sb69coupe

Hey Guys,

I'm WAY deep down into the bowels of "While-I'm-at-it" :eek: What started out as a simple front suspension rebuild is turning into a partial frame-on restoration. Pics to follow in a bit, but right now I need some advice

I need to remove the balancer, but there's a twist. I've got the trannvy, bellhousing, and flywheel removed from the car. I've got no good way to stop the motor from turning while I try to break the bolt free on the front of the balancer. Is there any good easy way around this problem? My only other alternative would be to reinstall the flywheel so I could wedge a screwdriver between the starter and flywheel to hold the crank still. That makes me cringe with a Bubba-ism but I can't think of anything else to try.

HELP!!! :D

Shannon

norvalwilhelm

An impact would be my first choice but without a compressor that is impossible. A piston stop screwed into the spark plug hole would work and I have seen magazine articles do this put I would not do it to my engine.
Putting the flywheel on with a few bolts doesn't take long and with a friend holding it hopefully it will come off.
Good luck

sb69coupe

This may be just the reason I need to buy a better impact wrench. The crappy Harbor Freight one that I have doesn't generate enough torque to break really stubborn bolts loose. I'll give it a try, but it's been my experience that if I can't get it with a pry bar, the cheap impact wrench is not match for it either.

Shannon

lars

sb69 -
You can simply install 2 grade 8 bolts into the threaded pulley-attach holes in the balancer. Get bolts that are long enough so that they stick out about 1" after full thread engagement. Then, jam a steel bar between the two bolts, install your socket and breaker bar on the center bolt, and orient the two bars so that you can squeeze the two bars together to break the center bolt loose.

Bob Jenkins

Once you break the big bolt loose, don't forget to remove the big washer before trying to use a balancer puller to remove the balancer. Without removing the big ol' washer the balancer won't move.....don't ask me how I know :nonod:

The Money Pit

The balancer bolt shouldn't be that hard to break free,unless it's rusted on.
Ask this question before torqueing the head off the bolt."Do I really really really really have to remove this bolt?"
Take this from a guy who's snapped plenty of stuck bolts! :smash:

sb69coupe

Point taken, and it does scare the daylights out of me. But the front of my engine is leaking like a sieve and I gotta pull the timing chain cover to fix it. I'l thinking that penetrant, heat, an impact wrench, and lots of patience may be the ticket.

Gordonm

I'm with Lars on this one. Two long bolts and a long screw driver or breaker bar. A friend would help on this. You can use an impact to remove the bolt for the balancer but don't do it on the puller.

NHvette

I think the penetrant, heat, and a couple bolts like Lars suggested should do it.
Likewise, you could put a couple bolts back in the rear of the crank (no flywheel)
and use a prybar or long pipe wedged in the back. A 4ft piece of 1/2" iron
pipe should grab the rail of your lift.

While you're at it - why not pull the engine ? It seems like there are only 2 bolts
holding it in there. Wild guess: no place to put the f-in thing !!

ps - I had a cheap CP air gun that I left over a friends garage (he let me work there). That thing kicked ! Now, I went to buy a new gun - and decided on an Ingersol Rand IR231 - nice twin hammer 450ft-lb wrench. I don't know how many times I've set that all up - only to resort to a cheater pipe on my 1/2" ratchet. Now, I see Harbor Freight has a copy of the "Thundergun" for $99 !!

Good luck - :seeya

70BBvert

I've been there before as well. Did exactly as Lars suggested - worked like a charm.

The Money Pit

I had a stuck balancer bolt on a Poncho 400,and monkey F@^%^^&ed the hell out of it with a piece of 1 1/2" rigid conduit slipped over the handle of my Craftsman 1/2" drive ratchet. You should have seen the grin on the face of the Sears clerk when I put the split socket and stripped ratchet on the counter to claim my Lifetime Warantee!
I wouldn't recommend heat if you want to keep your elastimar from squirting out of your balancer.Gentle taps with a hammer on the head of the bolt,and a couple cans of WD-40,or you'll be pulling the crank for sure. :smash:
Don't ask how I know this.

techrondon

been there ,, done this,,,,remove all spark plugs,,pick a hole,,turn motor to chosen cyl starts coming up on compresion stroke,both valves will be closing,start stuffing some hemp rope into hole,when valves are closed stuff in all you can and turn motor till it stops,,..take off nut then reverse motor and take out rope......been doing this for over 30+ years.....i use hemp because if any fibers are left in hole they burn off no prob,,,cotton ok also,,NOT nylon,anything left when burned leaves undesirable yucky stuff..
the rope is soft and cushions any hard blows more forgivingly than holding with hard metal..

sb69coupe

UPDATE - Many thanks to Mr Grimsrud! I bought a pair of grade 8 bolts 2 1/2" in length. I installed them in the pulley mounting holes then took a long breaker bar and wedged it between the bolts. I turned the motor until the end of the breaker bar was firmly wedged against the upper shock tower of the frame. On the first pull I was able to break the balancer bolt loose and off it came! :cheers:

There's a pretty good groove worn into the balancer so I'll have to get a sleeve for it, but the rubber looks fine and it should be good to reinstall.

drspencer

I'm embarrassed to ask, but when facing the engine, is the crank bolt a standard thread? You know, righty = tighty, lefty = loosey?
Thanks

Peterbuilt

Yes.

ssenay72

i find it hard to believe an impact gun won't take it off. What do you have the output on your compressor set at? (try 120 psi LOL)


But the lars method is probably a good starting point. Get a pry bar and a gorilla to hold the engine from turning.

Hvymtlc5

Put a couple of bolts partway back in the flywheel end of the crank. Take a steel bar or piece of steel flat stock and put it between the bolts. Rotate the crank until the bar is wedged against the body..they you can break the balancer loose. Picture how a "club" works on a steering wheel. We do this on Ford rear end yolks to get them off to change the seals.

Like Lars said but from the other end......