Balancer Bolt Stuck
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 720
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From: TEWKSBURY MA
Balancer Bolt Stuck
I cant get the balancer bolt loose. I just had maggie installed. I tryed to get bolt loose with inpact gun but no luck. Any secrets to get it loose? I read that you can put a screwdriver in flywheel and kick breaker bar to free bolt? Or heat balancer bolt with propane torch? Not sure what to do. Any one had this problem?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 0
From: Troy MI
If I remember correctly it took a breaker bar and a pipe to get mine off for the cam swap. Your talking about the harmonic balancer off the crank right? If it's a stick it has to be in gear with someone holding down the brake. I'm not sure what the proceedure is for an auto.
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Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,275
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver WA
I just did my auto. You need two things to get it off. A propane torch to losen up the locktite, and at least 120 psi of air pressure and a 1/2 inch impact wrench. It may still take a few seconds to get it to start turning with that. But it's the easiest way.
Putting it back in you will need to lock the flywheel. Also I went and rented a 3/4" drive 500 ft/lb. torque wrench that had a 41" long handle. Also I would suggest to use a installer which is a long hardened threaded stud that you screw in the crankshaft, and you tighten the balancer on with a nut, instead of using a bolt. It will save your crankshaft threads.
Here is pics of the tool I made if you want to see what it looks like. It's a little different than the one GM uses. I had to sort of guess at the dimensions because I couldn't get an accurate measurment under the car with headers on and the starter dangling right next to the opening, so I had to make it adjustable. But it seemed to work.
Putting it back in you will need to lock the flywheel. Also I went and rented a 3/4" drive 500 ft/lb. torque wrench that had a 41" long handle. Also I would suggest to use a installer which is a long hardened threaded stud that you screw in the crankshaft, and you tighten the balancer on with a nut, instead of using a bolt. It will save your crankshaft threads.
Here is pics of the tool I made if you want to see what it looks like. It's a little different than the one GM uses. I had to sort of guess at the dimensions because I couldn't get an accurate measurment under the car with headers on and the starter dangling right next to the opening, so I had to make it adjustable. But it seemed to work.
Last edited by RED99; Jul 20, 2006 at 01:25 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 818
Likes: 0
From: The Nether Region IL
fyi, if you have a manual and have the parking brake on and the car in 5th or 6th gear and your motor is still turning over, you may have a clutch issue. The same thing happened to me- I'll find out tomorrow on the dyno (and the way home) how bad my clutch issue is.
You can lock the flywheel- and you'll have to in order to get the new bolt in because your motor will continue to turn over during the installation.
FYI for removal, we hit min with a 1/2 inch gun for about a minute before it started to come out. Air pressure was around 100psi I believe.
You can lock the flywheel- and you'll have to in order to get the new bolt in because your motor will continue to turn over during the installation.
FYI for removal, we hit min with a 1/2 inch gun for about a minute before it started to come out. Air pressure was around 100psi I believe.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 134
From: merritt island fl
C1 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
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Originally Posted by RED99
I just did my auto. You need two things to get it off. A propane torch to losen up the locktite, and at least 120 psi of air pressure and a 1/2 inch impact wrench. It may still take a few seconds to get it to start turning with that. But it's the easiest way.
Putting it back in you will need to lock the flywheel. Also I went and rented a 3/4" drive 500 ft/lb. torque wrench that had a 41" long handle. Also I would suggest to use a installer which is a long hardened threaded stud that you screw in the crankshaft, and you tighten the balancer on with a nut, instead of using a bolt. It will save your crankshaft threads.
Here is pics of the tool I made if you want to see what it looks like. It's a little different than the one GM uses. I had to sort of guess at the dimensions because I couldn't get an accurate measurment under the car with headers on and the starter dangling right next to the opening, so I had to make it adjustable. But it seemed to work.
Putting it back in you will need to lock the flywheel. Also I went and rented a 3/4" drive 500 ft/lb. torque wrench that had a 41" long handle. Also I would suggest to use a installer which is a long hardened threaded stud that you screw in the crankshaft, and you tighten the balancer on with a nut, instead of using a bolt. It will save your crankshaft threads.
Here is pics of the tool I made if you want to see what it looks like. It's a little different than the one GM uses. I had to sort of guess at the dimensions because I couldn't get an accurate measurment under the car with headers on and the starter dangling right next to the opening, so I had to make it adjustable. But it seemed to work.
What a jewel of a tool!
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,275
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver WA
Originally Posted by dave pawlowski
WOW!
What a jewel of a tool!
What a jewel of a tool!
I didn't care if it was ugly, as long as it worked. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,364
Likes: 1
From: Rugby North Dakota
Originally Posted by RED99
I made it from a piece of angle iron and a 3/4 x 3/4 steel bar about 1-1/2" long. I didn't care if it was ugly, as long as it worked.
I didn't care if it was ugly, as long as it worked. 