[gregwilkerson]

Sorry for the newbie question, but I don't want to break something. I need to get the harmonic balancer off a '70 302 engine I'm rebuilding. The engine is on an engine stand (now, you probably know where I am going with this). The heads are off, intake is off, lifters are out, flywheel is off, etc. Anyway, I'm getting nowhere because the engine just spins right along.

I tried to wedge a screwdriver in between the heads of the flywheel bolts and pinch it up against the engine stand frame, but bent the heck out of my screwdriver (I did bend it back). I may be able to get a pry bar in there the same way I had the screw driver, but I'm leary of breaking a flywheel bolt.

I don't have an impact wrench, but I'm not opposed to going out and getting one :sun:.

A friend suggested putting a piece of wood in one of the cylinders, bolting the head back on, and using that to keep the engine from turning.

Makes sense to me, but I'm a little green at this and don't want to break something. Is there anything I need to be concerned about? Maybe I'm being too gentle with this.

Thanks,

Greg Wilkerson

 

[Bad69cat]

Chunk - o - wood will work. You can use it with the head on or put it in such that the crank will pin it against the block. I don't like using the flywheel because the teeth are more fragile than you think and the plate can get bent easily. They do make a simple tool that uses the teeth though - kinda looks like a a half moon shape

 

[c7xr7]

Hmm, are these reverse threaded? I can't recall...

 

[Local Hero]

No not reverse threaded. But this is definitely a job for an impact. Besides, it's just a tool that you should have in your arsenal if you're going to be working on this stuff.

 

[clanceman427]

hmm, you say flywheel but more accurately is it a flexplate? As in Automatic transmission? The reason I ask is that with a flex plate, you can quickly reinstall the flexplate, and then use a large piece of pipe or prybar or whatever will lay across a hole in the flexplate and butt up against the oil pan rail as you go to unbolt the balancer. My guess is that you have a flexplate (and thus auto trans) because you tried to do the same idea on the bolt heads, i think the bolt heads are sunk into a manual trans flywheel, making what you did un-possible. (sorry long day my engrish getting blaaadddd.....)

 

[lopingkitty]

you can make a tool out of steel that uses the holes in the damper to hold it from turning but you may have to grind out a semi-circle for it to fit or offset the holes to get at the center bolt. either way, if you make it long enough you can hold onto it and then loosen the center bolt.

 

[gregwilkerson]

Thanks all. I tried the wooden block in the cylinder thing. That's not going to work. All the pushing and pulling on the breaker bar and I almost turned over the engine stand. I have to agree with "Local Hero". It's time for a new tool! It's not like I won't find another use for an impact wrench. Whoo-Hooo!

 

[simon]

Howdy Greg,

I don't really like impact wrenches, but sometimes there may be no other alternative.

I was in your shoes once, too (including the part of almost flipping the engine on its stand). Ever since, I kept the engine in the car for balancer removal, and chose to stuff something inside some cylinder at bottom dead center, like the ubiquitous block of wood (a used FL-1A or equivalent worked well too, when I didn't have to worry about anything on a complete rebuild w/ overbore) when I had the heads off already, or stuffing in as much nylon rope as possible through the spark plug hole when the heads where still attached.

I also found sometimes, a breaker bar offers barely enough leverage. Some of those balancer bolts are on incredibly tight (like with a capital "T")

Good luck,

Simon

 

[gregwilkerson]

One last follow up. I put an impact wrench on it for 6 sessions of about 10 seconds each (had to let the compressor catch up). It still didn't seem like it was budging. So, I put the breaker bar back on and, wha-la, it starting turning. Nice! So, I guess the impact wrench did me some good. So, now I have the balancer off and a new impact wrench and sockets and extensions! Vic-to-ry!

 

[cougarrand]

Pull a spark plug put a section of rope it to the cylinder. Piston will only move so far than it will stop. Remove bolt.

 

[clanceman427]

To combat flipping the stand, orient the breaker bar at 9 oclock so you're pushing mainly down to loosen.

 

[FatCouger]

harbor friight, electric impact $29, done