Removing Harmonic bal crack shaft bolt

[drgraham]

I am ultimately trying to replace the water pump in my 91 SHO plus and am finding that I am spending far to much time trying to get the harmonic balancer, crank shaft, bolt loose. I have tried the suggested, placement of the ratchet on the frame and have had no luck (in-fact have bkn several tools.)
It’s been heated, sprayed, impacted w/elect impact wrench, car has been placed w/wheels on the ground and blocked and cheater barred, cursed, pleaded etc. I am resulting to drive 50+ miles to barrow my chief engineer’s pneumatic impact wrench and a/c, not an easy task.
In the mean time, I am sending a msg to all other SHO mechanics to provide assistance.
This car has 200K, I bought it at 88K and in this task have learned that someone has had this bolt off before, as the head is in poor shape, I have had to porches the grips all sockets, to grab onto the rounded head of the bolt. By the way, they are sold by Craftsman and are well worth it, I have had no slippage with them, Thank the powers that be. I am thinking that they have put some type of lock tight on this, and thus am also looking to see what would be used to break that free. Furthermore, what are my alternatives if I am unable to get this bolt off? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated and thanks, in advance. David

Please contact me directly at [email protected]
shrug

 

[SHOZ123]

Obviously someone idoit did use the never loosen grade Loctite. Heat will help you might need to waste what's down there but you are going to change things anyway. If you can cut the head off the bolt then the pulley will pop off but you still have the bolt on the crank.

 

[Yamaha V6]

If you get stuck David, you might have to drill the bolt out & chase the threads.

Best of luck!

 

[luigisho]

Pneumatic gun may be a really good idea. Even when using hand tools and bumping the starter use an impact socket. It may take a bit but the starter should be able to crack it loose as long as the socket is tight and not rounding the bolt. If it does come to cutting, leave as much of the bolt to work with as possible.

 

[rktmn]

Try using a long leverage bar. Get a long hollow pipe that will fit over your ratchet wrench (and I mean long) 5 feet or more. The force that you can put on that bolt will be immense.

 

[Off Road SHO]

If you're going to use the long cheater bar method, make sure you're turning it the right way and better use a 3/4 drive breaker bar because a 1/2" drive will probably break. Another thought might be to take it to a tire place and ask them to loosen it for you if the car is drivable or if you have a trailer.

Good luck and let us know how you finally did it.

Tom

 

[SHOZ123]

I have tried the suggested, placement of the ratchet on the frame and have had no luck (in-fact have bkn several tools.)

On my '97 the dealer could not break the bolt loose with their 3/4" air gun. It easily broke loose with the ratchet trick. What side of the pulley are you laying the ratchet? Should be the radiator side I think. Are you sure you are going the right way?

 

[shojuan]

Yeah, the starter is pretty strong. As long as you are not at risk of rounding off the bolt head try the starter trick a few more times. Leave a half inch of slack or so (more or less, season to taste) so the starter can build up some momentum on the wrench and give the bolt a good jolt of impact.

Rick

 

[projectSHO89]

Make sure the ratchet is a Craftsman.

That way you can take it back to Sears and get it replaced if it breaks.

Steve

<small>[ December 31, 2002, 06:37 PM: Message edited by: projectSHO89 ]</small>