Ok, i'm trying to change my timing belt as the the title says. But I can't get to the timing belt tensioner because of that plastic piece that covers it. I can't get that off because of the crankshaft pulley. It WILL NOT come off. I got a puller and have tried to pull the pulley off but it stripped the bolt and threads. I retapped the bolt and threads so that's okay. In the Chilton's it says to get some kind of special tool but I can't seem to find it anywhere. Can someone tell me how the hell to remove the crankshaft pulley so I can put the damn car back together and actually drive it.

that would be a 3 fingered gear puller.....good luck on that one....thats pretty close to the only way the pulley will come off..

>that would be a 3 fingered gear puller.....good luck on that
>one....thats pretty close to the only way the pulley will
>come off..

Well, damnit. That's what I was afraid of. I'm screwed. I've been trying that thing all week.

yeah dude thats a bit&h. thats y i had a mech do my afx udcp. he said it was a total bitch. to get off and to put the new one on. had to heat it in the oven. :-(

You need a 5-ton puller and you need to loosen the motor mounts. Then move the engine around and eventually you'll get it off... it's a bitch!

>You need a 5-ton puller and you need to loosen the motor
>mounts. Then move the engine around and eventually you'll
>get it off... it's a bitch!

I have the puller, the motor mounts are off but it won't budge. I even have my air compressor hooked up to air tools. It won't come loose for the life of me. I think i'm gonna heat it tomorrow with my blow torch and hope it expands a bit.

Have you tried using a long cheater bar? That's what I had to do to turn the socket.

>Have you tried using a long cheater bar? That's what I had
>to do to turn the socket.

Yes, I have the bar that goes to my jack over the ratchet. It's got to the point that it's starting to turn the pulley when I turn the ratchet. I'm really out of ideas other than heating it with a blow torch.

thats exactly how you do it..use a mapp gas torch and just heat the shizzle out of it..metal expands as it heats....keep it going for a really long time and be patient...it sucks..keep backing the bolt out as it slides further and further...your lucky your not messing w/ the cam sprocket, its even worse...when you put the pulley back on, heat your oven to 500 degrees, leave it in there for a while..we just did my rebuild and it went on smooth as butter at that tempt...have thick gloves though..good luck

The key to doing a smooth removal/and install of the crank pulley, is to use the proper puller ( 5 ton, 3 jaw), and its not absolutely necess to heat the pulley, but it can help. You also NEED to use a longer crank pulley bolt when pulling off the pulley. I see quite a few posts on here about f'd up threads and the like when people are taking off the crank pulley. This is the BEST way to do it, for a problem free removal. I have done it this way on my car about 3 to 4 times now, and also Matt_95tg's car a few times. All problem free.

After the motor is lowered to gain enough clearance for the puller to get onto the crank pulley, back out the crank bolt about a 1/4". So you have that much room from the metal edge of the pulley from the head of the bolt, so you have 1/4" of room for the pulley to come off. This is important. If you have more than that backed off the crank bolt, you run the risk of bending the crank bolt, or tearing up threads when you go to pulling the pulley. Attach the puller, and be SURE ITS CENTERED completely, and not askew in any which way. This is also very important. Now by either using a hand wrench or impact wrench, SLOWLY put torque on the puller's bolt. Go at very small increments at a time, just dont hammer down on it, ESPECIALLY with an impact wrench. Once you get the pulley off that 1/4", take off the puller, then back out the stock crank bolt another 1/4", and repeat the process. After the 3rd time of doing this, GET A LONGER CRANK BOLT!! You need to use the longer bolt now so as not to damage the crank threads, by using more of them with a longer bolt. Try and find a bolt thats about 1" longer, that works well for me. Now with the longer bolt in there, repeat the whole process again, using 1/4" increments until the pulley pops off. This process will take some time. Of all the times I have done it, it usually takes around a good 15 to 20 minutes. Heating the hub of the crank pulley with a torch can help some too, esp if you are using a hand wrench to tighten the puller's bolt. Its very important to take your time when doing this, and take small amounts at a time.

Ill tell ya how we got mine off this last time, it was a bitch at first, it trashed my 5-ton 3 jaw puller from Sears, stripped out the threads on the puller and beat up the stock crank bolt. got a new puller, SOAKED the thing down with WD-40 over night, and per Dino's advice, i used a 6" 1/4" drive extension(like that goes on a ratchet) to push against instead of the crank bolt. we also coated the threads of the pulley in anti-seize. stuck an impact gun on it, and the thing came right off, in like 5 seconds. try the 1/4" extension, it worked for me. we never had to heat it at all, on or off. getting it back on was easier than off, just took a big socket and hammer, she went right up on there.




www.TeamKLR.com
1997 Silver RS
12.3@118mph,20psi, race gas(drag radials)
Wiseco 10.5 Pistons
Eagle Rods
Started as a manufactured turbo kit, now its a custom one!
Vortech FMU
Greddy Exhaust
440cc Injectors

Waiting on the EVOlution!

>The key to doing a smooth removal/and install of the crank
>pulley, is to use the proper puller ( 5 ton, 3 jaw), and its
>not absolutely necess to heat the pulley, but it can help.
>You also NEED to use a longer crank pulley bolt when pulling
>off the pulley. I see quite a few posts on here about f'd up
>threads and the like when people are taking off the crank
>pulley. This is the BEST way to do it, for a problem free
>removal. I have done it this way on my car about 3 to 4
>times now, and also Matt_95tg's car a few times. All problem
>free.
>
>After the motor is lowered to gain enough clearance for the
>puller to get onto the crank pulley, back out the crank bolt
>about a 1/4". So you have that much room from the metal edge
>of the pulley from the head of the bolt, so you have 1/4" of
>room for the pulley to come off. This is important. If you
>have more than that backed off the crank bolt, you run the
>risk of bending the crank bolt, or tearing up threads when
>you go to pulling the pulley. Attach the puller, and be SURE
>ITS CENTERED completely, and not askew in any which way.
>This is also very important. Now by either using a hand
>wrench or impact wrench, SLOWLY put torque on the puller's
>bolt. Go at very small increments at a time, just dont
>hammer down on it, ESPECIALLY with an impact wrench. Once
>you get the pulley off that 1/4", take off the puller, then
>back out the stock crank bolt another 1/4", and repeat the
>process. After the 3rd time of doing this, GET A LONGER
>CRANK BOLT!! You need to use the longer bolt now so as not
>to damage the crank threads, by using more of them with a
>longer bolt. Try and find a bolt thats about 1" longer, that
>works well for me. Now with the longer bolt in there, repeat
>the whole process again, using 1/4" increments until the
>pulley pops off. This process will take some time. Of all
>the times I have done it, it usually takes around a good 15
>to 20 minutes. Heating the hub of the crank pulley with a
>torch can help some too, esp if you are using a hand wrench
>to tighten the puller's bolt. Its very important to take
>your time when doing this, and take small amounts at a time.

God damnit. I tell ya man. I've tried everything I can think of. Tried heating it, tried what you said. Tried this, tried that. I can't get that god damn pulley to budge. I don't understand why this is so damn difficult.

unfortunatally mine was in the same situation. I had to drill it out. Basically I took a drill and drilled holes all around the pully near the crank. Then I heated it up and it finally came loose. THIS IS A LAST RESORT. Do not do it unless you have to. I had to replace the pulley.

I finally got the damn thing off. I coated it with WD-40, heated it with blow torch and did that 1/4" at a time pulling it off with an inch longer bolt. It finally just popped off but thanks to it being winter and all. Daylight has run out on me so I will try to do the rest tomorrow. Thanks for everyone's help on the matter. It is a bitch.