[John Oh]

It is 100% likely on the exhaust stroke though, the other top dead center

It couldn't happen on going up in compression stroke when feeding the rope, both valves will be closed. Only on going down..and it's going up. I've not been worried about the valves and they haven't been worried about it either. It just works..

 

[DCM]

Yeah the rope trick is almost as old as dirt, definitely nothing new or TikTok-ish.

 

[MIflyer]

For my 1997 Celica I made a tool from a short length of 2X4. It has a large hole in the middle and a smaller hole on either side so I can access the pulley bolt. When turning the pulley bolt the 2X4 comes around, jams against the side of the engine compartment and holds the pulley still to allow torque to be applied. The two smaller holes allow a duckfoot puller to be used by screwing the bolts into the threaded holes. Easy, foolproof, and material cost is just about zero.

 

[corollacoaster]

It couldn't happen on going up in compression stroke when feeding the rope, both valves will be closed. Only on going down..and it's going up. I've not been worried about the valves and they haven't been worried about it either. It just works..

Yes, it does work. Solids don't compress.

 

[DCM]

My preferred method is to empty a can of spam bit by bit down into the cylinder, with the engine on the compression stroke. When I'm finished the job, I remove the spark plug and crank it over, and watch the geyser of spam rocket out from under the hood.

 

[corollacoaster]

My preferred method is to empty a can of spam bit by bit down into the cylinder, with the engine on the compression stroke. When I'm finished the job, I remove the spark plug and crank it over, and watch the geyser of spam rocket out from under the hood.

That must be intriguing to watch. I'd rather eat the spam. I have no appetite for rope. What did you clean the spark plug with?

 

[Techsus]

Don't forge ahead until immersing yourself in this seminal masterpiece. It was my guide last year to R&R my Timing Belt, kudos to L35 in Colorado, who posts a handy Index below the Video too: Torques are specified, along w/ Tools, Tips, comprehensively:

 

[dpholeinmickey]

You said this a Honda. Long time mechanic. It either comes the first or second try with the impact or it's heat. Don't worry about the harmonic, have a spray bottle of water handy to keep it cool. Don't worry about the oil seal, you are going to replace it. Make sure the seal you buy, if not from Honda, Felpro is brown rubber. Lasts forever. For heat and it sounds like you do all your own work for ever get a Miniductor, watch the vids. Worth it's weight in gold. Heat the bolt up until it the head is starting to glow, let it cool. Repeat 2 times. Keep the harmonic cool. The heat softens the Locktite. Bolt will come out. No need to replace, use blue Locktite. I did many of these.

 

[Elle_Rav4]

-- From experience and the service manual, Loctite (or any equivalent) is not used on 1990s Toyota harmonic balancer bolts. I have never used Loctite on any of my three Honda Civics (multiple TB changes) or my 1998 Toyota Rav4. The HB bolt never loosened. Edit: As well, if Loctite is used, then when tightening the bolt the Loctite acts as a lubricant on the threads. The bolt when torqued to the spec of 80 ft-lbs, will be overtorqued and overtensioned. The Toyota spec of 80 ft-lbs assumes a dry, unlubricated bolt.

-- Edit: The 1990s Honda Civic service manuals actually expressly direct that oil (not Loctite) be applied to the threads of the pulley bolt when re-installing the bolt.

-- Using other reports on the net, I experimented with a 2x4 for tightening down the bolt. I drilled holes appropriately. I used higher strength bolts for fastening the 2x4 to the pulley. The 2x4 was iffy. I broke one 2x4 at one point. I quickly abandoned the 2x4 idea. It's not worth the "iffiness." Maybe the 80 ft-lbs of torque is pushing it for the stress limit of 2x4, unless maybe one uses pressure treated 2x4? Dunno. I eventually built my own pulley holder tool from steel scrap parts I had laying around. From experience, use at least metric Class 10.9 bolts. Sometimes even those bend when freeing the HB. If the DIY tool is going to be used a lot, Class 12.9 is likely the best choice.

-- The video Techsus linked has an excellent example of a DIY pulley holder tool, starting at about 15:00. (Remember that the harmonic balancer and its bolt are the same on the 3SFE engine and the OP's 5SFE engine.)

 

[norm356]

Very clever! (linked video in post #27 above, at 15min). A pipe flange, some strip stock steel and a drill to make holes that match the holes in the pulley, with a pair of M8x1.25 bolts to hold it:

The center hole just has to be large enough for the socket:

 

[Techsus]

SUMMARY: For 2023 Timing Belt R&R, I bought all OEM factory Toyota parts, incl. new $289.58Harmonic Balancer

FYI: Some misguided soul installed a rotten aftermarket Harmonic Balancer (HB) on my '98 RAV4, which I discovered when attempting to remove it for 2023's Timing Belt R&R (Remove & Replace). The Jaw Puller I employed first for this onerous task BROKE pieces of metal from the edges of this miscreant HB. To correct this mess, bought a new OEM Factory Toyota Harmonic Balancer ("Engine Crankshaft Pulley" PN #13408-74031) despite the cost $289.58*. Why? Because this aftermarket POJ ("Piece of Junk"!!!) was:

• Brittle, and as noted, cracked upon removal attempt
• Slightly (in my opinion) too tight on the axle, making it even more difficult to remove
• IDIOTICALLY, its threaded "removal tool" holes were (also) too small-- requiring another trip to Lowes to find bolts that would fit

In short, a lesson to all-- Aftermarket (sometimes cheaper) parts aren't always "cheaper" when they cost much additional 1/ Grief 2/ Labor 3/ Time. Ages ago I decided to pay "a little extra" for what are reliable, sturdy true-fit OEM (Toyota, Denso, Aisin) parts. Which, nowadays, aren't much more expensive than crummy don't-quite-fit-but-look-like-they-should-fit CHINESIUM aftermarket junk.

