Crank Bolt Issue

[Redneck1465]

I have a 91 SHO that I was going to do the crank position sensor on. Everything came apart real easy was getting down to the end of what I needed to do before I could put everything back together and I was aligning everything to make sure that the timing was right before I put everything back together and I went to thread the crank bolt back in by hand and I got nothing. It wont spin in. AT ALL. I got a new crank bolt from Rubydist and that one looks like its in great shape but guess what...that one wont go in either...wtf do I do?? I dont see how the threads could have possibly been damaged with me pulling the crank bolt out. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[K-Dawg]

Maybe you damaged the threads in the crank when you pulled the crank damper. Did you try threading it in without the damper in place?

 

[hawkeye18]

Do you have the timing sprocket on all the way? If you don't, then the crank bolt doesn't have enough length to thread in. Get the crank sprocket on (same tool used to install the crank seal works great for this) and try threading the bolt on.

 

[Redneck1465]

Do you mean the harmonic balancer when you say crank damper? Also what tool is used to put the timing sprocket back on??? I thought you could just thread the bolt in and put the harmonic balancer on and it would push that sprocket back on where it is supposed to go. I have not tried to get it back on all the way. Should I try that first? I also havent tried to put the harmonic balancer back on yet because I couldnt even get the bolt to thread in so I could turn the crank to get the timing back lined up.

 

[hawkeye18]

I used 2.5" PVC piping and a little block of wood to get the crank seal on; works perfectly as it puts consistent, even pressure on the seal. This pipe also happens to work brilliantly at hammering the timing sprocket (the one with the vanes that go in the crank sensor) in.

If the crank sprocket is not all the way on the shaft, there is no way in **** the crank bolt is going to get anywhere near where the threads are in the crank. You need to get the timing sprocket on first. It should slide on by hand (with PB blaster). If not, use the pipe or heat it up with a torch.

 

[Redneck1465]

Thank you very much. I am going to give that a shot and I'll let you know what happens. Hopefully God willing that will be the key.

 

[AREA 91]

I have seen the threads in the end of the crank get rolled over. This happened when the balancer puller that was used did not have a flat "foot" on the end where it pushes against the crank. The threads of the puller started digging into the threads of the crankshaft. They are NOT the same diameter or pitch. This mad installinig the crank bolt very difficult.

Just some food for thought.

 

[K-Dawg]

I have seen the threads in the end of the crank get rolled over. This happened when the balancer puller that was used did not have a flat "foot" on the end where it pushes against the crank. The threads of the puller started digging into the threads of the crankshaft. They are NOT the same diameter or pitch. This mad installinig the crank bolt very difficult.

Just some food for thought.

This is what I suspect happened.

Hawkeye, I've read and reread your posts and they don't make sense to me. How is the crank sprocket going to affect the crank bolt?

 

[hawkeye18]

The shoulder on the bolt is used to drive the harmonic balancer home. As long as the timing sprocket is where it should be on the crank, the balancer's thickness is such that the crank bolt will still engage the threads. If the timing sprocket is not where it belongs on the crank, and he puts the harmonic balancer in front of that and attempts to drive both in with the crank bolt, then it will not reach the threads.

 

[K-Dawg]

The timing sprocket and guide washer go behind the timing cover. The damper is on the outside.

From my experiences, you need to tap the damper on a little bit before you can engage the bolt threads to pull the damper in.

It really doesn't matter, because it sounds like he can't get the bolt to thread without anything in the way.

 

[Redneck1465]

Correct I cannot get the bolt to thread in without anything in the way. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[itwonder]

Try using a bend-a-light or high intensity penlight with a dental mirror and see if you can see damaged threads in the crank. It's probably just the first couple of threads that are damaged.

 

[Redneck1465]

What should I do if they are damaged?? Should I try to chase the threads out with a tap??

 

[93rev2sev]

What should I do if they are damaged?? Should I try to chase the threads out with a tap??

Yes.
You may need to order one. I think it's m14x 1.5 but research here with the search button...using gmorrell as the poster.

yep...I did it for you...

http://www.shoforum.com/showpost.php?p=983454&postcount=19

Make sure the tap you get is NOT a "bottoming" tap.

 

[NEp8ntballer]

Do you have the timing sprocket on all the way? If you don't, then the crank bolt doesn't have enough length to thread in. Get the crank sprocket on (same tool used to install the crank seal works great for this) and try threading the bolt on.

pb blaster weakens rubber. I used rubber bands to secure some cloth to a set or exhaust manifold studs and after a short time a rubber band that was fine before was on the floor of my garage. It also misted all over my timex ironman and weakened the seal there and will now get condensation on the inside of the glass. I wouldn't use pb blaster anywhere near an important seal.

 

[Redneck1465]

Thanks, I am going to see if I can find a tap and well go from there. You guys are great.

 

[Redneck1465]

Here is a link to the tap that I found. Can anyone tell me if it will work and is the proper style of tap?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00208S9TO...=A3GWFGDE3FDRVJ&tag=dealt7587-20&linkCode=asn

Thanks guys.

 

[gmorrell]

Here is a link to the tap that I found. Can anyone tell me if it will work and is the proper style of tap?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00208S9TO...=A3GWFGDE3FDRVJ&tag=dealt7587-20&linkCode=asn

Thanks guys.

If all you want to do is clean up the threads at the beginning of the hole, the plug tap you linked will work fine. It's really easy to start a plug tap wrong or crossed in an already tapped hole, so be really slow and careful about starting the tap straight and clean in the hole.

Gary M.

 

[Redneck1465]

I want to be able to clean up the threads so that I can get the bolt back in. I have no idea how far the threads are damaged so should I use a different tap or is that the one I should go with?

 

[93rev2sev]

That looks like it'll work for what you need. Like Gary said, though...don't cross thread it.

It should do it's job with very little force (since the hole is already threaded), so if you feel it starting to "catch", that'll be your clue that it's cross threaded.

Once you've gone around twice, back it out and try your bolt again...I can't imagine that your threads are damaged very deep.