Well I was cruzin along doing about 70 last week on my way home from work when I heard a sudden pop and the car started losing power. It slowed to about 45 and continued running with signs of running rough and vibrating badly. The next day when I tore into it guessing I had lost the timing belt I was please to see the 20,000 mile old timing belt relatively unscathed, however a chunk of the balance belt was sitting on top of it! So I ordered a timing belt/balance belt kit and waited for it to arrive. I'd never put a balance belt on one of these things before and let me say what a #$@#!#$@%@!#$%*!@#$%!#@$*% pain. As it stands now my engine is still hanging out on the floor jack with the entier drivers side disassembled because I cant get the crank bolt off in order to remove the balance belt pully because there isnt enough clearance to slip it on. For the life of me nothing it busting that cran bolt loose which has lead me to wonder...

Is that bugger left handed thread? Or normal? Ive got the old timing belt wrapped around its pully on the crank, on top of that I have a chain wrench so I can keep the crank from turning. To turn the bolt to try to break it loose I have tried everything from a 3/8" ratchet all the way to a 1/2" breaker bar with 28 inches of pipe to use for leverage and I still can bust the buzzard loose. Heeeeeelp! Any suggestions?!?!?!?!

Thanks!

 

Have you tried going the other way yet? Sometimes if you tighten it a little then try loosening it it'll break free. Also it'll tell you if it IS a lefthand thread (Though I don't think it is). Just check the direction of rotation. Whichever way the sprockets rotate the bolt will rotate in a direction that will tighten it so go the opposite way. Hope this helps a bit.

 

It's a standard thread (righty=tighty / lefty=loosey ). The use of an impact gun will do wonders for you. Otherwise, put that 1/2 breaker bar and socket on the crank bolt, rotate the engine so the breaker bar laying on a heavy chassis part (suspension, or even the ground)- then plug the battery back in and TAP the starter. Be absolutly sure you're using a socket on the crank bolt and not just the 1/2 square drive when doing this. The engines clockwise rotation will crack the bolt loose. TAP the starter.. do not hold it. TAP IT.... TAP ONLY... (just trying to get my point across)

Joel, CA

 

Thanks guys. Joel I love your idea but it terrifies me at the same time, currently the timing belt is off so if the crank spins just a hair too far.... This engine is nearly 200k miles and I can currently turn the crank by hand by just grabbing the sprocket.

 

I was assuming that you have factory specified tension on the main timing belt still. Since you already removed the belt- DO NOT DO WHAT I SUGGESTED! The only way to do this is with an impact gun or to reinstall the main timing belt with full tension and using the engine's rotation to break it off. Good Luck!

Joel, CA

 

Thanks Joel, though I did eventually use avaration of what you suggested. I braced my breaker bar against the lower control arm and placed my chain wrench so it only had 1" travel. Then I bumped the starter until it broke free. I finished up the reassembly tonight and had no other issues. Thanks again!