Here's the info on my car: 2000 Honda Accors, 4cyl, manual trans.

So I stupidly did not loosen the crankshaft bolt at a mechanic's shop before attempting this job. I plowed right ahead and took off the engine head thinking I could worry about it later. Well, now the timing belt is off of the head and I have an insanely stuck crankshaft bolt.

Here's what I've tried:

Electric Kobalt 650 ft/lb impact gun with a lisle 19 mm harmonic balancer bolt. Ha, what a joke. It helped me get my tires off faster... that's nice.

1/2 inch breaker bar with 15 inch extension bar, and a 5.5 foot cheater bar. Used a crankshaft 50 mm holder with a 24 inch breaker bar anchored against the ground.
I snapped the extension like it was made of butter. I made sure to prop the extension on something to ensure it sent all the torque into the bolt. I used a jack stand in that case.

Next, I bought a a 26 inch long, 1" thick breaker bar and accompanying 1" thick diameter 13 inch extension bar with a proper 19 mm impact socket. I used the same 24" breaker bar with the 50 mm hex crankshaft holder anchored against the ground to prevent the crankshaft from moving.
I shattered the hex tool when I used this configuration:




So now I feel a bit stuck. I wonder if I'll have to tow the car to a mechanic to get access to a big ol impact gun that will take the damn thing off.

I've attempted heat already. Soaked it in PB blaster (not sure that does much good because of how tight the bolt is). Nothing. The inch breaker bar guaranteed that a large majority of the torque went right at that 19 mm crankshaft pulley bolt. And I once again put the configuration on a jackstand to prevent the torque from going anywhere else.

So yeah. I'm a bit stuck on this one, pun intended I suppose.
Any ideas?
Are there any mobile truck services/ mobile mechanics with a pretty beefy impact gun that can take a crack at it? I already have the stuff for a 1 inch gun.
Will I just have to tow this thing to a mechanic's shop? Maybe I'll sign up for a year of AAA if it's cheaper for the free towing....

Not the first or last or even the most frustrated(yet) person to ask this question, but any feedback is welcome.

Thanks.

 

Ive done several timing belt changes and that bplt comes right off..put the crankshaft holder back on and have the breakerbar like pointing straight up..get a huge pipe..i use a fence post..like 6 feet..and use it as leverage..it will go to like the 7 o'clock position..keep going..you need leverage..

 

I also you a impact socket..cheap ones break..

 

If it's not coming off with all that, somebody has probably had it off before and slammed it in with an impact without oil on the threads. That thing must be good and stuck because I've never broken a pulley holder like that.

Usually I will heat them until they glow if they're being that stubborn. Then I'll hit them for awhile with the impact. If that still doesn't work I put a 3 foot pipe on the end of a breaker bar and usually that will do the job. Sometimes having someone tap on the socket while you put out on it will help too. If none of that works then I guess your only other option is to find somebody with a bigger impact.

 

I was wondering how hot and with what torch did you use.
Propane isn't going to work.
You are going to need a MAP gas torch and
The only other thing I can think of is someone put Loctite on the bolt you will need the threads to get to 500ºF/(250ºC) to break it free.
So, cook that bolt.

I've broken a couple of the Honda crankshaft tools.
Earlier variant was a weldment, it had a longer arm on it which was handy, but I folded that one up on the 3rd timing belt change.
Replaced that with the newer style cast steel looking one piece unit. It popped like OP's. Don't think cast steel likes being shocked too much.

 

I have a bernzomatic 50 dollar MAP gas torch. I couldn't exactly get it to glow. I heated it for like 3-4 minutes last time. I can't recall how hot I got the bolt last time I tried it. But I could heat it again and check with the IR thermometer to make sure it's getting hot enough.

Will the bernzomatic deliver heat fast enough to get it to glow or will It just heat up the other metal compenents nearby?


Thanks for the feedback thus far. I feel like a man's gotta go through at least one pain in the butt crankshaft in his time.

 

Yup, used that in the past with success.
Heat the crank bolt washer directly, that seems to aid in breaking everything free.
Just be careful you can burn a notch in it if you get a bit too crazed.

 

I'll try that and see how it goes. And what do you mean burning a notch? Just like if you focus the heat in one spot too much it'll burn out a notch on the washer? Or something even worse?

If all fails I found out there's two mobile semi truck mechanics in the area. Might ask them if they have a big airgun they can bring out and break it for me. All the regular mobile mechanics I've asked have electric impact guns. I don't think I'm swearing enough per minute for that yet but maybe soon...

Thanks.

 

I took mine off after a week of impact wrenches and breaker bars. I put the crank bolt lock socket on and held it with the breaker bar slammed into the cement nice and snug then ran a impact socket off the bolt to a 18 inch extension then a stack of wood blocks to hold up an elbow breaker bar With heavy steel pipe over the handle then another steel pipe inside that roughly nine feet total I position it at 11 o'clock and start bringing it down with all your weight and you should head a crack. Cross your fingers that it wasn’t your bar or socket! And you should be jumping with joy

The bolt of hate

 

the new dewalt and Milwaukee 1/2 high torque impacts take them off with no problems at all, ive taken many off with my dewalt never fails.

