1Digger

OK, I have spent about 4 hours total trying to get the bolt off. I have the tool that holds the pulley from moving. I have been using an impact socket with 2 extensions, a jack stand and a breaker bar. So far, I have broken 2 extensions, one using a 2ft cheater and one using a 4ft. I have applied heat to the bolt. That sucker won't budge. I know this is a standard bolt, lefty-loosey.
Any tips or tricks would be appreciated!

plugger

If you are breaking extensions, you need better quality (and stiffer) tools. 1/2" drive, reasonable quality extensions etc. are really required -- the cheap stuff flexes (and, as you have found out, ultimately breaks). The flex is the problem -- it means you are not getting effective torque to the nut.

You also need a stiff breaker bar on the other side of the pulley tool -- if that is flexing against the ground when you yank on the breaker bar, same problem.

cctgene

Get a 6-8ft piece of pipe from Home Depot and put it over the your breaker bar. Even with the addition leverage sometimes you have to bust a gut to break them loose!

dleccord

buy craftsmans 1/2" extensions and its 18" breaker bar. also id let it soak in liquid wrench 2 days before breaking anything.

djkurious

Get Craftsman or Duralast. Both are what I use. Warranted for life.

fasthatch95

wd40 10 minuts and a impact will do you wonders!

TouringAccord

in addition to what people have stated above...

only use 1 extension. using more than one will have too much play and flex.

my setup for getting that bolt loose...

on the bolt I have the following...
-1/2" drive socket
-20" long 1/2" drive extension
-1/2" drive 18" long breaker bar
-5ft steel pipe (thick wall, not thin wall)
on the crank pulley I have the following...
-special holding tool
-1/2" drive ratchet
-2ft steel pipe (thick wall again)

all tools are craftsman except the pulley tool which is schley products. With that setup you can probably expect at most about 30-40 degrees of flex from the long extension until the bolt POPS free. But it works every time

using anything less than 1/2", or using thin wall pipes or more than 1 extension will result in too much flex and something breaking.

iang

I did the starter blip method to get it off. I tried to get it off with the extensions and puller holder tool but everything was flexing way too much. I actually think the starter method might actually be a bit safer if done correctly. I was always worried with the extensions/pipe method that the breaker bar would either snap back and hit me or break and I would fall flat on my face.

The preferred method and safest would be to hit it with a really nice impact gun. You could probably have a garage loosen it, then retighten, and then drive it home and the extensions/pipe method should definitely work.

dnunez05

I had the same problem not too long ago, after 8 hours of sweat, i figured it was not going to work out with an extension. Here is the secret, dont use an extension with an impact gun, there will be too much play and you are going to lose a lot of torque. Just drop the engine down as much as possible to get the gun in all the way with the special pulley holding tool and the correct socket size. You can even use a deep socket. I read elsewhere that you can even pull that bolt off with a 350 lb-ft impact gun as long as you have that special tool and no extensions. give it a try.

arielb1

The crank bolt has to be the most difficult work I have ever had to do.

At least for me, impact guns would not help nor using WD40 or other solvents. It was TouringAccords advise that helped me. I recall picking up a black heavy duty pipe from Home Depot. It was a ten foot bar. I slip the pipe onto breaker bar. On the breaker bar was a 19" extension that directly connected to the socket. With the shakely in place, I had to push the bar upward because of the restriction of my garage I had no room in the front of the car. This confirms your lefty losey. I recall it was like a bench press move. The bolt snapped on the first push, but I had to push hard. I recall when it broke. I actually thought I broke something serious. It was so loud. It scared the hell out of me.

As suggested, you can have your mechanic remove it as well and tighten it back up. Drive it home slowly. However, you have to figure out how to get it tightened back up. With the bolt holder and the long bar, you can torque it back in place. SK tool has a 250 lb torque you can use. Good luck. Its a fun project. Oh, my problem with an impact gun was knowing the bolt goes back to torque. MAKE sure it is torqued correctly - it is a critical safety issue.

