How to manually turn the motor over?
#1
Racer
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Member Since: Oct 2007
Location: Chapel Hill NC
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How to manually turn the motor over?
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.
Thanks in advance.
#2
Team Owner
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 .....
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 .....
Last edited by mrvette; 06-20-2011 at 08:30 AM.
#4
Racer
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OK... I like the adapter idea. (in my life - if it can go wrong or break, it will)
Easy to install and remove?
Easy to install and remove?
Last edited by 81_vette!; 06-20-2011 at 08:42 AM.
#5
Race Director
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.
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.
#6
Burning Brakes
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.
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.
#7
Le Mans Master
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.
#8
Burning Brakes
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
Regards,
Nick
#9
Melting Slicks
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.
#10
Race Director
#11
Race Director
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/
Here it is from Summit. This makes it real easy and you can leave it there
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ARP-134-2501/
Last edited by Gordonm; 06-21-2011 at 11:53 AM.
#12
Burning Brakes
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
Nick
#13
Race Director
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/
Here it is from Summit. This makes it real easy and you can leave it there
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ARP-134-2501/
gordon you would have liked the sully plantation car show this past weekend....there were (4) 427 show cars just oozing vette coolness
#14
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Apr 2001
Location: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
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Cruise-In IX Veteran
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/
Here it is from Summit. This makes it real easy and you can leave it there
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ARP-134-2501/
#15
Le Mans Master
#16
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
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog
#17
Drifting
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
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog
$68 for a remote starter button
#18
Race Director
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......
that is I hope you all presumed the plugs are out......
#19
Race Director
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.
#20
Race Director
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....
.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....