is...... a BIG AIR COMPRESSOR! I screwed around w/ my crank pulley bolt for at least 4 hours last saturday and it wouldn't budge. I was using a brand new Ingersoll-Rand 500 lb-ft (in reverse) impact wrench on my 17 gallon compressor, which says it provides 5.1 SCFM @ 90 psi. I thought I was fine since the tool specs says average consumption 4.2 SCFM @ 90.

Well I guess mine is much too weak (too small) after all. I went to the shop where my friend works today, pulled in, turned my wheel all the way to the left, and he stuck the impact under there and zipped it off in about 2 seconds, no sweat! Then we used my impact on a lower setting and tightened it back up again so I could drive home and then make another attempt at changing my timing belt this Saturday. I did come home tonight and put my impact on it again with my air compressor, at the highest setting in reverse and it did come off again. So I lubed up the bolt as shown in the Helm's manual and put it back on again at a lower torque setting so that I can drive it tomorrow, and then do the work Saturday.

So if you're using the biggest of the big impact wrenches and that bolt still won't come off (I've heard of people using 1000lb wrenches and it not budging), then your compressor is probably too small. Hook your wrench up to a bigger compressor and it should have no problem.

 

i use a 3/4 inch air gun, but then again my compresor is 3.5hp with a 80galon tank.

 

good post

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by esponet &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i use a 3/4 inch air gun, but then again my compresor is 3.5hp with a 80galon tank. </TD></TR></TABLE>

1/2" works just fine with a big compressor (big upright types or larger), that's what my friend used on mine.

 

If you get one that wont budge sometimes it helps if you go both way (in and out), it helps by breaking the bolt from its original position.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by OutlawHonda &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you get one that wont budge sometimes it helps if you go both way (in and out), it helps by breaking the bolt from its original position. </TD></TR></TABLE>

oh believe me I tried that many many times last weekend w/ my compressor, still wouldn't budge.

 

125 psi will prolly do it =P im sure that ingersoll can handle it, i have mine for about 5 years, never had a problem with it

 

yeah I know, nothing wrong w/ the wrench, it's my air compressor that's too small.

I also had cranked up the pressure, and tried going forward/backward w/ that... still wouldn't budge.

 

12 gauge should do it if everything else fails

 

Its a waste of time to try and not use one. I have got one bolt off without a impact, the rest forget about it.
Crank pully bolt=mandatory impact.

 

I got mines off with an electric impact gun

 

Most electric impact guns are stronger than the conventional (non-industrial) air impact wrench.

 

A good 1" ratchet and extension and a huge breaker bar are more than enough

 

If you don't have access to a big enough air compressor. Moroso makes a tool that will hold the pulley in place while you take it off manually. We have one. But then again we also have a big *** compressor. So we never use that moroso tool. It does come in handy though. None of us have stock pulleys on our cars anyways so we rarely have any use for that pulley tool. But its a very useful addition.

 

The good old $80 moroso crank pulley wrench.

 

I'm going to borrow a friend's crank pulley wrench so I can torque the bolt back on to factory specs (they call for torquing it to like 150 or so, then backing off and re-torquing to 134 or whatever the final spec is).

 

i tried 4' extension pipe while friend held the brakes and car was in 5th with a wooden block under the passenger front wheel. the car actually started to MOVE and that sucker still wouldn't budge! had another friend put a 600lb gun to it, he had a dual tank upright compressor...still wouldn't come off! went to a shop and the guy there took it off in 2 secs, while the car was in neutral and no brakes applied other than e-brake...i think changing the timing belt and water pump was less of a headache than getting the damn bolt off!

 

holy smokes a twin-tank upright compressor wouldn't take it off?? dang what kinda setups do shops have. Hopefully by using the crank pulley tool to torque it to factory specs and also putting engine oil on the bolt as specified in the Helms will keep it from being this hard to get off if I ever have to take it off again.

 

I don't use air-tools. I just pull really hard and get some leverage and it usually works.

Although I have broken sockets in half this way before. I need another 32mm :\ Overtightened the axle nut one time by hand.

Are air tool sockets made of harder materials?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">holy smokes a twin-tank upright compressor wouldn't take it off??</TD></TR></TABLE>Hoses, plumbing fittings, filters, oil/water separators, quick-disconnects, ALL that stuff can add a lot of resistance to the air. It's like getting a head with oversized valves, ported/polished, & then leaving a rag stuffed in the intake.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PlastikOwl &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Are air tool sockets made of harder materials?</TD></TR></TABLE>Yes. That also makes em more brittle.

 

Just performed a Timing Belt change 2 weeks ago on a 2000 Accord. No air tools were used...Just a 1/2 " Breaker Bar + 3 feet long extension (made from a plumbing ppipes).

Crank Bolt removed with ease!!! No problem whatsoever. Then tightened when finished to 180ft lbs of torque...

NO NEED FOR AIR TOOLS!!!

 

My air compressor is the number 1 tool I use in my home garage. I love the thing, there is sooo many tools for it too.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PlastikOwl &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Are air tool sockets made of harder materials?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">holy smokes a twin-tank upright compressor wouldn't take it off?? dang what kinda setups do shops have</TD></TR></TABLE>
the shop had like a 4.5' tall 1.5' diameter compressor tank (or something along those lines). it was like the goliath of compressor tanks.

 

the REAL secret to removing the crank pulley bolt is nothing more then good ol'

MUSCLE!!!!

there isn't a crank pulley bolt I haven't been able to take off.