JDM Crank Pulley Will Not Come Off! In Sac & Need Help

gamefreakgc

gamefreakgc

Elite Member
Ok, I'm officially out of ideas on how to get the crank pulley/harmonic balancer off my JDM engine. It has to come off since it has a 6 rib belt system, and all my USDM engine runs off 4 rib belts and I am doing a timing belt. Problem is... it will not come off!!!

The tool make for USDM crank pulleys does not work since the JDM pulley is set in much deeper. It has two threaded holes for a M8 x 1.25 bolt to go in so you can hold the pulley in place, but the torque needed is too much for the bolts and they bend (grade 8 bolts). I have HF air tools that are "rated to 600 lb/ft torque" and they cannot take it off either. Currently trying to drill out the holes to fit a bigger bolt through but drilling through a solid steel pulley is no easy task.

I need ideas or help. Willing to pay for someone to come over and take it off if they know a way to do it or have some stinkin' huge air tools or the world's most powerful electric impact hammer. I am located in the Sacramento area... I have no way of moving the engine.
 
Register to hide this ad
Someone told me about a chain wrench, so rush shipping one. Hopefully that does the trick. Anyone tried using one before?
 
Are you making sure the bolts are not too long and fitting snug against arm of the holding tool?

Mine kept bending too until I tried shorter bolts that caught enough threads but wasn't sticking out on the tool.

Worst case scenario would be to use the starter (bump method) once the engine is back in the truck and you can crank it over. My donor engine had an aftermarket crank pulley that is aluminum. I couldn't get the bolt to break loose either and ended up ripping all of the threads out of the aluminum crank pulley (used my homemade tool). After getting really frustrated and having no way to use the starter since the engine was already out of the truck, a light bulb came on and I remembered I have my M18 Fuel 1/2" impact gun.

It instantly blew off the crank bolt without breaking a sweat. I'm thinking if you can get a bigger, more powerful impact, it should get the bolt off.
 
Do you have a welder? I made my own pulley removal tool with some studs and a bearing race, then welded it to a piece of 2x3 square tubing. Its ugly but has pulled many of Toyota crank pulleys off. I have found most inexpensive air tools can't bust the bolt loose.
 
I'm assuming his problem is getting the crank bolt off, not pulling the pulley off (that's the next battle) based on his wording. I'm sure he will back soon to clarify.
 
I haven't worked on a 3rd gen, but I know that some make and model engines have different thread directions. Is the 3rd gen reverse thread? I've seen people fight with crank bolts for days only to find out they were tightening instead of loosening it.
 
Yeah, it's the bolt. Taking pulleys off is cake. Problem is, the JDM crank pulley is much deeper than a USD one. In order for the bolts to clear the pulley so I can hold them with any sort of tool or straps, they have to be approx. 70 mm long. So they bend.

I didn't think about just moving on and bumping the starter once it's back in. I'd really rather not though, since I have to replace all accessory pulleys and brackets and a full timing belt change and that'd be much, much easier with it out.

I do not have a welder, and larger air tools are not in the budget for this month with Christmas and all.

I guess it's time to try the chain wrench or get a tractor mechanic over to my place LOL.
 
Can you lock the flywheel to the block with a couple bolts and a piece of metal\wrench? If so, you would be able to use a long breaker bar to get the crank bolt off.
 
Sorry, you have a bolt holder problem. OK, I recommend the starter method. If no can do, there is a tractor trick you can use for that, too. Remove the plugs from cylinder one, and its rotational twin, #4. Rotate to 180° from TDC, Bottom Dead Center as it were. You can use a wooden dowel in the spark plug hole to find the wide open point.Fill both cylinders with a flexible rope, 3/8" cord is probably good. Get it nice and full and that crank will never turn past the point where it compresses the rope.
 
Last edited:
TheDurk said:
Sorry, you have a bolt holder problem. OK, I recommend the starter method. If no can do, there is a tractor trick you can use for that, too. Remove the plugs from cylinder one, and its rotational twin, #4. Rotate to 180° from TDC, Bottom Dead Center as it were. You can use a wooden dowel in the spark plug hole to find the wide open point.Fill both cylinders with a flexible rope, 3/8" cord is probably good. Get it nice and full and that crank will never turn past the point where it compresses the rope.
Click to expand...

Just remember to take the rope back out..LOL!
This trick does work though.
 
So I had the same crank pulley on my JDM 5VZ-FE -- they're deeper and there isn't the same harmonic balancer setup within it. Keep in mind that the JDM crank pulley is totally sacrificial -- you won't be using it for your USDM 4Runner setup -- so you can do something to lock it in place that could / will damage it -- you're just trying to get that bolt off and pull it off. I did mine on a stand and it's been 2 years now so I can't remember exactly what I did but I want to say it included a really long (3-4') breaker bar and something that kept the pulley from spinning against the iron block itself. Metal... big vice grips... get creative :-) If you had a welder you could literally weld a long bar onto it to act as the counter lever. I did something like that sans the welder.
 
If it's on a stand, here is another idea. Take your old accessory belt and cut it. Take the end and wrap around the pulley twice, and then knot the free end to a long pipe or bar about a foot from the end. Clove hitch would be best. Rotate crank bolt until bar is against pulley. That ought to hold it.

Much better than a chain wrench.
 
There is also a strap wrench, same principle as chain wrench using rubber belting a inch or so wide. I use it for taking cartridge water filter housings apart mostly that are 5" dia.
 
Borrow or rent an 18-20v rechargeable 1/2" impact. I'm not going to mention brands and start that discussion.

I have yet to find a fastener that my yellow and black one can't bust loose.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

G
Water Pump / Timing belt Job
Replies
12
Views
2K
Previologist
P
A
Time to pull the 4.7 out :-(
Replies
9
Views
3K
alia176
A
Sense-A
Documenting My Overheating, Head Gasket, Cracked Head Problem on 5VZ-FE DIY
Replies
7
Views
3K
Hungryhawk
H
2TH4IST
E-Fan swap.
2
Replies
32
Views
12K
kwerfybertface
K
R
Rough Cold Start and Ideas
Replies
0
Views
3K
ryedog
R

Members online

Total: 5,810 (members: 5, guests: 5,805)

Forum statistics

Threads
278,316
Messages
3,554,120
Members
248,016
Latest member
Advally Service

Share this page

Trending content

Back
Top