 

https://www.dewalt.com/products/powe...-bare/dcf899hb

that is the impact i use and its taken crank bolts off of D,B, F, J series motors numerous time with no problem at all. i use a husky 19mm deep impact socket with it when removing the bolts, the husky socket does seem to have thicker walls then some other impact sockets if that makes any difference.
also lisle and other companies make a crank bolt specific impact socket that helps transfer more usable torque from an impact onto the bolt.

here is a link to the lisle socket



i have use that socket only once with my impact in order to remove a crank bolt from a J35 in a newer odyssey.

in my experience the hardest bolts to remove are the ones on JDM motors that are newly purchased from an importer and my impact and husky socket zips them off no problem.

 

I already tried an impact gun. Bought and then returned a Kobalt 650 ft/lb gun. Even got a thick walled lisle Harmonic balancer socket. Nothing. It was good at moving my crankshaft for me and waking up the neighbors. So unless I got myself a real beefy air gun, I don't think that would do much. As for breaker bars, I posted that original picture up top. I already broke my balancer holder without a problem.

At this point either a big air gun or some luck with heating the bolt will be the only thing that will break it I'm guessing.

So I'll try heat first then if all fails, I'll tow my car to a shop, have them remove it, then tow it back and finish the job. A lot of work but may be the necessary evil.

 

I'm telling you that the gun I have WILL remove it. It is more powerful than an air impact. A 650lb impact is not enough. My impact is rated at 1200lbs. Go to home Depot and buy one and give it a shot OR if you happen to be in Arizona I'll come do it for you.

 

But like the last guys had said heat will work. The trick is the heat the washer, I've done it before with a propane torch I had to hold the flame on the washer for a solid 10 minutes tho but it worked

 

Oh really? I actually just moved from AZ last year. Too bad. And that's good to know. I'll take a nother crack at it heating the washer to see if I have success with that. Then I'll decide on a next step. I do appreciate all the good feedback here.

 

Not a problem, good luck

 

I’m weigh 270 lbs. I stand on the end of a 30 inch, 1/2 drive breaker bar and do a little hop, breaks loose every time.

 

I had a unmoved for 11 years accord
Broke my breaker bar...that held the 50mm pulley tool. While using a 1/2" breaker and 15" extension.

So i ended up using
Wd 40
Pb blaster
Sea foam deep creep
1" ratchet yes lol the big boi.
15" extension
A jack stand under extension for leverage
And a titan breaker bar on the holding tool. It still barely broke free with all my 175lbs jumping on it. But yea it worked.

 

Just like everyone stated and myself included..leverage......i use a 4 foot fence post on my breakerbar..cracks that bolt off everytime..bounce on it..

 

Here's the latest update. I still can't get this thing off. I did get a large pipe from Home Depot to brace the holder tool without breaking it like the first one:


That is 1" breaker with a 1" extension and 19 mm socket on it. It's huge.

I've braced the pipe against the car frame on a part that i feel to be pretty sturdy:



Before attempting to bring it off, I heated the bolt up, focusing on the washer, for about 5 minutes with MAPP gas. Couldn't get it glowing. I think I'd have to go straight acetylene for that.

So My first question is about bracing that pipe. Is that a safe place to be bracing or am I opening myself up to messing up my car as much force as I'm putting on it? Seem solid but it is pressing against some kind of very beefy joint so I have no desire to mess that up.

Next question. Am I being a wuss? Do I need a longer cheater bar(currently using a 4.5 foot bar) and just really crank on it? I felt too scared to jump/ hop on it in fear something would break, like the engine mount or something crazy. Don't like that idea.

And finally, will penetrating oil actually get into a bolt this tight? Doesn't seem like it would seeing as how stuck it is. But I'd love to be proved wrong. Been using PB Blaster, but if there's something even better, I'll take a crack with it.

Any answers or additional feedback is welcome.

Thanks for the help so far.

 

I usually set the part holding the crank wedged on the ground itself..facing the front of the car..a little pipe over the ratchet and facing like the 7 o'clock position..the bigger the pipe on the breaker bar th better..i start the pipe in the 12 o'clock position and by the time it starts to tighten up its like 10...i bounce a coulpe times and...SNAP....its off..works everytime...no heating..bbbbounce on it....

 

A big part of your problem is that you're losing a ton of torque using long extensions like that. Even just going from a shallow to a deep socket will alter the torque you get from your impact/etc to the fastener. You need to get the car up in the air higher, get rid of the extensions and get at the bolt directly. I have had to use a pulley holder with the breaker bar wedged into my concrete shop floor to hold the crank, then use a breaker bar with a pipe on the bolt while putting out on the pipe with my legs a few times.

 

What he said exactly..loose all the extension..

 

You really think it's a torque issue? Even with 1" diameter breaker bar and extensions? It feels pretty solid so far to me. But I'll see if I can put the bar through the front and take a crack at it that way from kicking it. Won't be able to get it any higher of the ground unfortunately. Only what my Arcan can do.

Thanks.

 

Get the longest pipe possible and use your body weight to break it loose