Please provide any insight if possible. I am in the middle of replacing my timing belt on my 1997 Civic HX. I am trying to loosen the crankshaft pulley bolt (supposed to be torqued to 130 ft-lbs according to the Haynes manual. We think it's been torqued way more than that). We don't have a strap wrench or chain wrench to hold the crankshaft pulley stationary so we've been stepping on the brake while trying to torque off the crankshaft pulley bolt.

This hasn't worked. We just broke a socket and bent the wrench. Is there any reason that stepping on the brake to hold the pulley stationary won't work? Your help is appreciated.

 

Here's a picture of the bolt I'm referring to:

http://www.freespaces.com/greg...t.jpg

 

Another way to try to keep the motor from turning is to remove the starter and use a pry bar. Slot he bar between the teeth of the flywheel and use a breaker bar on the bolt.
Other wise get the right tools and try again.

 

Thanks.

I should also note that we've tried an impact gun with no luck. However, we're pretty sure the amount of flow from the small air compressor and hose wasn't enough. But, is there any reason why stepping on the brake is preventing the bolt from loosening?

 

its very common for the bolt to stick. it wasnt overtorqued.

a simple search would have yielded the fact this quesion has been asked twice a week for the past 5 years.

 

I appreciate your reply, but I already did a search for "crankshaft pulley bolt" and no search results were returned. I just did it again so either I'm doing something wrong or those 3 words don't produce results. Regardless, my question was whether stepping on the brake prevents the bolt from being loosened and I'm pretty sure that hasn't been asked twice a week for the past 5 years. So thanks for your cynicism, but next time give me a little more credit and pay attention to the post. Also, I question your remark that "it wasnt overtorqued." How can you say that knowing that we just broke an impact gun socket and bent a wrench? If the correct spec is 130 ft-lb, I'm pretty sure we would have it off by now.

 

i know it wasn't over torqued because I've done more timing belts and loosened more crankshaft pulley bolts on hondas than i can count. ive broken more tools and sockets than i care to remember and even on engines ive built and know for a fact they were torqued properly.

its a high heat, high stress environment. after that many heat cycles (driving then stopping then driving then stopping, etc) it hardens and completely changes the characteristics of the bolt/pulley. thats why it seems over torqued. they are somewhat dissimilar metals too i believe (bolt is forged, pulley is cast) which compounds the problem

try searching for "crank pulley" and select "archives"

theres 3 pages of threads to keep you busy.

 

Thank you, that was more helpful.

 

WTF an actual helpful thread -- nice !!

 

Dude is that thing jacked up on the f'ing oil pan? Uh ...ok.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM_teh_WIN!! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Dude is that thing jacked up on the f'ing oil pan? Uh ...ok. </TD></TR></TABLE> i was thinking that too, not a good idea to rest the entire weight of the car on the oil pan...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by honda 3300 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> i was thinking that too, not a good idea to rest the entire weight of the car on the oil pan...</TD></TR></TABLE>

the upper mount is off hence its keeping it level when you do a timing belt thats what you do. although i use a 2x4 to disperse the wieght a bit ontop of the jack.

As per getting the bolt loose, I'm sure it was initially torqued to 130ish, but when things get hot thermal expansion blah blah blah, its gonna be hard to get it off. The tip earlier in the thread to remove the start is a good on or remove the inspection plate by the flywheel and hold it there with a prybar (less work than the starter) and get it off that way.

I have needed a 6 foot cheater bar and my flywheel holding tool to get one off before (when i didn't have air of course).

Flywheel holder/turner i own


Also the honda tool is a great tool as well to lazy to find a pic of it.

 

You might have tried loosening the bolt on the crank first before taking off the upper mount. Maybe thats why its hard to get off???? Oh and you REALLY should get a crank pulley holder and a breaker bar to do this job, alot easier, air tools would really help too.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM_teh_WIN!! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You might have tried loosening the bolt on the crank first before taking off the upper mount. Maybe thats why its hard to get off????</TD></TR></TABLE>

The two are not related in any way. i do everything up top first and then raise the car up and do everything down there. hence i release the mount before i pull the pulley. never had a problem.

 

Well if its absorbing the torque your trying to apply to loosen the bolt by moving you are prolly gonna bend or break something. Oh and dont say never, your having a problem right now...the bolt wont loosen. Just trying to help.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM_teh_WIN!! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Well if its absorbing the torque your trying to apply to loosen the bolt by moving you are prolly gonna bend or break something. Oh and dont say never, your having a problem right now...the bolt wont loosen. Just trying to help.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i'm speaking of MY experiances not the person who started the thread. do you think we are the same person? i'm not having a problem in anyway.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 99blackcivicSi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

i'm speaking of MY experiances not the person who started the thread. do you think we are the same person? i'm not having a problem in anyway.</TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL, im sorry. My bad, its late.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 99blackcivicSi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

i'm speaking of MY experiances not the person who started the thread. do you think we are the same person? i'm not having a problem in anyway.</TD></TR></TABLE>

lol i get caught up in that too....then again, its 4:11 AM as i am typing this (EST)

 

A very good tool for the DIY mechanic, with limited tools, and weak air tools, is one of these:





They work wonders in securing the crank pully in place, while you use a breaker bar, and a decent socket to break the bolt loose.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by my_slow_civic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A very good tool for the DIY mechanic, with limited tools, and weak air tools, is one of these:





They work wonders in securing the crank pully in place, while you use a breaker bar, and a decent socket to break the bolt loose. </TD></TR></TABLE>

The exact tool that my buddy had to use after he spent hours trying to get the crank pully bolt off of an Accord. Various air impacts didn't work, and even ended up somehow breaking the timing belt in the process of trying to get it off. This tool saved him.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by my_slow_civic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A very good tool for the DIY mechanic, with limited tools, and weak air tools, is one of these:





They work wonders in securing the crank pully in place, while you use a breaker bar, and a decent socket to break the bolt loose. </TD></TR></TABLE>moroso also makes one with a built in 3 foot handle. i have that one, works like a champ.

 

u will need a really long bar for ur extention...i see alot of the guys at Honda where i work cant even take it off with their impact guns so they have a very long steel bar that they use alot...im not sure u can stick it under the car but if u can then im sure it will come off

 

there is actually a tsb on that i used to have acsess when i was a mechnaic lemme see if i can yank it up for all you

 

ok i found it but i have it in paper form and i cant scan it up,

due to the honda factory, the bolt was torqued to tightly it is supposed to be 180lbs.

but the bolt went too tight


it has a procedure

 

on the first engine ive ever built, i had a crapy comporessor, and i was like expletive man my snap on gun wont take this **** off, go to my firnd he has one of those snap on electric impacts, and it comes right off, lesson learend by an oversized air compressor one you hink is toooo big and itll be perfect for like 30 years haha