Loosening crank bolt - poor mans option

I have two good impact guns, but in the past I have used a breaker bar and the correct socket. Put it on the bolt set the breaker bar against the frame. Then turn the key for a second or two. Loosens the bolt a little then you can back it off by hand. Works in a pinch. Probably not something they do in the honda garage.

Pete

Reply to
conan
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conan wrote in news:c73f04fa-4ff9-40e3-9774- snipped-for-privacy@f47g2000hsd.googlegroups.com:

Can't do that with Honda fours, of course. Doing this would /tighten/ the bolt and probably snap it off. Not good.

Reply to
Tegger

Hey, that way its still *off*.

I've used the starter bump method myself, I don't think it causes any undo stress on anything except maybe the breaker bar.

Dave

Reply to
spamTHISbrp

I've heard of that working. Not a bad idea. That would work to get the bolt off, but I'd still have to lockup the engine to re-torque it. I've also heard of the "stuff a cylinder with nylon rope" approach to deal with the crank pulley.

I've got a flywheel lock I've used on a few cars so I guess I'll try that to keep the engine from turning while I apply my luckiest socket/breaker bar ... just that I hate scrambling underneath cars on my back in a garage.

Reply to
Ken

I only have a driveway and it's freaking cold out there so when my small impact gun wouldn't touch the bolt in my crank I gave up and took it to a garage. (have a free tow with CAA) He charged me $60.00 to replace my harmonic balancer.

I had visions of shrapnel flying if I used the breaker bar and starter, so I didn't.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build Photos:
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Reply to
Mike Romain

lol, but the Honda engine in question rotates THE OTHER WAY. So, if it doesn't snap it off, then all you've done is really really really tightened it up good.

Reply to
Ray

Certainly something I've been known to do in *my* garage. Where no Hondas are allowed (unless they've been recycled into soda cans) by the way.

Reply to
Steve

Having done it many times, I can say that its a lot less exciting than people seem to think it is. All you hear is the normal sound of the starter engaging, and when you go check the bolt... its loose.

Reply to
Steve

I was thinking of exploding sockets or snapped breaker bar ends....

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build Photos:
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Reply to
Mike Romain

What I did when faced with this problem was take some rope and non-skid material (shelf stuf in the RV section at Wally) and about 3 feet of 2x4. I wrapped some non-skid stuf around the pulley, then mixed non-skid and rope together for a number of tight wraps, then tied the rope to the end of a 2x4 lever braced on the other end against the block and tied the rope to a hook on the fender well.

If I needed more grip, I would have put a come-along on the rope instead of hooking to fender.

Be good to degrease the pulley first.

Pete

Reply to
ratatouillerat

That's an old shade tree mechanic trick from way back. Works on many rwd cars with the engine in the front.

Reply to
John S.

I had great luck with the starter motor method on my Geo Metro

3-cylinder engine. (Suzuki design.) The advertized tightening torque was only 81 ft-lbs, yet 150 ft-lbs applied by hand would not budge it. I broke a beautiful Snap-on swivel socket in the process too.

Two bumps with the starter motor, and it was all over. The bolt was finger loose after that.

Tips: (1) You probably want to just bump the starter motor once or twice, not hold it. Even "a second or two" seems too long to me. (2) Use an impact grade socket, not one of your normal chrome sockets. Mine cost only $6 from the local hardware store.

--Dave

Reply to
Dave Allured

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