Thus, the translation of the adage: "DEVIL: 'Pay me now or pay me later.'"

*Ordered from Springhill Toyota online parts, Free Shipping on $75+ Orders, no Sales Tax, excellent Customer Service

Genuine Toyota Parts and Accessories: Official Online Store Springhill Toyota

Find genuine Toyota parts and accessories that fit your Toyota. Your source for everything from batteries and floor mats to body panels and engine gaskets.

autoparts.springhilltoyota.com

 

[John Oh]

Perhaps you should have removed it with the bolts in the first place..

 

[Techsus]

@John Oh
"Perhaps you should have removed it with the bolts in the first place.."

Surely it would have been of great assistance had you been there to oversee the project. However, as you were absent, you didn't notice Iteration-#01 did involve attempting to remove w/ the bolts in the first place. As noted, aftermarket-junk-HB's bolts holes were too small for anything in the Kit. Moved on to Iteration-#02, Jaw Puller, as noted. The elegant solution is genuine OEM Toyota parts.

 

[norm356]

Lesson learned: never try to use a jaw puller on a ribbed belt pulley, use the threaded holes provided for that purpose (with appropriately sized fasteners to fit them).

I have seen OEM pulleys chip and crack when jaw pullers were used. Even had experienced mechanics say, "its fine", but not willing to risk losing a timing belt because of the chips.

 

[John Oh]

@John Oh
"Perhaps you should have removed it with the bolts in the first place.."

Surely it would have been of great assistance had you been there to oversee the project. However, as you were absent, you didn't notice Iteration-#01 did involve attempting to remove w/ the bolts in the first place. As noted, aftermarket-junk-HB's bolts holes were too small for anything in the Kit. Moved on to Iteration-#02, Jaw Puller, as noted. The elegant solution is genuine OEM Toyota parts.

If treated nicely all problems can be resolved. Genuine parts prove a problem too, as they are much more expensive and can create similar problems as you so literarily describe. The cost is the problem. The part was working until you removed it. That's no big deal. So maybe you did need my help.

 

[Habanero64]

I used an impact wrench to remove and ended up using it to reinstall, first at the 10ft-lb setting, then at the middle setting just for a second It's a 300ft-lb wrench (M12 stubby) so I doubt that I overtightened it. I suspect that most people and mechanics do it this way. It's so much simpler than using specialized tools to hold the crankshaft. And if you work on your car enough to replace a TB you should probably invest in a decent cordless impact. They're not that expensive and save you so much time and trouble.

 

[Habanero64]

I am hearing that the high torque 1/2" m18 is popular with people who do this for a living. The Car Wizard on YouTube tells viewers that this tool effectively replaces the need for a high-flow air compressor in his shop.

There is the Torque Test Channel on YouTube where they reviewed a $1400 Milwakee Tool mid-torque model, and they answer the question, who is going to spend $1400 on an impact wrench.

Apparently techs who set up solar panels commercially are "a thing." This high-end impact wrench is also a torque wrench in that it has a fancy torque-limiting feature for when you have to spend your working day putting in a lot of bolts to a torque spec. Maybe not as accurate as a proper torque wrench, it is worth every penny to these installers who can install bolts with impact speed and near torque wrench accuracy.

Wouldn't it be neat to have one of those for tightening the harmonic balancer bolt without having to stabilize the pulley against turning, either with a harmonic balancer tool or with the stuffed and folded old alternator belt method?

I'm sure that it's nice but for most car tasks it's probably overkill. Lots of people swear by the M12 stubby which is officially 300ft-lb but likely goes a bit over that, and there are few fasteners on most cars that it can't take off. For those you'd need a breaker/cheater or a mid torque. I doubt that there's anything on a car that it can't remove, unless it's seriously seized or rusted, and if that's the case a high torque wrench could well break off the head.

 

[John Oh]

I used an impact wrench to remove and ended up using it to reinstall, first at the 10ft-lb setting, then at the middle setting just for a second It's a 300ft-lb wrench (M12 stubby) so I doubt that I overtightened it. I suspect that most people and mechanics do it this way. It's so much simpler than using specialized tools to hold the crankshaft. And if you work on your car enough to replace a TB you should probably invest in a decent cordless impact. They're not that expensive and save you so much time and trouble.

What the impact wrench didn't work, due to the balancer dampening the blows, I used the rope on cuclinder method. It worked using a longer than normal socket wrench. It was nice and tight. The pulley came of easily. Sometimes the pulley isn't so easy, so heating it can give you that extra expansion. There should be NO need for a puller to break things. An experienced mechanic knows when that situation is reached..

 

[Habanero64]

What the impact wrench didn't work, due to the balancer dampening the blows, I used the rope on cuclinder method. It worked using a longer than normal socket wrench. It was nice and tight. The pulley came of easily. Sometimes the pulley isn't so easy, so heating it can give you that extra expansion. There should be NO need for a puller to break things. An experienced mechanic knows when that situation is reached..

Worked for me, on a '92 Camry 2.2L 4cyl. A more powerful impact would surely have worked for you too. What impact did you use? And are you taking the opportunity to replace the water pump as well?

 

[John Oh]

That must be intriguing to watch. I'd rather eat the spam. I have no appetite for rope. What did you clean the spark plug with?

He used a toothbrush. It's now sparkling clean. Or should that be sparking clean..