Crankshaft pulley bolt blues

[Twerp]

I tried to change my timing belt but then I got stuck
Well, I tried to change my timing belt, but then I got stuck
The crankshaft pulley bolt is on there tight as f**k

I broke my crankshaft pulley and I felt like a fool
Oh yeah, I broke my crankshaft pulley and I felt like a fool
I didn't even realize that they made a special tool

I ordered a high performance pulley because it was cool
Yeah, I ordered a high performance pulley because it was cool
The problem is that I still need that special tool

That tool won't work on the new pulley, it's just my luck
Oh that tool won't work on the new pulley, it's just my luck
I have to use it on the old one because it's still stuck

I don't have that kind of money for a one use tool
No, I don't have that kind of money for a one use tool
If someone has one I could borrow, it'd be pretty cool

Come on, tell me people, what do you think?
So come on, tell me people, what do you think?
Have one of these? Just follow the link...

Shop Tools

It's for a 1991 Civic DX D15b crankshaft pulley... Yeah, I could do the screwdriver in the flywheel bit, but with the luck I've had, I'd prefer to use the special tool. I've already ripped a good sized hole in my old pulley. So anybody have one that they would be willing to pass around?

Oh, the new pulley is a light weight aluminum underdrive which was actually going for cheaper than the OEMs. It's supposed to boost HP, but I'm guessing I can use it to get some MPG.

BTW, you don't have to respond in song or verse... I just had some time on my hands.

[cmittle]

Have you been soaking it with PB blaster as well? I recently changed the timing belt on an '02 civic and I think Godzilla torqued that thing at the factory. Look like he was about 10 years older when he did mine that's probably the only reason I was able to get it off.

[Daox]

I just use an impact wrench to take off the crankshaft pulley bolt. They are supposed to be torqued down to over 100 ft/lbs. This is usually one of the tighest bolts on the entire car.

[BBsGarage]

Have you tried your local McAuto parts store? They some times lend/rent those specialty type tools.

The supposed HP gain from an under drive pulley is from less rotational mass and driving the accessories (alt. AC. etc...) slower. Although if I'm thinking about this right, depending upon your electrical needs you may be causing the alternator to work more because you are spinning it slower.

[Twerp]

I've actually bathed myself in PB blaster just by association. I bounced on my breaker bar with all my weight, and then I slid a pipe over it to get more leverage. I was pushing it most of the way to the garage floor when suddenly it let go. The bolt was still in there just as tight as ever. The bolt that was resting on my prop rod had come out and had taken a decent chunk of pulley with it. Now, I'm trying to lay hands on an impact, but I still want something beefy to hold the pulley in place. I've tried Pepboys, but they don't have the special tool or even an impact I could rent. I could prolly get by without the special tool, but I'd rather use it if I have the option.

As for the replacement pulley, it should have an easier time turning. Think of a mountain bike. If you put it on the smaller gear up front, it makes it easier to pedal, no matter how steep the hill is. The only catch is that you are going to ascend slower. So at the highest electrical load, the strain should be the same, but the output won't be as great. So maybe my lights might be a little dimmer, but they claim that it won't produce a noticeable reduction. Even if I'm wrong here, my electrical demands aren't that great... I'm powering lights, a stock two speaker stereo, and an occasional GPS unit or cell phone charger. Everything else is manual, from the windows, to the locks, to the mirrors, to the steering. So it should reduce the overall strain on my engine by gearing it down a little, plus the weight reduction will help as well. Of course, I'm not about to do an ABA test to prove this, but if I get even slightly better fuel mileage, I'll be satisfied.

[cmittle]

Not to be a debbie downer, but from my experience if I can't get it with a breaker bar I will certainly not get it with my impact. I don't have a super great compressor but it's flows higher than my impacts are rated at.

One last thought for you, I've had to do this to a wheel nut before. Take the pipe that you put on your breaker bar and weld a >6" wide flat ~3/16" thick flat plate on the end away from the bar. Make sure that when you hold the thing up it looks like a "T". The pipe is the l section of the "T" and a flat edge of the plate creates the - section of the "T". Now place this on your breaker bar and rest the - section of the "T" on the floor, this helps create a flat place for the bar to rest so it won't shoot off to the side. Now put your tire back on and remove the jack stands. Now you can simply push on the car to try to loose the bolt. I hope that made sense.

Remember, wear safety glasses and be sure that you push in place that puts as much of the car between you and the breaker bar as possible. When you put this much force on something you never know what might go flying somewhere.

[Twerp]

Sounds like a good suggestion, but I don't have any welding experience, let alone any welding equipment. I found someone who has a 600lb Ingersoll Rand impact which I will attempt. He claims that it should make short work of just about anything. If that doesn't work, I've heard that the 1,000lb impacts remove the bolt pretty well. I might try to lay hands on one of those.

[Metrosexual]

Ok, ya wanna get off that bolt?
No need to feel like a dolt.
I can dissuade you from yo anger
but ther'll be a little danger
ya gotta get a breaker bar on that bolt head
maybe even with a pipe.
Cinch it up against the undercar
and keep it real tite
now yo motor gonna spin to the left
Keep you bar tight to the right
Find the woman you love
have her stick in the key
let her give it a quick twist
and see what will be
But I Know, yes I know that bolt gonna break loose for you
yes I know it'll go all loose for you
now you don't need to thank me
but if ya wanna drop me a line
Ill send ya flowers to the hospital
if it all goes awry

Thid method uses your engine and starter as the tool.
so you want to find a piont on the frame or underbody to hold you breaker bar so that while you engine cranks clockwise it will undo the bolt.
you may have a problem torking on the new bolt and pully though. if its a manual, you can put it in high gear with the e-brake on to hold the engine
just bump the starter and be prepared to shut off the engine if it starts. or dissable the ignition

[SVOboy]

I couldn't get mine off recently so I went to the shop I used to work at and borrowed an impact. It's not really the size of the gun so much as the pump, I find.

[Twerp]

My inlaws lent me a pretty decent compressor. It's a Campbell Hausfield which I believe will crank out 5.5 CFM @ 90PSI. I borrowed an IR 600lb impact from a guy that I work with and that didn't do it. I cranked that compressor all the way up to 125ft-lbs and hammered away at it for a good 5 minutes straight. Nothing. The bolts I had put into the pulley to hold it still came right out though, just from the vibration...

I found the special tool for cheap on ebay, so I went ahead and ordered it. I also have a second breaker bar coming. I will hook all that up and jump up and down on it a few times. If that doesn't do it, Aircat makes a 1,000 lb impact for $129. I could pick that up and I think I would still be saving money over having a mechanic do this job for me. Plus a good impact would be a nice addition to my tool inventory. No bolt would ever talk smack to me again!