Harmonic Balancer bolt removal

5.0guy · Oct 24, 2004

..with engine on stand(dumb, I know, I know). Well, my buddy and I pulled his motor, almost everything is off, but now we're stumped on how to get the balancer bolt off w/o the engine in the car/hooked up to the tranny. We tried using an impact, but it's not working. Any ideas? Thanks

jerry beach · Oct 24, 2004

I was gonna say an impact is best. Now I think you need a better one. Or you need to adjust the regulator on the compressor up to 90psi or whatever the tool it rated at. When shopping for a 1/2" drive impact, look for one that says "twin hammer". Those are good usually. Stay away from Harbor Frieght

5spd GT · Oct 24, 2004

I have put taken off and installed a balancer twice in the last 2 1/2 months...it is easy...

Get a break-over (cheaterbar) with a 15/16 Socket and stick it on the balancer bolt...

Put the car in 5th gear this isn't neccesary unless it is really on there...but get a friend to push on the foot brake and have the emergency brake engaged...

Then just turn it like your going lefty loosey and it will break loose...with better ease than you think...you may have to put some muscle into it but it comes off easy once the initial "seal" is broken...

Back the bolt all the way out and remove the thick washer and insert the balancer bolt back into the end of the crankshaft about halfway threaded and then use the balancer removal tool you either have or have rented and that is that...

Good Luck

5.0guy · Oct 24, 2004

damn, it's a harbor freight impact and the compressor is only like 60psi I think. I was wondering about the pressure.. I guess we'll just take it to a buddy's house or somethin. thanks

5.0guy · Oct 24, 2004

engine isn't hooked up to the tranny anymore..it's sittin on a stand.

HISSIN50 · Oct 24, 2004

5spd GT said:
I have put taken off and installed a balancer twice in the last 2 1/2 months...it is easy...

Put the car in 5th gear this isn't neccesary unless it is really on there...but get a friend to push on the foot brake and have the emergency brake engaged...

um, he cant do that.

is the trans still attached to the motor? if not, i would hold the flywheel (flywheel holder tool) and try it.

good luck.

5spd GT · Oct 24, 2004

Oopss...I didn't see the "w/o" in his first post

Sorry for the useless post I gave you referring to your specific problem...

Yeah get a flywheel holder (that is what it is meant for)...

5.0guy · Oct 24, 2004

flywheel's off, too. all that's on there are the pistons/rods, crank, timing chain cover, balancer, and crank pulley. think we'll be able to get it back on while it's on the stand?

5spd GT · Oct 24, 2004

5.0guy said:
flywheel's off, too. all that's on there are the pistons/rods, crank, timing chain cover, balancer, and crank pulley.

Hmm...well use the breakover bar method and give it a sharp pull (make sure you have someone there to help support the motor)...maybe the sharp pull will break that bolt loose without spinning the engine over...just throwing out ideas...?

89MustangGX · Oct 24, 2004

Put a couple flywheel bolts back in and hold a crowbar inbetween them to keep the engine from turning...?

5.0guy · Oct 24, 2004

motor turns over too easily for the breaker bar method..I guess we could try the flywheel bolts one..we tried holding one of the bolts while the other would give it a quick jerk, but it didn't work. care to go more in depth, if possible, on how to do the two bolt method? we don't wanna break anything..including knuckles. thanks

edit: wait a sec, is it a reverse thread?

89MustangGX · Oct 24, 2004

5.0guy said:
care to go more in depth, if possible, on how to do the two bolt method? we don't wanna break anything..including knuckles. thanks

Thread the bolts partway in, opposite sides - so one on top and one on the bottom for example. Put the crow bar inbetween them so when the motor spins both bolts will push against the crowbar. That way you can hold the crowbar and keep the motor from spinning. Make sense?

5spd GT · Oct 24, 2004

You could put that crowbar (between the two bolts) against something stout like a wall (push it over on the engine stand) or something so the motor will not turnover...

5.0guy · Oct 24, 2004

check my edit..is it a reverse thread?

jd351 · Oct 24, 2004

No it is not a reverse thread. The crow bar method should work great, if you have a long enough bar to butt up against the engine stand base. I have done more or less the same thing to tighten the damper on.

5.0guy · Oct 24, 2004

alright, we'll try that the next time we work on it.

TIMMY2734 · Oct 24, 2004

89MustangGX said:
Thread the bolts partway in, opposite sides - so one on top and one on the bottom for example. Put the crow bar inbetween them so when the motor spins both bolts will push against the crowbar. That way you can hold the crowbar and keep the motor from spinning. Make sense?

Ive done that before and it worked fine

rd · Oct 24, 2004

Sometimes vicegrips on one of the four webs behind the balancer will let you hold it, especially if they can bear on a bracket.

Last resort, get a piece of steel flatbar, 3/16 or 1/4 in thick, and at least 1 1/4 or so wide, 2-3 ft long, like they sell at Lowes, and drill some holes to fit the crank bolts in the rear, and use it to hold the crank.

5.0guy · Oct 24, 2004

thanks for the ideas. more are welcome.

89roadster · Oct 25, 2004

rd said:
Sometimes vicegrips on one of the four webs behind the balancer will let you hold it, especially if they can bear on a bracket.

Last resort, get a piece of steel flatbar, 3/16 or 1/4 in thick, and at least 1 1/4 or so wide, 2-3 ft long, like they sell at Lowes, and drill some holes to fit the crank bolts in the rear, and use it to hold the crank.

I've done the same with great results, but I used the L instead, just for the added stiffness.

Harmonic Balancer bolt removal

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