Pin the crank Help!

2000 C5 stock motor. Is the bolt on the crank that holds the harmonic reverse threaded? Because it sure is hard to get off it wont budge. Suggestions?

 

It is 250 lbft from the factory.

Get a nice impact wrench or a LONG breaker bar.

I would suggest something about 5' long... SERIOUSLY.

Should break loose. Otherwise a little heat will do the trick. Sometimes I have had to heat them a bit then use the BAS on them.

 

Nope not reverse threaded. I had to use a 1/2 drive cheater bar to get my first one loose. It wasnt easy but it will pop loose for ya. The bolts had sealent on the end from the factory so that has to break free first. Good Luck

 

Poor breaker bar in my case

 

i hit mine with my impact

 

What do you guys use to torque these back down? Is it at 250ftlb ?

 

I used an impact gun cranked up to 120 psi... and even that had trouble. It's 24mm btw... or 15/16" will work too - just a tad bit more snug -which isn't necessarily a bad thing, less chance of slipping. Actually I used 15/16 since my impact and regular socket set did not have 24mm . Putting it back on is a whole different story. Since you aren't moving the pulley you can skip a few steps.

1. Get new balancer bolt.
2. Torque to 37 lb/ft.
3. Then go an additional 140 degrees.

Don't stress out over the 140 degrees though. I put all my ***** into it and only got about 110-120 or so. The guy who wrote LS1Howto said he only gets an additional 90-100 so... yeah. I think at 140 degrees the bolt would snap or something. I used 1/2 drive breaker bar that was probably a good 20 inches long with a 3 foot cheater bar... Good luck

 

Thanks for the replies. What about keeping the motor from turning while braking that loose? put it in 1st gear and hold the brake?

 

Put it in high gear. Not low.

Getting mine off, I use a 1/2" impact, and it took about a minute before it stater to break loose. Heat will help break the factory loctite.

I went to a tool rental place and rented a 500 ft/lb torque wrench that was 4 foot long for about $20 for the day.

While you are there, this is the perfect time to upgrade that thin LS1/6 timing chain to at least a LS2. And maybe a new oil pump.

 

Heat will help with getting it out.

 

I was actually under my '02 Z06 today tackling (I should say attempting) this very job and I gave up for now. My impact wrench is obviously too weak but when I try the brute-force manual method (leg pushing against the breaker bar), the whole car wants to come off the stands because the rear wheels want to turn as the crank turns. I tried shoving in a couple of screwdrivers in the vent holes of the bellhousing to keep the flywheel from turning, but it didn't work. I have the car in 2nd gear - should I have it in reverse?? I will try heating the bolt if I am not too sore tomorrow.
I thought I was doing well since I didn't even need to pull the rack out all the way! I also didn't feel like buying a $200 700 ft/lb impact.
Oh well...

 

When you get this figured out - please feel free to come down to Northern VA and help me pin my crank

Car will be up on a full rack though.

 

You want at least 4th gear. I used 5th. Make sure the parking brake is tight. You could probably even have someone sit inside the car and apply the brake while you try to take it off.

 

Yes you are correct, 4th gear.

I have a GM flywheel holder but have never had to use it.

Also.. go ahead and spend the $25 and get an ARP Bolt when you put this back together. Don't mess with the GM torque to yield stuff. I just put them back on with some blue loctite and the impact wrench, never have had one come loose. Done more than a dozen of them. This is a pretty short job on a lift, I don't envy you guys doing this on the floor on jack stands...

 

I have a Kwik Lift... It's been worth every penny in my opinion. It's the next best thing to installing a hydraulic one in my garage.

 

Too sore from rolling around on the concrete to make another attempt at the bolt today. Hopefully I'll hit it tomorrow or Wednesday with the car in 5th gear...

 

Well I was able to attack the crank bolt again today. Started with the car in 5th gear but still no luck and the bolt was starting to get the corners worn from so many attempts, so I started to worry.
I decided to try it from up top, rather than under the engine, but having the car in 5th still allowed too much play in the drivetrain, so I put it in 2nd and put ramps in front of the rear wheels. Going at it from the top allowed me to not have to use an extension and to be able to get the leverage I needed. I put a bar around my 17" socket wrench (non-wratcheting) for more leverage, pulled with all my 260lbs, and GOT THAT ^$%#@* BOLT OFF!!!

Still haven't pinned the crank yet, but I did pull the fans out along with that black plastic panel attached to the condensor. Blew out the rad and condensor and got about a half a cup of crap that you couldn't see from just looking at it. Also dropped the cradle and will be installing spacers to lower it in an attempt to keep the stock fans and go over the radiator with my old style Procharger kit.

 

Do yourself a favor. Since you have gone that far, pull the water pump and timing chain cover and put some locktite on the cam bolts. Mine backed out.

 

Thanks for the valid suggestion, but I think I am going to risk it. If I was going to pull the balancer, timing cover, etc., I'd install a new cam while I was in there.

Oh for f@ck's sake, now you've got me thinking I should put a blower cam in there, especially since I have PRC springs, titanium retainers, seats, and hardened pushrods sitting on a shelf (was gonna do a cam before I got the blower deal).

Thanks a lot!!

 

No, you don't need that much.
Since you got the pin, 150 lbs or 160 lbs with some red loctite should be enough.
I read a post here from a really knowledge person

-Mike