1Digger

I haven't been able to get back at it, but that sucker is coming off today no matter what! For what its worth, ALL the tools I have been using are Craftsman, stuff I've had for at least 20 years, got them when I was in high school-I know the value of a good tool and the frustration of a cheap tool.
Question on the crank specific tool-I had been trying to hold it with a second breaker bar and a pipe. Then I got the idea to use a very short 1/2 extension and let it rest against the frame. Seems to be holding very well. Does anyone see any problems with this? Since the extension is only like 3", I figured it would have even less deflection than a 2ft breaker. I figure once I actually get the crank bolt to crack, I can then line everything up as far as TDC is concerned.
The Plan of Attack for today is to break out my 3/4" socket set and go after it. I'll keep you informed

jessemace57

PB's penetrating Lube, Also I used a deep well cummins impact socket and a craftsman 1/2 drive ratchet. With my jack handle that was all that I needed. and if all else fails use a BFH and solid strikes to the ratchet. It doesn't take long for the PB's to soak in. I pulled the aluminum plate to access the flywheel and wedged a screwdriver in between the flywheel and the transmission housing.

Hanahawaiian

I used PB Blaster it work good and used 24' Snap on Breakbar.. it work piece of cake..,

drummersteve7

did ya get it? surprised nobody responded with:

grab a $20 torch from home depot/lowes.
heat it up for about 30-45 seconds or until semi warm.
will come right off.

do not use extensions as you are losing torque on your breaker bar.

dleccord

extensions are fine for those who dont have air tools.

using multiple extensions are better than one long extension since they dont twist as much as one long piece. i used two 1/2" extension and it turned out well. as long as you have a long strong pipe that goes over your breaker bar, it will make up for the torque loss in the extension.

MAD_MIKE

I used two breaker bars, one with the Honda crank tool, the other with a socket, 18" extension, and jack stand. With the stand closest to me making sure it was supporting the extension, I stood(230lbs) on the breaker bar. It required a bit of diving board action, but it did slowly break loose.

Wouldn't that tighten the bolt on a Honda? Or did you just do that to shock the bolt free?

Bird333

I tried to use like a 800 ft-lb impact gun NADA. I think the best method is a 6+ foot pipe over the breaker bar with the special tool. I am guessing it probably took somewhere in the neighborhood of 1200 ft-lbs to get the bolt to break loose.

GhostAccord

The starter blip method is far from the safest method for loosening anything. I don't care how may people do it. It's an ill-equipped back yard mechanics way of doing things.

If you were afraid of breaking the bar and falling on your face. Then it's time to get quality tools. A piece of sched 40 pipe isn't that expensive. What do you think would have happened if the bar broke while you were blipping the starter?

An impact gun does not always have the sustained tq that is required to break the clamping force between the bolt and crank.

Heating up the bolt really won't do anything but make it expand inside the crank snout. Probably making it harder to remove. No heat is required to do this job. The use of two sched 40 pipes on the ends of the two quality breaker bars & sockets is all you need.

I agree with your ratchet extension comment. It would be best to use a high quality deep impact socket vs a shallow socket & extension.

iang

The bar would most likely break at the pivot so most likely nothing bad would happen otherwise the bar would probably fall off the bolt. I agree though it might not be pretty but I have yet to hear any horror stories and I know lots have done it.

This is true but I am pretty sure this is how the vast majority of professional garages would do it. So if you have the equipment, its definitely the fastest and safest.

1Digger

I finally got it to break loose. Here was the winning combo:
19mm 6pt impact socket
1/2 to 3/4 impact adapter
16" 3/4 extension
3/4 sliding T bar
jack stand
4 1/2' black iron pipe
one pull to the left

I had a big 3/4 set of sockets, but 7/8 is as small as it went. Turns out a 3/4" socket and 19mm are pretty much the same size. Anyway, I went with the adapter and got that baby loose.
Thanks for all the advice!

dleccord

this should be put in the FAQ

Bird333

Glad you got it loose. Where did you get the 1/2 to 3/4 adapter?

GhostAccord

$6.99 @ Sears

vvboy

on the bolt I have the following...
19 mm impack 6 pt 1/2" drive socket craftsman $5.69
-20" long 1/2" drive extension craftsman $15.99
-1/2" drive 18" long breaker bar craftsman $27.99 -5ft steel pipe (thick wall)$13.01
50mm hex crank pully holding tool $25.00
-1/2" drive ratchet got to be all craftsman
-6ft steel pipe (thick wall again)
2ft steel pipe (thick wall again) with 1/2 drive ratchet
use a jack stan to support your breaker bar,19 mm impack 6 pt 1/2" drive socket,and 20" long 1/2" drive extension let it rest on the jack

pb blaster penetrating oil(let it soak over night) i used half can.2 can for $8

so easy that my monkey could do it!!!!!

simiautomaticvv

Balwin

this.

It took a $300 impact gun to get it off. The $50 1/2" autozone one couldnt budge it.