Crank bolt stuck...well kinda

[skohimself]

Hey guys new owner here from PA :hello:

I cruse over at miata.net alot seeing as I have one if anyones from over there so I'm not new to forms :boink:

Heres a little info on the truck...

2000 sr5 highlander 4x4 3.4 auto w/o elocker 233k miles

Well I got this off a co worker knowing it had some problems and about zero maintenance for about 3yrs and 100k miles except brakes and oil changes.

Well today I took off to change the crank pulley which I knew had been wobbling for quite awhile. Now heres where the problem starts. I made a tool to hold the HB for removal and while trying to loosen the bolt it broke free pretty easily.
Ok so this ins't my first time removing a crank bolt and I'm pretty sure I know whats wrong I just kinda wanna hear my options here even though I know I'm not gonna like them. :cry2:

After It broke free it could turn it maybe 1/4 of a revolution and I stress maybe it would get tight almost as if I was tightening it back up. I could them switch the ratchet and snug it back up and repeat it with no progress. So as unhappy as I was that I couldn't get it off I tightened it back up as tight as I could and to my surprise it spun true without a wobble.

So I reassembled it back up and drove it home (I did all this at the former junkyard I use to work at) which was about 12 miles or a little more and when I got home I went to check on it hoping for the best...

Well its back to wobbling again and now I'm at a crossroads.

Should I just say to hell with it and put a big breaker bar on there and hope for the best...

Or snug it up and put a spot weld on and run it till it dies since the maintenance is lacking anyways?

Thoughts input suggestions...questions ha I'm up for anything. :biggrin2:

 

[Singtoe]

Sounds like the crank is damaged. You won't know till you pull the HB off. You need to remove the bolt. Keep working it back and forth till it comes out. If it is already loose, spray some PB Blaster into the treads.

If you are lucky, the HB is bad, then just replace. If your not lucky, the crank is messed up and needs to be replaced.

 

[skohimself]

Yeah I think from it being run so long with the bolt being loose it pulled the threads and they are going to be damaged beyond repair. Its not a dd or even a 2nd vehicle just kind of a w/e vehicle. Its nice other wise and I would hate to throw a motor in it since this one is not down on power at all. I guess I just want to delay the inevitable...for awhile at least. :shrug:

 

[freshley]

I've seen something like this happen to a 95 honda civic. The bolt wasn't tight and it started to back out, the harmonic balancer started wobbling and then everything went flying as the bolt snapped. The one thing to remember is that the bolt is softer than the crank so chances are the crank should be ok. I would put some pb blaster on it and try my best to get that bolt out. Then replace the bolt and possibly the balancer. If you can get the bolt out, I think you will be ok. It's worth a try at least.