81_vette!

I am replacing valve seals and wanted to know a good (proper?) way to manually turn the motor over? (To be able to work on the individual cylinders)

Thanks in advance.

mrvette

Pull all the plugs, and it should flip over fairly easy with the crank bolt, but watch it, those SBC snout bolts are a POS compared to most others, and so not to twist it off......

if not, use a pair of vice grips on the fly/flex from under the engine...PIA, could try just some clip leads and bump the starter.....

less precise, but works good....I like the rope/clothes line in the cylinder to hold the valves in place, then spin opposite direction to release rope, then feed into next cyl through spark plug holes....

EDIT....obviously you can't use the starter if you got rope in the cylinder, you will bust crap outta the engine .....

dembo

For piece of mind I got me this engine rotation adaptor. You don't want to snap off the crankshaft balancer bolt.
Nick

81_vette!

OK... I like the adapter idea. (in my life - if it can go wrong or break, it will)

Easy to install and remove?

CA-Legal-Vette

Here's a tool that I used yesterday for the first time:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Perfo...motiveQ5fTools

The down side is that you can't see the indicator on the damper so you'll need help "from above." Could make a temporary indicator on the underside of the damper I suppose, but I only needed TDC.

The up side is that it's easy to use, even with the plugs still in, and it didn't leave any marks or break anything.

08vycpe

Agree with all above. The adapter is a must and removing all the plugs makes turning over the engine easy.

Another suggestion I have is to remember that you will be blowing out vaporized gas/air from each cylinder as you turn it over. Once upon a time I was using the starter to jog over the engine with the plugs removed to remove some water that got into the cylinders. Fire in the hole! I even had the coil wire pulled.

'75

Here's the easiest way I have found for most any engine with an alternator. Use a 15/16" socket and ratchet or breaker bar and put it on the alternator pulley nut, turn it as if tightening the nut(that is normal engine rotation). If the pulley slips in the belt, you can either tighten it temporarily or use your fingers to hold the belt to the pulley on the underside as you turn it. You can either leave the plugs in or take them out, it works very good on engines of all sizes, even the large diesels I usually work on.

dembo

Fwiw, yes easy to install, just remove the 3 bolts from the pulley (it stays in place with the crankshaft bolt) put the adapter over and reinstall the 3 bolts. (don't forget to remove it afterwards)
Regards,
Nick

drwet

I connected a couple of wires to the starter solenoid the last time I have the starter off and ran the wires up to the back of the engine. I leave them there taped up. When I need to turn the engine over, I pull out the wires and connect a remote starter switch to them. Then turning the engine over is just a matter of pushing the button. This works great for most work I need to do. The only thing that requires a little more precision is installing a distributor. For that you need to do it manually because you need to position the crank within a couple of degrees.

bobs77vet

i didnt think you had to take it off?

Gordonm

I have a different bolt installed in my balancer. It has a longer head on it and is a 12 point. I use a 12 point deep socket and a long ratchet. This has never slipped off and I turn it over with the plugs installed too. Just don't go backwards with it, obviously it will loosen the bolt. I usually only go maybe 20 degrees and then let the compression bleed off for a few seconds then go more. If the plugs are out just turn away.
Here it is from Summit. This makes it real easy and you can leave it there

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ARP-134-2501/

dembo

Maybe I'm paranoia but its a assymetric piece and relatively heavy (to be used on Fords with the different pattern) so I thought it would add to 'unbalance'. It's only 3 bolts and in my case when the distributor was in I've got no reason to turn the engine by hand anymore.
Nick

bobs77vet

i do the same thing with the stock bolt, like you said you cant go backwards.

gordon you would have liked the sully plantation car show this past weekend....there were (4) 427 show cars just oozing vette coolness

Sigforty

I have done the same. I always like ARP bolts because of the added strength. ARP even makes a balancer bolt with a 1/2 inch drive in the center under 134-2503.

SteveG75

That's the bolt that I have. Slip the breaker bar into the bolt and turn away. Easy.

Kevin79

this matbe a little over kill but as a professional mechanic this tiil was used every valve seal job and many other times

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

DRIVESHAFT

It looks like Snap On is as proud of their tools as ever.
$68 for a remote starter button

Ironcross

Sorry Counselor, I don't like crawling under cars for anything.....But '75' has a good alternative to all the methods...tighten up the fan belt and put that breaker bar on the nut holding the alternator fan and do it all from the top....also the extra crap of hoses belts and pulleys are omitted...plus it saves a lot of skin.......

that is I hope you all presumed the plugs are out......

Gordonm

Never crawled under the car getting to the balancer bolt. I just have a long 1/2 inch ratchet wit ha 5/8 12 point socket and put in on the bolt and turn. I dont have to tighten any belt or mess with any belts or remove any pulleys. Just grab the ratchet and go. I can do it with the plugs in also with an 11 to 1 motor.

Ironcross

He`s changing valve seals not lashing valves or setting timing so the engine should be relatively easy to roll over even at 12.5-1...plus it was a free tip that allows a one timer to carry on and finish a job without too much fan fair and could be riding the same day.....but a fancy bolt might be OK, that is if you can even see the balancer bolt...

.Most of the membera have belt dtiven power assists in front of the engine and most are in the way...not every one ordered their Vette with power nothing except horse power engines....