How do I make it hold still?

[dataBoy]

Time to change the timing belt (and water pump, tensioner, and seals) on my 89 LXi with automatic. How do I get the engine to hold still while I undo the nut on the crank pully?

I hear one guy say to remove the cover on the tranmission and jamb a piece of iron pipe between the starter ring gears and the ground. Anyone try this?

Thanks
dataBoy

[PhydeauX]

Thats a good way to break your ring gear. Its a bitch to get that bolt out. If you have access to a an impact gun then that'll make short work of it. Honda makes a special tool for holding the pully and removeing the bolt, though the dealer isn't usually inclined to rent it. The way I usually go about it is a breaker bar and a big hammer (use a craftsman or similar tool with a unconditional lifetime warantee, this is a good way to break the bar). Ghetto up my own impact wrench. A few good hard swings usually will break the thing loose. Make sure that the plugs are still in and leave all the belts to the accessories on, the more resistance you have the better.

andy

[AZmike]

I tried using a screwdriver in the ring gear and had no luck. What i ended up doing was putting it in 5th gear, having someone step on the brakes and breaking it loose with an 18" breaker bar.

[cruznz]

remove starter motor.....get a decent bit of rag and jam it inbetween ring gear and bellhousing....it'll stop it turning

[BoredRec]

Before I got my 3/4 inch impact gun (Buwahahaha!!!!) I used my mom's old hammock frame (tube pipe, dismantled). Musta been the world's biggest breaker ball....4 or 5 feet long...it worked.

[guaynabo89]

Those bolts are a pain in the butt.

The easy way is to take it to a shop have them loosen it with impact gun and heat. Then you you bring it home and take it off. It will take less force to get the bolt undone.

[dataBoy]

Good idea, even if I hvae to give them a tip.

Has anyone seen the tool that Honda uses? Could I make one?

dataBoy

[ACCORD EX]

i did the big screw driver thing in the timing hole and hold it while someone was breaking it loose !
the 4th gear thing is also a good idea ! :super:

MIKE

[YK86]

A $15 chain style strap wrench around the crank pulley to hold it and a breaker bar and pipe to get the nut loose. It works every time and will not damage anything.

[dataBoy]

The chain style strap wrench sounds like it might just be the ticket, thanks. Guess I'll go down to "The Borg" ( Home Depot) and see what I can find.

dataBoy

[AZmike]

Originally posted by dataBoy
The chain style strap wrench sounds like it might just be the ticket, thanks. Guess I'll go down to "The Borg" ( Home Depot) and see what I can find.

dataBoy

I'm curious, how is Home Depot "The Borg"?

[YK86]

Just so you know, don't get the rubber strap kind. I tried it before the chain kind but it snapped. Good thing it had a lifetime warranty.

[dataBoy]

Yea, I don' t think I'd even try the rubber one. but thanks for the reminder.

re The Borg, it's a Star Trek thing.

[njpeter]

Once I lowered the main engine pully onto a big ass block of wood to keep it from turning. Got the bolt but nicked the pulley ( no real problem). after that I bought an electic imapct wrench, I will finally bite down and get real compressed air again, I'm getting too old ( 44) for this crap

[dataBoy]

Maybe I should just buy an impact wrench. I see harbor Freight has one 240 ft lbs - $49. Should be good for as much as I'd use it.

Old? Heck, I'm 51

[guaynabo89]

One time on a car I put the wrench on the crank pulley and put it against something in the suspension. I cranked the car and the bolt came loose. I definately don't recommend this but, maybe as a last resort.

[dataBoy]

Yea, I think that is a last ditch effort. Harbor Freight has an electric implact wrench for $49 and deep wall sockets for $10. I have to go out and check the car to see if there is clearance but it can't hurt to have an impact wrench around.
(-8 just another excuse to buy a tool, course, if I had someone else do the work it'd cost way more.

[YK86]

I wouldn't trust the impact unless it's a good one (betwen 350-500 ft-lbs). I bought a 250ft-lbs air impact ($50) and that thing could not take off anything. I also rented a electric one before and that was useless too. But it may have been getting weak since it was a rental.

[dataBoy]

Thanks for the tip. Yea, this one at HF was 250 ft lbs. So you think that's not enough? guess I'll rethink this.

[YK86]

I'm not too sure how they rate them (overrated??) because I bought another one rated at 350ft-lbs ($200 I think...) which took off alot more stuff but it still couldn't loosen the crank pulley bolt. That was with the compressor properly set to 90PSI.

[89lxi95zx7]

buy the tool, use it, and return it(i do it all the time)

[DBMaster]

I still like slipping a mechanic $5 to break it loose with the shop's air impact wrench. Tighten by hand, drive it home, and do the job when the engine cools off. I tighten the bolt when I am done with an electric impact wrench at home.

No mess, no fuss. If only the rest of the job was that easy.

I may be sorry next time, but a good Honda shop told me that when tightening with an electric wrench put blue Loctite on the threads and it wil prevent seizing. The factory service manual says to put engine oil on the threads. I think the important thing is to put SOMETHING on them to prevent seizing.

[dataBoy]

Mike,
Yes, I am coming to the conclusion that that might really be the best way to go, slipping someone $5 to do it for me.

It seemed to me that that was going to be the hardest part of the job. What was hard for you? Any other tips?

Thanks
dataBoy

[njpeter]

One time on a car I put the wrench on the crank pulley and put it against something in the suspension. I cranked the car and the bolt came loose. I definately don't recommend this but, maybe as a last resort.

of course now I'm back in the same old hole, bought a new electric impact gun ( 50-250pd-china ) and it did nuthin.

The crank bolt has to be spun counter clockwise yes?..I don't see how you could loosen it with a wrench and a crank.

anyhow, I'm off to find a friendly garage to spin the bolt off..needed a new electric lug wrench anyhow..the 12v one I bought from harbor frieght was just good for lugs..and it's already junk ( won't hit on loosen now). I don't recall jamming something in the timing hole..any newer tips appreciated. I'm not too inclined to put a torch on the bolt..maybe if the garage can't get it off either....:-(

[danronian]

Maybe I should just buy an impact wrench. I see harbor Freight has one 240 ft lbs - $49. Should be good for as much as I'd use it.

Old? Heck, I'm 51

I also once bought a 1/2" 250lb $30 air impact wrench and it was worthless. I now have a 3/8" craftsman "professional series" impact wrench (which sat in a someones garage for years) which is twice as powerful. I also have a 1/2" craftsman that is amazingly powerful. With the torque setting alll the way up it takes off any lug nut that I have taken it up to. Now I just need an impact wrench deep socket set so the regular craftsman sockets don't shatter. I would torch the tough bolts and then use a big pipe over a craftsman ratchet and socket until you can find a name brand impact wrench.