Timing Belt Pulley - Difficulty Removing

[ekopel]

Hey boys,
So I am trying to pull my heads off to make sure I didn't fuck them up at all when I threw a rod.

My first problem, surprisingly, is that I can not seem to get the timing belt pulley off. I have seen that you can put two bolts into the rear cover, I saw one guy using two crescent wrenches, and i bought a 15" wrench, biggest one I could find, and am using a breaker bar. The thing just does not want to come off! I soaked it in penetrating fluid also, so it has been sitting for almost 24 hours being penetrated.

ANY ideaS?

P.S. 1MZFE - and motor is still in engine bay for now.

[nukem678]

Have you tried an impact wrench? See if you can get the biggest one possible. They have electric ones too. Thats your best bet.

[BMR]

A shade tree mechanic's method I've read about, but never tried, is to use the starter to break it loose. Put a socket and breaker bar on the nut, brace it somehow in the engine bay, and give the starter a couple of pops.

Edit: Of course the ignition system needs to be disabled somehow. Ya don't want it starting up and have a breaker bar flailing around!

[new echo owner]

Try one of this with your breaker bar: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017I3E98?...0&linkCode=asn. It fits right into the cam gear to hold it in place.

How long of a breaker bar are you using? Anything shorter than a 24", you might want to put a pipe on it.

N.E.O.

[kegunder]

I've used the method BMR mentioned. The bar will hit the control arm near the front side. Put a towel or something to absorb the impact.

And one slight tweak of the starter is all that is needed. Don't let anyone watch it happen, stuff might fly off.

[ekopel]

I ended up pulling the two intake cams and then pulling the two exhaust cams with the seals and inner timing belt cover together lol. Not correct way to do it, but it worked, and I really don't need to take them apart for any reason. lol

[new echo owner]

You were talking about the cam gears, right? Because, the others seem to be suggesting ways to take off the crank pulley.

Well, eventually you need to remove the gears to replace the cam seals, otherwise, you might take the chance of having leaking seals.

N.E.O.

[ekopel]

Yeah, good catch. Didn't even realize that. Well I am going to just get a whole new bottom end, so I wont have to pull off the crank pulley (thank god). but yeah, I obviously will have to remove the gears, but it will also be much easier since it is now out of the car. I much just use a vice, considering not even my 12" crescent wrench and a breaker bar can get it off.

[new echo owner]

Now that it is out of the car, you can use an impact on them.

Depending on how the lower end comes, you still might have to pull some of the parts off from the old block. And it would actually be easier to pull the block if the crank pulley is off, give you a little more room to work with between the block and the frame rail.

N.E.O.

[ekopel]

IMO - I can barely fit a deep socket in between the motor and engine bay... If its a problem, then I will have to do the obvious, god I love TN and how helpful people are.

I am going to use the impact wrench for sure on those cam gears now that i think bout it.

[new echo owner]

You will be surprised how much difference without the crank pulley makes. Keep us posted if you have any other questions, someone will bound to give you some suggestion.

Be careful with the impact wrench on the cam gear, you don't want to damage the cam, have someone keep a steady hold on all the parts.

N.E.O.

[dudutzu]

Originally Posted by new echo owner

You will be surprised how much difference without the crank pulley makes. Keep us posted if you have any other questions, someone will bound to give you some suggestion.

Be careful with the impact wrench on the cam gear, you don't want to damage the cam, have someone keep a steady hold on all the parts.

N.E.O.

I know this thread is really old but I'm thinking about replacing the camshaft seals soon and wanted to make sure I don't do anything stupid,
why not use the impact wrench on the cam gear? or you can use it as long as something is holding it from moving?
also I'm gonna replace the timing belt too, will the timing belt hold the cam gear enough to get the bolt loose or is gonna slip?

[esvipron]

Originally Posted by BMR

A shade tree mechanic's method I've read about, but never tried, is to use the starter to break it loose. Put a socket and breaker bar on the nut, brace it somehow in the engine bay, and give the starter a couple of pops.

Edit: Of course the ignition system needs to be disabled somehow. Ya don't want it starting up and have a breaker bar flailing around!

Just brace it around against the suspension, and if you have somebody to hold it—at the same time—from distance with a piece of 2x4 much better. It’ll work.