So....donor Engine, which just had the belt replaced 5k miles ago, but engine sat idle for 5ish months after that

Let's says that water puddled up in that little boss where the bolt threads into.

I just took a 1/2 corded impact gun (best I can do with only two outlets and no compressor) and that bolt just giggled and didn't move a freaking smidge.

The impact is supposed to have over 1k ft lbs of break away torque. And on my old Engine, it took the crank bolt out like it was nothing.

The one on my new engine is just a big washer while my old engine (which is a newer Engine technically, thank my new engine) has a small washer over another bigger washer.

I'm gunna torch it. But I'm trying to figure out first what my chances are of unseizing this thing.

I have the engine out. And if stupid is what stupid does. I'm really tempted to figure out a way to hang this damn thing from my hoist with the pulley hanging near the ground and I'll just submerge the whole damn thing in distilled vinegar or something.

I can not afford to break this bolt off in there.

I can get access to a 3/4inch air impact but I gotta feeling the impact will take whatever part of the bolt wants to go and the rest will stay behind.

Need some brainstorming here I'm desperate. And yes I do have a harmonic balancer pulley holder Albiet it's not needed with use on an impact and yes I did try and use both at same time to no avail



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Durh durrh brain blast.

I'm not gunna tilt the Engine forward. I'm gunna hook jack up my Engine stand and rock the Engine back to where I can pour something in that area and it will hold without dripping.


Then I'm gunna torch it

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I would use the power of leverage. Hold crankshaft with biggest tool, and a jack handle or whatever and have somebody stand on it. Then use another jack handle on ratchet and stand on that. Impacts are great, but those torque ratings are a joke. I have a super nice Matco 1/2" rated at 750 lb-ft. It doesn't break something loose that I break loose with a 2 foot bar. (Meaning I would be applying more than 375 pounds of force, which isn't happening). Anyway, use leverage.

As far as bolt differences, they did change it somewhere along the production. Slightly different torque specs too. There's a thread floating around with that info.

These thicker walled sockets seem to work pretty well with stubborn bolts. I bought one but ended up not needing to use it.

Amazon.com: Lisle 77080 19 mm Harmonic Balancer Socket for Honda: Automotive

I am wondering if someone got the bright idea of thread locking it. This would explain why you can't snap it loose.

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Did you try to tighten it a bit? I use this technique to remove stubborn grab handle bolts on A-pillar. It worked every time.

I just ordered one of these sockets right before you posted it.

My mechanic friend swears by them.

Gunna give it a shot. Then I'll try heating it. My torch doesn't come in till December 2nd

With how it's holding it may have locktite on there. Maybe the tightening technique would work for breaking the bond

If the impact socket doesn't work I'll try adding more leverage with my breaker bars. I've never had an impact fail me. But then again, I'm running with the half the equipment I normally have at home.

I tried it with a breaker bar at first but I was literally picking the Engine up but If I swap sides I should be pushing down instead of up.

I have a 1inch impact at home with a 3/4inch air hose lol that never loses. I miss my garage

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As 4reak said a breaker bar with a 3 foot pipe to extend it.
Motor has to be held solid. No movement.
You will also need to hold the crank pulley solid.

Or use a good air powered impact gun with a big enough compressor.

I have had weirdly good luck on big stuck bolts with a DC12v roadside rescue impact. It was a 30 dollar promo item at a job i had and they let me take one home after unpackaging for a photoshoot.
I have a decent sized compressor but some bolts it can't touch but this thing like spools up to speed and then like a clutch engages and it grabs. works everytime somehow and i love it.
In fact i had to use it on my crank pulley as well as a few bolts on an old subaru motor i rebuilt.

Mechanics tricks for stuck bolts. I understand you tried the impact, but bear with me as this all add up/are cumulative...

Give it a sharp hit with a hammer, directly inwards. This will Sometimes shock the threads a little (should have been done with the impact, but who knows). Try tightening and loosening.

Heat *just* the bolt. This will expand it slightly and do roughly the same thing as the hammer, breaking a connection with the threads/corrosion. As a bonus, if some fool put thread-locker on that bolt it'll dissolve that bond. Try tightening and loosening.

If the impact doesn't take it off while hot, and while Still hot, apply liberal amounts of penetrating oil. You're again "shocking" the metal and causing it to contract while at the same time allowing the heat to "wick" that fluid into the threads. Little harder with that specific bolt thanks to the double-washer arrangement. Again, try tightening and loosening.

