Need help removing harmonic balancer bolt

[at7we2]

Ok...removing the harmonic balancer seems like a pretty basic procedure but I have been unsuccessful so far and I'm out of ideas.

The car is my '87 GN, stock block, stock crank, etc. I've removed the IC and crank pully so the balancer bolt is right there in plain sight. I've attempted to loosen the balancer bolt with an 18" long, 1/2" drive breaker bar and 1 1/8" socket turning counter-clockwise (righty-tighty, lefty loosy). First problem was crank turning (I expected that) - so I braced the crank by sticking a #3 Craftsman screw-driver between the torque converter and the flexplate and rotating the crank until the screw-driver was wedged up againsted the transmission bellhousing. Then I went back up to the front of the engine and tried to back off the balancer bolt only to snap the screw driver... (picture below) and that's not a small screw-driver, the shaft is about 1/8" larger in diameter than a pencil. I have larger screwdrivers, but I grabbed this one first.

So now what? How do I keep the crank from turning??

Anyone know what the torque spec. for the balancer bolt is? This one seems like it's over torqued to me.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[novaderrik]

put a couple of the crank pulley bolts back in and wedge a pry bar between themso that it wedges against something when it turns.
then put a long pipe on the breaker bar on the crank bolt and turn it- and remember "lefty loosey"...

 

[gsgns4me]

Lay the breaker bar on the driver's side frame, then "BUMP" the starter. Let the engine do the work while you figure out a way to hold it so you torque it back in.

 

[at7we2]

Wow! Both good ideas - wish I had thought of either one of them! Thanks gentlemen!

 

[whitehot1]

The easiest way i've found to do this is to use a pair of visegrip pliers, clamp them on the flexplate on which ever side you need them to wedge up against the block on,this makes the job a piece of cake to do.

The torque on the bolt is 219 ft. lbs.

PS, even though that's a lot of torque on that bolt i still put red lock-tite on the threads just to be safe and keep it from backing out from vibrations.

John :smile:

 

[whitehot1]

Here is a list of torque specs in case you need some other ones.

Bolt Torque Explained


John :smile:

 

[stickybones]

I assume you don't have an impact gun.

I used an electric impact gun and it came right off. I don't believe you even have to lock up the crank from spinning to take it off with an impact gun.

 

[Just a Six??]

I assume you don't have an impact gun.

I used an electric impact gun and it came right off. I don't believe you even have to lock up the crank from spinning to take it off with an impact gun.

Works every time & I use Red Locktite on them as well.

 

[Blown&Injected]

I assume you don't have an impact gun.

I used an electric impact gun and it came right off. I don't believe you even have to lock up the crank from spinning to take it off with an impact gun.

I have air - but my electric impact gun works great for these heavy jobs - crank will not turn

 

[ronbuick]

Air impact and Blue loc-tite, is'nt red permenent???

Ron

 

[DIAZ 87]

i purchased a cordless impact gun to do mines,and it only took me 5 seconds to remove

 

[BIGPSI]

red locktite is the high strength,but the diameter of the crank bolt is so big and fine thread it works fine.

 

[ronbuick]

Did you get it out??

 

[at7we2]

thanks for the replies!

wow! thanks for all the input and replies. sorry for the delayed response, didn't have an opportunity to check my email the last few days.

got the harmonic balancer off. ended up using the vise-grips on the flexplate trick

I was actually hoping to find something wrong with the balancer that might have been the cause of my irratic crank signal, but nope...balancer and reluctor ring are in perfect condition so it was simply an excerise in removing the balancer, IC, etc.

haven't put it all back together yet, hoping to do that sometime this week.

thanks again to everyone that replied and provided input and suggestions - that was a HUGE help. once again, that's why I like this board. :biggrin:

Rob

 

[bosted86]

Lay the breaker bar on the driver's side frame, then "BUMP" the starter. Let the engine do the work while you figure out a way to hold it so you torque it back in.

that what i did.