Hey,

 

So after spending most of the day trying to get my crank pulley off, I have failed. Looking at posts, videos etc, others still have painted black pulleys, mine isn't...so I have a feeling rust might be the issue -

 

 

 

That bolt isn't the original, I was just using it temporarily for the puller, as couldn't use the puller with the original bolt, even with the radiator out.

 

The puller I was using was a massive hydraulic thing that I had to hire from a lawnmower place, as believe it or not, non of the local auto supply shops had anything bigger than a 100mm puller... So the end of the puller may have been too wide, not sure.

 

On the way home I was able to pick up a set or 'normal' pullers, so my mission continues tomorrow. I soaked it in WD40 before I left.

 

The pulley has moved forward, but I was expecting a crack, I'm concerned I'm actually damaging something.

 

Anyway, any tips would be great. :)

Have you used the old shock tactic?

Have you used the old shock tactic?

 

If you mean whack it with a hammer (via a chock of wood), then yes, I have whacked it good!

I wouldn't worry about the wood :lol: you can always replace it.

It needs a bloody good bang with a lump hammer and a large old socket in the middle of the pully over the crank end..Knock it onto the motor deeper into the taper rather than trying to pull it off as it needs "un-freezing" 1st before its going anywhere. Hitting it with wood is doing nothing believe me :winkiss: and no heavy heat unless you want to replace the front oil seal too.

It needs a bloody good bang with a lump hammer and a large old socket in the middle of the pully over the crank end..Knock it onto the motor rather than trying to pull it off as it needs "un-freezing" 1st before its going anywhere. Hitting it with wood is doing nothing believe me :winkiss: and no heavy heat unless you want to replace the front oil seal too.

 

Ok, I can try that tomorrow, I'll take my big hammer! :shifty:

Kill or cure :devil:

Ok there is a tested and tried method to bottom pulley removal, and having done in excess of a thousand 300zx cambelts it never failed.

 

So first you need one of these >>

 

 

So insert the pulley bolt back in and screw in around half way, fit the puller ensure the pulley is straight and equal at each leg.

 

 

Take a good ratchet spanner and take the slack up, the puller is now tightly held in place, now turn on some pressure, you will see movement, but is will be the isolator middle section flexing rather than the pulley moving on the crank.

 

 

Now you need one of these >>

 

 

 

 

Make some short but firm hammer blows to the pulley, but not right on the edge, there is a solid line that can be seen in the area where the ancillary belts run, do a couple to the left and a couple to the right, check the pulley remover tool bolt if now a touch slack slightly tighten the pulley remover again, enough turns to make it tight again.

 

 

 

This is repeated until the pulley starts moving on the crankshaft, spray WD40 at any angle you can to get on the crankshaft, once it starts moving it will be a case of a few blows and tighten a few blows and tighten etc.

 

Eventually the main crank bolt will need loosening some more as the pulley comes off, be patient, if you get to a point where nothing is moving tighten the pulley remover bolt as tight as possible ( will try and turn the engine )and leave it for 5 mins and have a cup of tea, the pressure is left on the pulley and when you get back into it the hammer blows will have an effect, maybe small but stick with it.

 

This process will shock the pulley loose, it can take several repeated attempts to get a rhythm going and slowly the pulley will come off, and its only a small amount of rust that cause the problem. Many pulleys come off really easily, the ones that tend to be a problem have had water leaks in the past that has run down from the water pump or by passes hoses and got between the crank and pulley.

 

Its important to clean up the cranks will some wet and dry and inside the pulley before refitting and of course take care to not loose the woodruff key.

 

Good luck.

 

 

Jeff

Edited August 29, 20178 yr by JeffTT

Excellent! Thanks! I'm glad it's not just me...sometimes it feels like it!

 

I have everything I need, hopefully tomorrow will go with a breeze!

 

Still slightly concerned about whacking it with a hammer, but it it works...

 

So that little wedge is called a woodruff key, interesting.

 

I'll let you know how I get on. :)

Excellent! Thanks! I'm glad it's not just me...sometimes it feels like it!

 

I have everything I need, hopefully tomorrow will go with a breeze!

 

Still slightly concerned about whacking it with a hammer, but it it works...

 

So that little wedge is called a woodruff key, interesting.

 

I'll let you know how I get on. :)

 

 

Here some pics of what the key looks like

 

 

 

Jeff

As mentioned definitely use a gear/harmonic balancer puller.

 

It will save loads of time, you don't want to damage the crank nose mate.

Thanks everyone, finally got the pulley off today using the technique advised. :thumbup:

 

However, I think I've killed my engine... I hadn't explained this earlier, as I hoped it wasn't so, but somehow, I'm not even totally sure how...the timing belt slipped and I think I've bent some valves.

 

In a nutshell, it was after I replaced the lower intake, I checked all was ok...but when I started the engine there was a horrific noise. I feared the worse but hoped it wasn't so.... Looking at the engine; the left intake pulley had rotated to the right.

 

Hoping that I was due some actual luck for once I removed the timing belt; then lined everything up properly, and refitted. However, the engine wont rotate fully using the crank bolt, so I think the pistons are hitting protruding bent valves, that my theory anyway. As you can imagine I was was calling myself all kinds of things and was seriously p***ed off. Then forgetting my phone (3 months old) was in my pocked I got on the ground, and of course it fell out and now that's shattered.