If you have access to liquid nitrogen (you never know, I can get it for free through my wifes work), that will Shrink the metal of the bolt and help it loosen.

If at ANY point you get some movement, just use penetrating fluid, let soak for a couple hours and see if you get more movement. Rinse and repeat, it'll come off without damaging anything.

If none of that works, I can almost guarantee that this is the Safest way to remove the bolt. Use the 2 threaded holes to bolt down a couple pieces of angle iron that are then bolted together and braced against something immovable (or bolted directly to that immovable object). Then use a 1/2" breaker bar, no "cheater" bar needed. You will apply force over time. While not true in the literal sense, in the Practical sense torque is cumulative over time. By this I mean if you need to apply 1000ft/lb you can do it with 1000ft/lb in one burst, 500lb/ft over a few seconds or 10ft/lb over a few hours (maybe days). By applying what you can WITHOUT a cheater extension on a breaker bar, you're going to apply less force than is necessary to shear the bolt while giving the most leverage/torque to compound. Then, just hold that force. It's going to take some time, it'll feel like FOREVER, but just keep applying the force and the fastener Will break free.

I actually tend to use the force-over-time approach before impacts or heat/fluids because I'm there, with the socket already on the fastener. Fell on my butt just 2 days ago while loosening the front diff fill bolt when it Suddenly broke free on me. I've used this technique for decades as a motorcycle mechanic (they make motorcycle fasteners out of cheese, keeps the heads from getting all buggered up too ~ Especially alen/socket head).

It'll come off, you just need the right application of heat, chemicals and force.

I have had a couple of occasions in the past where I have a particularly stubborn crank bolt that no amount of impact seemed to budge. The impact wrench is very convenient. However when that fails, I have used a method I saw on a video several years ago. No expensive special tool holders, etc.

I bought a vise grip like set of pliers but instead of jaws it has a section of chain links. I think I bought it at Autozone (several years ago) for $10-15. Next take an old drive belt that fits your existing crank pully (usually at least 4 or 5 ribs wide). The goal here is to protect the brittle crank pulley and its surfaces. It also gives a nice rubber gripping service for your chain tool.

Cut a section of the drive belt so it exactly fits the diameter of your crank pulley (all the way around). I usually use a thick rubber band stretched around it to hold the cut drive belt in place on the pulley until I can get the chain installed over it; put your chain vise grips around this section. Keep in mind to adjust the chain and clamp down on the circumference of the pulley. This chain tool is kind of like a good pipe wrench.... it gets tighter and holds in one direction but will slip in the opposite direction; so you have to get the orientation correct. I have various lengths of 1" pipe (from Home Depot) that fits almost perfectly over the longer (stronger) handle of the vise grips. Use a good breaker bar (with or without extensions). When the engine is in the car I usually pick a length of pipe convenient to bracing it up against the frame of the car so I don't have to get anyone to help me hold it. I have haven't met a crank bolt that hasn't come loose yet. In fact used this 2 days ago to break loose the 4runner crank bolt for a TB replacement. The air impact wrench (Ingersal Rand) refused to budge.

Its inexpensive and worth a shot. I would try this before you start baking the end of the crank with a torch.

I have also cut up an old timing belt and used it to hold a cam pulley when I didn't have an impact wrench available.

Those threads go into the cranks oil passage if I remember correctly. I even think thread sealer is to be applied before retorquing the bolt.

If there is thread lock in there heat should release it. I had to run my air compressor up to 150psi to get the crank bolt out of my Saturn, and one of the 4Runners.


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If you can, bolt a starter on. I've had impacts fail on toyota bolts many times but the starter trick has never failed me on a Toyota.

You'll need to be extra careful since you wont have control of a key.

Put a breaker bar on the bolt with the bar braced against something solid (in the vehicle this is usually the frame or ground).

Click the starter. Just a click. Its force on the flywheel/flexplate multiplies the torque, turns the crank while the breaker bar is holding the bolt in place.

I was just at this point last year. Seized crank bolt due to rust (was exposed to it during the voyage from Japan via cargo ship). Here's my journey and what might work for you: JDM Crank Pulley Will Not Come Off! In Sac & Need Help

In the end, it was a chain wrench on the crank pulley to hold it in place and a 4' breaker bar that did the trick. Was a JDM pulley so the crank pulley tools don't fit.

Nice