done this many times! Works in a pinch!
Good vid man!
@HunterCO1 Simple, put the car in gear, block the wheels, use torque wrench. If you do not have a torque wrench, tighten it as much as you can and use Loc-tite. Back before I collected the tools I have now, this worked out just fine for me.
@b18cyacrxs That was a Ford Racing UDP. It is fine to run, but the timing gear eats the back of the aluminum pulley. I ended up putting my OEM pulley back on because I wanted the extra cooling power and amperage.
I forgot you are a mechanical engineer and an award winning engine designer. You can't even type a coherent sentence and you want me to believe you know about mechanical loads?
just used this on my 03 Acura TL and it worked like a charm thank you
You are welcome, glad it worked for you.
@ZX2Fast You tell me your the expert so how do you tighten it to specs after you take it off useing the starter.
We all would love to hear this one!
@Rick8683 It would be, if this engine wasn't internally balanced. After hundreds of members have put a collective millions of miles on these engine with under-drive pulleys without issue, I would guess it has no negative impact on this engine. This pulley was on this engine for about 160,000 miles. The turbo has been on the engine for over 60,000 miles.
I read many comments on this and i still wonder what can go wrong if something does go wrong...Murphys Law? Im having a hard time losening this bolt on my Mitsubishi Space Star 2004... I cant think of anything go wrong or mechanical broken...except peoples safety?
Everything we do is risk versus reward. If no one is standing near that side, then it shouldn't be able to hurt anyone. Just be sure to disable the ignition so the engine doesn't start. I had an electric impact when I made this video and it didn't get the bolt out.
@@ZX2Fast What if my wrench brakes into half or gets bend...ik had this when I tried manually to losen it....? As long as theres no engine damage i try it... Oh..by the way..is this a big engine ..mine is 1.6 litre..
@robertlc3 I don't know that much about the Neon but it does sound like the front cover. You have to use a jaw puller to get the balancer off of them because they are pressed on. They don't pull off like the ones on the ZX2.
@gmodalltheway The cams won't spin, but there won't be any valve damage. This is a non-interference engine.
How would you tighten the bolt back when you’re finished ?
There is a tool that looks like vice-grips with a chain at the end. If you use that (along with an old bit of belt too prevent damaging the grooves) too hold the crank, you can then tighten the bolt.
I left my car in first Gear while turning the crankshaft pully anti-clockwise, is that a bad thing to do?
Not going to hurt the transmission.
@@ZX2Fast Thanks for the fast response, you sound very reassured! One more thing, how strong is your starter.. and does this matter?
@@mathw2703 it should be strong enough to get that bolt loose.
@2caliper what if the timing belt is broken will the pistons interfere with the valves?
Hi how do you tighten when finished ? by hand as must as you can ? will that even be enough ?
Put vehicle on jacks and then put it in gear. Now lock one of the lug nuts with breaker bar against the floor. Then hand tighten or use torque wrench to tighten the crank bolt. You can also remove it by doing the opposite way, that is lock the crank using breaker bar and socket and tighten lug nuts.
Tried all week using impact tools. Watch the video and was done in less than a minute. 2005 Kia Rio.
The valves can't be damaged in a stock Zetec (non-SVT) engine. On other engines, yes, valve damage can occur.
took 5 cranks for my kia rio but it worked! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
how do i know if my crankshaft pulley bolt tightens clockwise or counter clockwise? ty
Have someone start it while you watch the crank pulley to see which way it spins. If it spins clockwise, you can use this trick.
ZX2Fast sorry.. timing belt broke, i cannot attempt that :(
friedchicken1981 If it is a Zetec engine (except the one in the SVT Focus) then it doesn't matter if the belt broke.
ZX2Fast no. its a 1999 renault clio van 1.9 diesel single overhead camshaft
A chain strap wrench (with a section of old drive belt to prevent damage to the belt grooves) will be needed to hold it in place while you use a breaker bar to get that bolt loose. You could go rent an air compressor and see if someone will let you borrow an impact wrench and remove the bolt that way.
@gmodalltheway Which belt, the serpentine or the timing belt?
Will this work on a 95 b2300 Mazda pickup? Or does it have reverse threads? Can't get it off with the best impact!
Nice video, but you don't have to unplug any coils to keep the car from running. Just give the ignition switch a quick turn so you only let the starter bump a bit, it's plenty to crack loose that bolt.
That would be too risky. It takes two seconds to pull the coil wire out of the distributor cap.
The less than half second turn won't dump enough fuel in the cylinders to wash the walls. The Zetec bolt is grade 10 and not torque-to-yield so it can be used as many times as you wish.
That's a fancy looking intake setup you have there ;)
Thank you for posting this video. Really helped me out.
Thank you soooo much. two quick bumps and it was loose. I was about to give up on doing the timing belt myself. Dodge stratus 2005.
Replace the engine? You could try a shop that specializes in semi repair. They'll have some mean impacts there.
I don't think it has reverse threads but a quick Google search should turn up your answer. If the engine rotates clockwise (from your point-of-view) while looking at the pulley, then this should work for you.
I meant 'any' circumstances except a cool, dark place. Such as a dairy barn. Old Skoda engines with 3 mains had thrust bearing halves that could slip when the damper was removed. My initial comment was a joke, as you well know.
It doesn't always work and sometimes you have to heat the bolt with a torch then it will come off. I used a small propane torch to heat mine and off it came with a couple of starter bumps.
couldn't even budget with my impact..work great...made my day..
When I did this, I had to do it several times, my engine stopped turning over, battery has juice, what happened?
I removed this specifically to do the timing belt. But, if this is all you remove, there is no need to re-time the engine.
Not all Dodges, but yes, the engine has to rotate clockwise as stated in the title.
Are you doing this belts on?
Yeah, that would suck. That is why I made the title so long. Since it'll only work on the passenger facing clockwise engines. Still, maybe the comment you left will help keep people aware. I'm sure a lot of people skim the title.
? Was it a 24in breaker bar bro?? Thanks
Yes
@ZX2Fast
Yeah thats it. you have the crank shaft timing belt gear then the crank shaft pulley and then the bolt. its on a taper. no key way at all. The crank is timed with a pin into the side of the engine block and the camshafts are timed with a plate at the back of them. Try that with one of them engines and uh oh lol
@YourePrettyGoood As long as your engine rotates clock-wise this will work for you. On forward facing engines I just put my breaker bar on there with a cheater pipe, brace it against the floor, and that works out great for me.
@thelifeofjerjer As long as the crank bolt rotates clockwise as you are looking at it.
ZX2Fast how do know which the crank rotates? I guess you could turn the engine on to see but is there any other way?
@@xray364 just have someone turn the key to start while you watch the way it spins.
ZX2Fast great thanks, but I guess the key to do this successfully is to not run the motor but I do have control to just crank the motor. As soo as I press the start button it will start. So is there anything that can be disconnected to stop engine from starting but just cranking over a couple of times
@@xray364 disconnect the ignition coils.