 

This was all especially sickening as this week was meant to be the week I FINALLY got an MOT, and my Zed roadworthy.

 

I'm really not sure where to go from here...I'm trying to motivate myself to pull the heads. Valves seem to be around £6 each, but lets face it there's 24 of them. 6x24=£144 +gaskets £100 (estimate) = £244. I haven't really looked into it yet, I haven't pulled cylinder heads before, so it would all be new. It's the time too, all I seem to do now is Zed stuff every weekend...but I was nearly there, it was going to be worth it!

 

If my paint job wasn't a mess then I might be more motivated, but even if I replaced the valves, got the car through the MOT; I'm still faced with a paint job, or perhaps vinyl...

 

I'm pondering if it's finally time to call it a day, or perhaps let someone else take on my project, or perhaps strip the parts (which are all good) and look for another NA.

 

Or I could could just do a Bobby Ewing, get out the shower and go buy a 350Z.

Why did it slip? Was your tensioner totally loose?

 

You don't want a 350z mate... (Imo)

Why did it slip? Was your tensioner totally loose?

 

You don't want a 350z mate... (Imo)

 

I've been trying to work that one out all day, but it must be my fault after reinstalling the lower intake... but then it was all lined up... It was fine... I'm guessing the belt was too slack, then the engine has turned over a couple times; then it's slipped...

 

The engine turned over fine when I tried to start it, and as I had just changed the fuel lines and filter I was expecting it to take a few seconds for the fuel to fill the fuel rail etc, but after about 2 seconds there was a sort of 'thunk' noise, and the starter jammed. It felt like the whole engine had seized (well it had), which I quickly worked out was probably timing belt related.

Sorry for you mate. I have a pair of na heads if you need them.

Sorry for you mate. I have a pair of na heads if you need them.

 

Hey, are the heads just heads or with valves and so on? If they have valves in them then I'd just need to swap heads over, unless I've killed a piston of course.

 

I'm still really annoyed at myself, even though there was nothing obvious wrong I should have tripled checked everything.

With valves etc ready to put in. There will be a wait though as it'll be December before I get them off.

Just to clarify, so you and others can understand, you removed and replaced the lower plenum which means the cam belt pulley was removed and the cam belt tension released ? I am guessing the lower metal covers were still in place as you had not removed the crank pulley at that point.

 

Without the tensioner been retracted and held in place the tensioner would over extend, at this point the belt would not go back on in the same place end of, I am wondering how you levered the belt back into place with no view of the crank, the belt could of been sitting out of the teeth.

 

So given the engine will not turn a full 360 deg and locks up it would seem there is a problem, but have you realigned it now the lower pulley is off and hand rotated it? or is that exactly what you have done? if so its heads off time, they can be changed as one without having to remove the valves etc.

 

If you are lucky a couple of good used heads a gasket set, a new cam belt and a long days work could end up been a reasonably cheap fix, hope it works out for you.

 

Jeff

Just to clarify, so you and others can understand, you removed and replaced the lower plenum which means the cam belt pulley was removed and the cam belt tension released ? I am guessing the lower metal covers were still in place as you had not removed the crank pulley at that point.

 

Without the tensioner been retracted and held in place the tensioner would over extend, at this point the belt would not go back on in the same place end of, I am wondering how you levered the belt back into place with no view of the crank, the belt could of been sitting out of the teeth.

 

So given the engine will not turn a full 360 deg and locks up it would seem there is a problem, but have you realigned it now the lower pulley is off and hand rotated it? or is that exactly what you have done? if so its heads off time, they can be changed as one without having to remove the valves etc.

 

If you are lucky a couple of good used heads a gasket set, a new cam belt and a long days work could end up been a reasonably cheap fix, hope it works out for you.

 

Jeff

 

Hey,

 

I'll admit I didn't have the lower timing belt cover off at this point, so hadn't seen the tensioner, but the belt was tight, and the intake / exhaust pulleys were all still aligned. When I removed the lower intake the belt didn't move, I'm guessing it should have now, as the tensioner should have adjusted. I don't think it did, it cant have, nothing moved. I marked the belt to be on the safe side (and that turned out well...) so knew there had been no movement the next day. Everything indicated that there had been no movement, so I bolted the lower intake manifold back into position, and all seemed fine, everything was still aligned and I was happy. I hadn't seen the crank at this point admittedly, but I figured if all was tight and aligned up top, then all has to be good down below. Clearly I shouldn't have taken that risk.

 

When I got the shield off today the tensioner gap was non existent, I understand now that it should be 4mm. This was post presumed slippage however, so the damage was already done.

 

The timing belt is perfectly aligned everywhere (not that it matters now), I started with the dotted line on the left and I worked around all the pulleys, using bull-dog clips to keep the belt in position, and finally did the crank, which did need rotating a little. I got the belt onto the tensioner, and it was all back in place, I then levered the tensioner forward, tightened the bolts up, all looked good, although the tensioner will need adjusting back to 4mm. I'd REALLY hoped that once everything was aligned again, that with some luck, the engine would rotate fine and all would be well. Unfortunately I had no luck, and probably deserve this.

Sorry to hear that, you just can't take chances with these engines, have to check and turn by hand a couple of times then check again.

Bad luck buddy, as I said a head swap and new belt ( might only be one ) will sort it.

 

Jeff