200tdi Crankshaft pulley... LH or RH Thread ???

RH

take care Pantelis

On or around Thu, 03 Feb 2005 12:31:00 +0000, Jon enlightened us thusly:

right hand and 'kin tight.

the technique that worked on the 300 TDi was as follows: Fit extra heavy duty socket to bolt, fit big swivel bar to bolt, turn engine clockwise (facing towards it) until the handle of the swivel is about 1" above the chassis rail. Turn key to operate starter, while at the same time praying to any deities you acknowledge.

The first attempt was using an inferior quality swivel handle, this broke.

if you know someone with a rattle gun (aka air impact wrench) then that's probably a better plan.

I myself used the following approach to remove the crank pulley bolt on my 2.5n/a:

- drain and remove oil pan (had a leak in it so needed to remove it anyway to replace the seal)

- jam a piece of 2x4 between the crankshaft journal and the engine block

- use a proper 6 point socket and 3/4" extension handle, with a 3-4 foot pipe extension

- pull with all your might and eventually the bolt will loosen with a cracking sound

If you don't feel like removing the oil pan, another way is:

- remove starter

- jam very large screwdriver (or end of crowbar) into the teeth of the flywheel

- use a proper 6 point socket and 3/4" extension handle, with a 3-4 foot pipe extension

- pull with all your might and eventually the bolt will loosen with a cracking sound

You can use the reverse to re-tighten after you're done, though have to make sure you get enough torque on it so bolt will not loosen (use loctite on the bolt threads). In my case, I retightened using the 2x4 trick, but had to disassemble because I had made an error in my timing belt replacement, and removed the starter to re-tighten (didn't feel like taking off the oil pan a second time!).

Using the starter to loosen it was not something I wanted to risk (though I know a lot of people do it), and I didn't have an impact gun, so used good old leverage and elbow grease.

Good luck. --Robert

Either that or the block will crack - I've seen it done, on a V8, which is ally as opposed to cast iron/steel!

My preferred method, with a block between the heel of the drive and the front crossmember, to prevent it jumping off. It works.

Only impact airgun I've ever came across that could loosen these damn bolts was a 1" drive thingy that weighed a ton, fed by a 3/4" bore airline!!!

Badger.

Thanks for all the replies...

Thanks. Jon