Friendly Heads Up - Inner Belt / Stock Lower Pulley Removal and Replacement

[ripnesscobra]

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up on what I ran into over the weekend while replacing my inner drive belt for the first time.

Cliffs:
Check the threads on your crank pulley and stock caged lower pulley assembly before trying to reassemble them. The lead in part of the thread on my crank pulley was messed up and would have ruined all of the aluminum threads on my stock caged lower pulley assembly.

Full Story:
As I was re-installing the stock caged lower pulley assembly, I noticed that it would barely start to thread back onto the crank pulley before it met some resistance. I tried to loosen and thread it back on several more times with the same result.

Since it was late, I decided to give it a little more torque to encourage it to go on. Immediately, I saw an aluminum sliver and knew it was starting to cross thread. I then removed the stock caged lower pulley assembly and inspected both sets of threads. I found that the lead in part of the thread on my crank pulley was messed up which in turn damaged the lead in part of the thread on my stock caged lower pulley assembly.

At that point I decided to go to bed disgusted. When I woke up, I decided to try to fix the threads using a micro file. After about an hour and a whole lot of patience, the threads were fixed. The stock caged lower pulley assembly went on with ease at that point and I was extremely relieved. I am not sure how the damage happened to the crank pulley threads either. This is definitely the first time the stock caged lower pulley assembly has been removed from my car and it un-threaded with ease (after I won the battle and finally broke it free of course).

Question for anyone who has removed their stock caged lower pulley assembly before:
I noticed a brown film on the back threads of the crank pulley (see pictures below) which looked like clean motor oil. I took an alcohol swab to clean it up and only a little transferred onto the swab. I am not sure what it is from so I wanted to ask if any of you had seen that before when removing your stock caged lower pulley assembly? I have had no evidence that the front crank seal is leaking so I hope that is not what it is. Thanks.

 

[svtmemo]

Thanks for posting ripness, I bet it was a big relief when you fixed the threads, and I'm sure many will find this information valueable. I know when I attempt to do this I will be extra careful with the crank pulley and cage set-up. As for the oil on the crank pulley, I'm not sure but could just be normal oil seepage, hopefully someone with experience will step in soon and clear this up for you.

 

[ripnesscobra]

It was definitely a huge relief.

I can't think of any other way for the crank pulley threads to be damaged (given the history of my car) then they were damaged prior to/during original engine assembly. And for that reason someone else may run into this someday. So if this post will help even just one other person then it will be well worth it.

 

[oldmodman]

The brown looking stuff in the threads is the factory applied thread locker.
Whenever I am removing the lower caged pulley for the first time I heat the threads by using a propane torch (not a welding torch) and I place the flame right into the allen socket. Then it comes off with very little drama. I use acetone to clean out the threads before installation. Sometimes I have to use a Dremel tool with a brass brush on it to get the brown crud out.
But I have never had any metal shavings from damaged threads.