Doing timing belt, Crankshaft pulley bolt stuck!

[Adam S]

So I am using the guide by WatchmanPP1 and I am stuck (with the car mostly disassembled) at the crankshaft pulley.
According to the directions the bolt comes out normally (leftly loosey). This is ususual, but it seems the engine turns backwards compared to most??

So I also used a breaker bar, and eventually it just starts spinning the rotors even with the e-brake on tight.

So 1) I am afraid I am going to break something
and 2) how the hell am I supposed to get this off?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Ohioan]

Hey, not sure where you are here. Are you turning it to TDC on steps 6 and 7? It sound more like you're on 31 and removing the crank pulley? If it's 31, first off, I feel for you; I would be anxious, certain I was moving it off TDC as my ratio of work performed to cigarettes consumed trended towards zero.

Regrettably, I don't have any good ideas so far. Try first gear instead of fifth. I've noticed it provides more resistance to rotation, even though I would have thought 5th would. This is probably a bad idea. Bribe/cajole someone to sit on the brake pedal if possible. My best mechanic friend just heats the crap out of every nut or bolt that gives him attitude. Can't be tight if it's liquid.

Edit: can you get a hammer onto the breaker bar? I always have better luck shocking things free with that sorta manual impact gun. Can you get a vise onto the pulley edge, and ram it against anything?

I'll stare at it while procrastinating and see if I can think of anything. If I'm guessing wrong, please point me at the right step.

[Adam S]

Ok, so good news.
After torching it, and doing all sorts of stuff which didn't work (at first) I took the extensions out of the mix and just had the socket on the impact and it came right off. No idea why it wouldn't break loose with 200ft/lbs being applied but it's off now.

Currently got the new belt on, but not much else re-assembled.

[Ohioan]

Strange but welcome!

[Adam S]

So I'm still not done, but I had to put the top partway back on because I think it's going to rain tomorrow.

But the hard part is done, as many of the bolts were way over-tightened and we had a lot of trouble breaking them loose. So getting it back together should be a bit faster if I can follow the guide. I just wish there weren't so many necessary bolts on the timing cover, which is basically just a dust shield since it's a dry belt.

Well anyway...here is a hilarious pic of my huge ass friend Hunter checking out the Beat.

[Adam S]

If it's 31, first off, I feel for you; I would be anxious, certain I was moving it off TDC as my ratio of work performed to cigarettes consumed trended towards zero.

Oh yeah a note, I wouldn't worry about that. The timing hole is extremely small and I am short enough that jacked up I couldn't even see down at the right angle. I had the engine at TDC but the cam was one rotation off, so I ended up putting the crank bolt back on to turn the engine, so if I had to do it again I'd just skip the first alignment.
I also marked the old timing belt top and bottom against the gears and then used that to mark the new belt in the same spots (tripple checked correctness), which made the install super easy to line up.

[Steve_M]

Its normally best to use a crankshaft pulley counterhold tool when undoing the pulley bolt. Its a 50mm internal hex in the pulley.

[Adam S]

Its normally best to use a crankshaft pulley counterhold tool when undoing the pulley bolt.

I wondered why there was a giant (inverse/allen) bolt pattern on the crank pulley. Never seen a tool like that, but it makes sense.

[Adam S]

Ugh so now the lower/mid belt cover is hung up on the water pump or something. I can't figure it out. All of the bolt holes and clips line up perfectly, yet on the water pump corner I can heat the plastic hitting something before it seals.

Am I doing something wrong?

Edit...I took it off and put it on again, and now the bottom clamps line up but top is slightly mis-aligned, and it appears to be a piece of protruding plastic is hitting or getting stuck on the bolt that hold the spring tensioner for the timing belt.

[Adam S]

Since everything seems to be aligned correctly but the tensioner spring and bolt seem to be in the way I am thinking my friend helping me (who accidentally unbolted it) put it back in the wrong hole.
Are there any labeled diagrams of the timing side of the engine so I can verify this, since I can't actually see where the tensioner spring bolt is supposed to go?

[fxdlidon]

this is the only diagram I can find - it might help

[Adam S]

I'll let the pictures do the talking.