So today as I was pulling through the gate at the base I heard a loud knocking/banging noise coming from the left side of the motor. I couldn't hear it inside the car at all except with the windows down and as I drove by buildings. So I get out and check to see what it is and notice that the belt from the crankshaft pulley to the power steering pump looked kind loose...loose enough that I managed to get it off without much effort. I thought maybe the noise was the belt hitting something, but it wasn't. Upon further inspection I noticed that the crankshaft pulley was loose and wobbling. I left the car there and after work went home to get my tools. The crankshaft pulley bolt was loose so I tightened it back down and the pulley was solid again. Started up the car and within a minute is was clattering again and the pulley was loose. I tightened it up again about as tight as I was able to at the time started it up again...everything sounded normal. I left it run while I put my tools up and made sure everything was picked up. I drove it a couple blocks and the noise came back...so I parked it and what would you know...the pulley bolt is loose again.

Does anyone have any ideas why it would all of a sudden come loose and now won't stay tight? Is there something I need to replace or any type of a loc-tite that I need to put on it or what?

Thanks for any help.

 

Im not actually sure what causes this but i had a problem like that recently and it kept getting loose until i went to a shop and had a friend of mine tighten it down with an impact. no problems since then. try that but i still dont know what causes this sorry.

 

Yeah, I may have to take it to the auto hobby shop and do that over there. Gonna be interesting trying to get it over there...probably have to make several stops and tighten it back up..lol

 

Take off the pulley and make sure the crank isnt damaged. I had this happen to me and the key on the crank had actually backed out a little and eaten into the pulley. The key was also slightly rounded, so definatly check that out, before any possible damage.

 

that bolt needs to be torqued to 180ft/lbs, so that is probably why its coming loose. Definitely inspect for damage first though.

 

Check that the pulley keyway is still intact. and make sure that the crank pulley itself isn't broken on the inside like near the keyway.

These are common problems. I have had 2 h22s do this. also the threads in the crank stripping are another problem.

 

Yeah, I thought I read it was something like 159ft/lbs or so. Can I remove that bolt and pull the pulley off without anything else coming off? Now might be a good time to upgrade to a lightweight pulley...lol

 

Light weight crank pulleys aren't a good idea becasue they don't have harmonic balancers (rubber) in them so you run the risk of damaging your oil pump located directly behind it.