Timing Chain Cover

[hbomb]

I'm replacing the timing chain cover due to a crack in it. I have the crankshaft pulley off and I'm having the toughest time trying to get whatever is in back of the pulley off. It looks like a plus sign with a circular shape that the crankshaft bolt is on. I'm having a problem getting this bolt off. Everytime i go to turn the bolt, the crankshaft turns. How do I get this off?

[Jeff Chambers]

Impact gun. Otherwise, put the car in fourth gear, set the parking brake and try breaking the bolt loose. Lefty-loosy, righty-tighty (as your looking at the front of the engine. Once you get the bolt off you'll need a balancer puller or steering wheel puller to get it off the crank. Be careful not to hose up the crank threads when you use the puller.

[hbomb]

So I guess it looks like I'm going to need to buy a compressor and an impact gun, hahaha. I already got the puller, but what do you mean by hose up the crank threads? Now when I assemble everything, is there anything that I need to watch out for? Thanks

[Ieatcamaros]

He means try not to mess up the threads. You don't need an air compressor. That's just the easy way to do it. Do like Jeff said and use a breaker bar. You'll eventually get it loose. When you start to pull the balancer off and you see part of the key, I would rotate the engine to where the key is on top. Just in case it wants to fall out, it won't fall into the oil pan. I have never seen or had this happen to me, but it is cheap insurance. I assume you are going to put in the new oil pan gasket ends, oil pan end seals, and a new front seal. Just be careful when putting the timing cover back on with everything in place. Sometimes that oil pan end seal wants to squirt out from underneath the timing cover, either into the oil pan or outside the oil pan. Again, this is a rare occasion but it's something to think about.

Merry Christmas

[hbomb]

I did what you said. Putting the car in 4th helped. Now I'm having trouble on getting the harmonic balancer and the damper off. I got the tool and I'm wrenching clockwise and the bolt won't turn no more. I still haven't tried it with a breaker bar. Am I in any threat of messing something up when I try to get the balancer and damper off?

[Jeff Chambers]

Make sure the end of the remover bolt isn't chewing up the threads in the end of the crankshaft. Some removers had interchangeable flat and tapered ends; one or the other should fit nicely on the > END < of the crankshaft. You don't want to have the puller bolt going in to the end of the crankshaft and screwing up the threads.

[hbomb]

I have the removable tapered end. The tool works, it's just that I'm afraid that if I try to hard to take the balancer and damper off something will break. Do I have anything to worry about here? When I go to put the stuff back on, will it be as hard as when I took it off?

[Jeff Chambers]

No and yes.

[hbomb]

Not to be too forward, but what exactly should I watch out for when I put everything back on? Any kind of alignment?

[Gearhead999]

Use a balancer installer. Don't beat the balancer back on.

Make sure you have the keyway lined up too.

[hbomb]

Most likely I will be replacing the balancer with this one

Harmonic Balancer

Is this the right one for my style of engine?
Is this the right weight?

88' gt v8

[Gearhead999]

The style looks OK.

But the weight of inbalance is wrong. Late model 5.0 [302]'s have a 50 oz inbalance. Started in around 1981. I'd check that first before I purchased it and had a vibration problem after install.

[hbomb]

Ok, thanks for the info. I found on the summit website harmonic balancer counterweights. The harmonic balancer that I would like to buy has a removable damper that I can change the counterweights. Summit does sell 50 oz counterweights.

Counterweights

I always thought that something that is supposed to balance something else would be symmetrical?

I still have time to think because I still can't get the harmonic balancer off. I broke the removal tool today. It was bending outward as I was turning the bolt.

[rwhite65]

When putting the balancer back on, mine have always went on nicely after using a little oil to slide it back on.

As for breaking the tool, have u seen the balncer move any while trying to remove it?
Ryan

[Ieatcamaros]

I think you forgot to remove the big washer behind the balancer bolt. If you broke the removal tool, then this has to be whats holding you up. The washer is slightly smaller than the opening on the front of the balancer.

[Jeff Chambers]

Might be time to break down and take it to a qualified shop. Where are you located?

[rwhite65]

I agree with Jeff, but if you are not to that point yet, try and get a fellow car buddy to take a look at it. Always helps to have a separate set of eyes to over look your work. Sometimes it helps to have somebody else find the small stuff that we might miss due to frustration.

Ryan

[hbomb]

Thanks everyone for your help. I got it off!!!! I bought a balancer removal/installation kit from summit racing. Came off with no effort. I got a new balancer too from summit. Got a question tho, it's the removable weight kind. I got the 50 oz. weight but where it's attached is kinda making me wonder. If a balancer is something that is supposed to balance something.....wouldn't the weight be wrapped around the whole balancer....instead of the opposite side of the keyway like it is on the one i bought? What is the purpose of having the weight not go all the way around?

[Jeff Chambers]

Its offsetting the imbalance created by the throw counterweights of the crankshaft. If you look at the back side of your flywheel, you'll see a similar offset weight in approximately the same location. Together they offset the crankshaft imbalance.