Easy solution to removing lower pulley bolt

[DanTheCobraMan]

Well, after reading all the advice from this board and trying all of it, nothing would work. The SOB would not break loose whatsoever. So, something dawned on me during my struggles. Why not use the same method I use to break the coolant crossover tube nipple loose, which is.. HEAT!! So, I ran down to Harbor Freight and purchased a heat gun which just happened to be on sell for only $9.00, plus the accessory kit which included an attachment to funnel the air. I also purchased one of their 25" 1/2" breaker bars.

So I put the heat gun on at full power and sandwiched it between the pulley and bracket and just let it sit there with the heat directed right at the crank pulley, for about 10 minutes. I then attempted to break it loose, and whadoyaknow... The SOB be came off like BUTTA!!! WITH ONE HAND!!!

So there you go guys, an easier way to accomplish this seemingly impossible task.

 

[Tractionless1]

In that case it seems as if it may be lock-tited from the factory.

 

[wjurls]

In that case it seems as if it may be lock-tited from the factory.

There isn't any locktite used. It is simply poor physics. The threaded portion is about 2 inches in diameter and you only have a 14mm hex socket. The leverage is all to the pulley's advantage. Same concept applies with the drive shaft to rear diff bolts.

 

[spdfrkFL]

PB Blaster works great to aid the process also.

 

[DanTheCobraMan]

PB blaster was one of the other methods I used, but it still wouldn't budge. I was even lifting the car up when using a jack to push up on the breaker bar from underneath. Once the front end was in the air, I got me and a buddy and started jumping up and down on the front of the car. Still wouldn't budge. I did this trick, and it came off with a pull of my right hand.

 

[wjurls]

A disclaimer is probably in order that using a heat gun probably won't hurt anything but you need to be careful and not use a torch to try to speed the process up or else you risk distorting the front main seal. The seal sits in the timing cover right behind the dampner. That would for sure cause a nasty leak!

 

[MaximumVelocity]

A disclaimer is probably in order that using a heat gun probably won't hurt anything but you need to be careful and not use a torch to try to speed the process up or else you risk distorting the front main seal. The seal sits in the timing cover right behind the dampner. That would for sure cause a nasty leak!

Meh, if the seal handles the inherent heat of the motor in the crank area, the indirect heat from the gun should be ok. Puttting a flame from a torch is a different story.

BOT, another thing that helps after heating is to spray the bolt with a computer keyboard duster upside down. This will freeze the bolt. The thermal shock can usually help break seized bolts loose.

 

[SVTkel]

I used my floor jack to break the lower loose. Unreal how tight it was.

 

[DanTheCobraMan]

Tried that, but it just lifted the car off the ground.

 

[WOMACK03]

I used a 5' cheater pipe on my breaker bar. Worked like a champ also.
It sounds like yours was way

 

[WOMACK03]

.....double post......

 

[jlauth]

Seems like a good idea, because a heatgun wont mess parts up like a torch would.

 

[DanTheCobraMan]

Ya, mine was very tight for some reason. I also used a cheater bar over the breaker bar, but still the car would just lift up. I even got on top of the front of the car and jumped up and down and still wouldn't budge. The heat gun worked wonders and yes, I think it is A LOT safer than a torch. Not that a torch would be effective, but I would hate to deform any parts down there. The heat gun gets up to about 1500 deg on high setting, but it is just air, not a flame so I think it is completely safe.