97 Etc N* Head Gasket Project

[tateos]

Yeah - thanks Ranger - I did read a post somewhere that someone had problems with oil pressure until they tightened the crank bolt. It makes sense, since the oil pump drive seems to be engaged solely by squeezing it between the balancer hub and the crankshaft. The installation calls for a fairly low torque value - 37 ft/lbs maybe - plus an angular value - 120 degrees, I think. That shouldn't be hard to achieve - it's the loosening that is the problem!

RM

[zonie77]

Leave the bolt til you drop the cradle. You have better access to it then.

[tateos]

The 1st good news it's out. I dropped the cradle with engine, trans, and sterring rack. More details and pictures to come tomorrow.

The 2nd good news is that, as Zonie77 said, once it was out, I was able to get the crank bolt out. It took an extra long 1/2" breaker bar with a pipe attached to it for extra leverage, and a neighbor's help holding the socket tight to the bolt, but it finally broke loose. They must use Locktite or something on there, because it "snapped" several times before it came off loose, although once it was broken loose, it did come right off with only finger power.

Now, I have a new problem. Although the crank bolt is off, the crank balancer/pulley seems welded on. I put a Harbor Freight 3 claw puller on there, but that would not take it off - just bent the center bolt and mucked up the threads. I am afraid if I force it anymore, I will break something - like the puller or the pulley The center bolt on the puller goes inside the bolt hiole in the center, right? I have taken these things off on other engines before and they weren't all that hard.

Any thoughts anyone?

RM

[Ranger]

The only thing that I can add is that our old Guru always said to never use a 3 jaw puller on it, as it will damage the rubber joint (for lack of the correct term) between the outer ind inner ring. Check it closely before installing and again afterwards. If it has excessive runout, replace it.

[clarkz71]

Originally Posted by Ranger

The only thing that I can add is that our old Guru always said to never use a 3 jaw puller on it, as it will damage the rubber joint (for lack of the correct term) between the outer ind inner ring. Check it closely before installing and again afterwards. If it has excessive runout, replace it.

I'm afraid the FSM say's a three jaw puller is the way to remove the balancer.

It does have to be used correctly to avoid damage as Ranger stated.
Note that a pilot must be used to prevent the forcing screw from causing damage to
the threads in the crank when using the puller.

[Ranger]

Hmm, once again I stand corrected. Could have sworn he said never to use a 3 jaw puller. Oh well, as they say, the memory is the second thing to go.

[clarkz71]

I think he probably said not to use it on the outside of the balancer
which would cause the damage to the rubber between the 2 pieces
as you stated on a previous post.

The FSM page I posted shows to grip the inner portion of the balacer hub.

[Ranger]

That is probably what he said. It makes sense. The correct name now comes back to me also. I think he called it the elastomeric bond.

[clarkz71]

Elastomeric bond, yes that's it.

[tateos]

Like I wrote earlier, my initial intention was to remove the negine out the top, so I partially disassembled the engine and some other things to help get it out the top. In the end, there were some things on the firewall side that were just too hard tio get at; maybe not impossible, but definitely not worth it. If I had known, up front, that I was dropping the cradle, I could have saved some time.

Mu house is in a hilly area, and my drivelway slopes down steeply, so if I lifted the body and pushed it back to clear the cradle, it would roll downhill and I would not have a way to push it back up. What I did is put the car diagonally in my 2+ car garage, so I would have room for the hoist in front, and then drop the cradle and push the it out the right side. I chose to remove the struts completely to gain clearance and so they would not interfere. I wired the calipers to the top of the strut tower. I unbolted the power steering cooler and left it connected to the cradle when I dropped it. I used an engine hoist to lift the body, like zonie77, except I chose to remove the headlight assemblies and wrap a chain around the bumper support struts, as shown in the photo. I loosened the pinch bolt on the steering rack input shaft, but it wouldn't come off. The u-joint ended up coming off the steering shaft, so I will have to remove the boot at the engine side iof the firewall to replace it. I left the AC condenser in the car - unbolted the AC lines "manifold" at the compressor (lost all the refrigerant obviously) and dropped the compressor. I left the ABS unit in (wired it up for support) and did not crack the hydraulic system.

You can also see my crankshaft pulley bolt - it is pretty mangled, but I did succeed in removing it - obviously it will be replaced.

That's it for now - I am heading out to try again to get the pulley off the crankshaft!

[tateos]

I had not given it my all yesterday, since I thought mybe I was prying against the wrong thing, but I looked at it closely today and could see I was doing it the right way, so I forced it today and it finally broke free. The puller I was using did finally give out 1/2 way through the removal - the threads on the center bolt stripped out (cheap harbor Freight tool) but I had another smaller puller that worked well enough for the rest of the way, since the it was much looser now.

I can see why it is on there so tightly - it is just like the water pump drive - just pressed on - no woodruff key like the engines I am accustomed to.

Anyone remember: Does the crankshaft bolt suffice to press the pulley back on when I'm all done?

That's it until next weekend, I think.

RM

[clarkz71]

Originally Posted by tateos

Anyone remember: Does the crankshaft bolt suffice to press the pulley back on when I'm all done?

RM

No it doesn't. You need an installer like this.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SNAP-...QQcmdZViewItem

[tateos]

Thanks clarkz71 - even a link on where tio buy! What happens if you try to use the crank bolt? Just curious...

[clarkz71]

Not enough threads to pull on the balancer. You could use a longer bolt, but the installer isn't expensive
and is much easier to use. You also need a flywheel lock tool or find something to hold the flywheel
while you torque the balancer bolt. Here's the factory tool.

[zonie77]

Instead of the balancer installer we used a long bolt the right size. That took it in enough for the original bolt to finish it. Use washers and grease of course.