Cracking the Crank Pulley

[CLG]

I'm doing a timing belt and head gasket on a 1GGZE currently fitted to an RA23. I've endured through the tight engine bay fitment to finally get the head off, and am now trying to get the crank pulley off.

I've tried all the usual methods:

1: Trusty old rattle gun - had it for years, leaks air but has never failed me yet until this job. Put it on, rattle away on max pressure - no joy. Made sure I had max flow on the compressor and tried again - still no joy. Pondered whether it was time to buy a new gun, as it had been on my mind for a while?!

2: Purchased a new gun - no air leaks, shiney with a sexy blue protective cover! Max air pressure on both gun and compressor - no joy

3: Crank snap - reinstall battery and ran a wire from the starter solenoid. hit it once - no joy. Check and reposition impact socket and breaker bar, hit it twice - no joy. Check and reposition impact socket and breaker bar, hit it a third time and the motor spun over - I had won, ..., or had I?!



Broke the drive right off the breaker bar! So, while I go back to a tool shop, bitch about warranty and try to have the tool replaced, does anyone else have any other tricks to get the fucken crank pulley off?!

[mattysshop]

will be keeping an eye on this thread... i'm having the same problem lol... brand spanking 1/2 inch drive bluepoint.. almost brakes my wrist using it! no joy.... did all the same as above..

[CLG]

My only other thoughts are to hold the ringgear stationary and try to crack it with a bloody big breaker bar at slow speed - this would mean pulling the engine out to do it effectively though.

[mattysshop]

i've tried poping it into first, having someone stomp on the brakes, and using 'all that is man' with the 3ft breaker bar i have...... just started turning the h/duty clutch...

holding the ring gear with somting like a cut off flex plate sounds like a winning idea... gearbox removal FTL

[briney]

does it have a polyrib belt on the pulley ? i have had some success with wrapping an old belt around and under itself. like a p sort of. then putting a bar through the loop onto something solid. then undo the bolt. hope this makes sense.

[neal]

May be its a good time to do the sump gaskit as well..

[Cuzzo]

Do you have the gearbox off? IF you do you need to stop the motor from turning.

If not

You may need to use the bar which you hit with a hammer for shock loading to loosen the bolt.

I'll try to google image one.

Edited:

But yes a ADUB11 Penetrate thunder stick should do it.

[YLD-16L]

Try heating the bolt with oxy or butane torch, then let cool and attack. May fuk the rubber on the balancer though if not careful.

[oldcorollas]

penetrant shit behind it to free up the rust binding them together?

[jeffro ra28]

Clint, i broke a breaker bar aswell doing the same job. I went to repco, got 2 tins of loctite freeze it spray (trade price $7 each) and emptied one whole can on the bolt head and then whacked it a few times with hammer. If that doesnt work empty the other can while the bolt is still cold and give it a few more whacks.

Came undone quite easy after that.
The next step was oxy, however heating balancer to much isnt really good for the rubber in the balancer nor the crank seal.

[KARNAGE]

I have done that exact same tip as above with the loctite freeze it works, also you could try some inox on it as oldcorollas said it breaks the seal a bit then have another crack at it.

[DrNick]

Do you have the gearbox off? IF you do you need to stop the motor from turning.

If not

You may need to use the bar which you hit with a hammer for shock loading to loosen the bolt.

I'll try to google image one.

Edited:

But yes a ADUB11 Penetrate thunder stick should do it.

I'm with cuzzo on this one - I was discussing it with a mechanic mate too and he says he always uses the snapon manual impact bar for balancers if the rattle gun cant do it. Worth a shot, perhaps there is someone around who can lend you one to try before you go out and buy one

[Tweak]

Get some subaru upper engine cleaner spay. Shit stinks and takes ya breath away But Holy shit is it good stuff for rusty bolts.
If that fails then Its a 3/4 Rattle gun or Get a cheap butane blow torch and heat it up as hot as you can and le it cool. Probly need to do this about 3 or 4 times

[matty87]

im with those other boys go the loctite freeze its good shit. if that doesnt work im also a fan of the good old heat application but caution is advised if ya not carfully instead of fixing it you will f**k it real quick.

[oldcorollas]

i wonder how cold the bolt needs to be to turn brittle like the titanic?