Saturday, December 03, 2005 - 06:05 pm, by: David Podnar(Tosoar)
Hey Guys,
My dad and I decided to change the timing belt and serpentine belt.
Serpentine belt was easy to remove... No problems there.... The timing belt on the other hand is not easy.
The bolt on the harmonic balancer pulley does not want to come off so that i can take the timing cover off.
We have tried rattle guns and ratchets with pipes for leverage, even asked a mechanic and he suggested to wedge the ratchet under a solid metal part and click the starter motor and it should undo!!!!
Saturday, December 03, 2005 - 06:44 pm, by: Graham Dollisson(Alloyvee)
The last time I did undo one of these nuts, (It was an old Leyland V8 and I had tried every thing you have spoken of ) I removed the starter motor and locked the ring gear with a big screw driver while one of my mates stood above my engine and levered it with a ratchet and a 4 foot bar on it. When it finally let go, it made an almighty "BANG". I asked my mate what we had broke. I really thought something had self destructed, but no, it was lose.
Saturday, December 03, 2005 - 07:58 pm, by: Neil Griffiths(Aussiesc)
David, Before you break something,,do this.
At front of tranny & rear of engine..there is a PLATE held in by 2 12mm bolts..Remove this plate and you will gain access to the Flex Plate..Now you will see large holes in the Flex Plate..Useing a long extension (NOT SCREWDRIVER) put it into 1 of these holes and turn the crank bolt until the end of the extension wedges against the housing..(It will all come to you when you do it)
Then put a pipe over your breaker bar handle and pull to the drivers side.. And as Graham has said,,It WILL go BANG..
After you have completed the job..Tighten (Crank Bolt) in the same process ,BUT,,WITHOUT the use of the pipe on the breaker bar.
Its not the thread that is stubborn,,Its the washer behind it,,It rusts to the balancer face..
Saturday, December 03, 2005 - 09:05 pm, by: Graham Dollisson(Alloyvee)
I just went a looked at a leyland V8 flex plate. I now know why I didn't use Neil's idea with the long extension thru the flex plate. It doesn't have any extra holes in it. You get it easy. I hope you get it finished easily from here! Let us all know how it goes. I need to have my belts replaced pretty soon, but I think I will take a drive down the coast and let Lew fix it.
Saturday, December 03, 2005 - 10:53 pm, by: Freeman Tang(Cobra_man)
David, try this cheap method! i've done it before on my last TT.
You need a nylon string (1m long, 7mm wide at least) to stop the engine from turning! yes You read that one right! Wonder how? Follow these steps:
1. turn over the harmonic balancer to line up all the timing marks to 0.
2. then turn the harmonic balancer clockwise a further 90 degrees, watch where the timing mark is on it!
3. remove No.1 plug, insert the string into the spark plug hole. Try to put in as much as you can to fill the gaps in the combustion chamber.
4. use a socket and a long breaker bar with a long pipe, turn the harmonic balancer anti-clockwise.
5. the balancer should come to a stop as the piston comes up and crushes the nylon string, but obviously cant go any higher to reach TDC. Pull as hard as you can to undo the harmonic balancer bolt.
This is one of the old tricks in the motor trade. I have done it on my last TT, works straight away! We also use this method to lift seized heads etc. No damage to the engine so dont worry because nylon string isnt hard enough to damage alloy or cast...
If you didnt get it in the first go, try turn the engine pass 90 degrees a bit then repeat. Good luck.
ps. as a mechanic I dont recommend that starter motor trick, it is a perfect way to snap your starter shaft! coz they are not designed to take such a sudden impact. It HAS happened to me that the starter snaps its shaft when my workmate tried exactly that trick suggested. But up to you if you want to take the risk.