Will compressed air do the trick??
 

Does anybody know if putting compressed air into one cylinder with an air line and fitting will be sufficient to lock the engine in an auto while I change the harmonic balancer?
I have had a few Grr:banghead: moments in the last few days, 1st I need to raise the front slightly to clear my new wheel tyre combo so I have got new springs for this and bushes/ball joints for the A arms while I'm in there. Tach started to fluctuate and turns out the tach drive in the dist is buggered. While I'm setting the timing before pulling the dist I find the harmonic balancer has spun:ack:

I've never had to lock the motor to change the balancer, I use a puller, and then an installer to remove and replace. The last time I did it the driveshaft wasn't even installed.

:ack:
IF USING A IMPACT GUN YES, IF NOT IT'S IFFY, WITH A STICK PUT THE CAR IN 4TH GEAR AND SET THE PARKING BRAKE. USUALLY WORKS. (DON'T HANMMER IN GEAR) USE BREAKER BAR. (EASE OF REMOVAL DEPENDS ON RUST/COROSION)
SORRY TO HEAR YOU HAD SUCH BAD LUCK, SOUNDS LIKE MY WEEK..:crazy2:

Air probably will not hold it alone. Pull the dust cover off the trans and use a big prybar/screwdriver to wedge the flexplate.

if you have air why not use a impact gun?

With all the possible options, that's your choice?

:iagree: Not a hard job but you are going to have to lock the motor up to torque it back down to the proper spec. Park or in gear works.....

Yup, sounds like the missus will have to crawl under the car with the prybar to lock the flex plate while I do the front (hence my thinking about locking with air). This is an auto remember so can't put in 4th and lock with the brakes!
I will give the impact gun a crack though (forgot about that) but not keen on trying to torque it back up that way! Only 60lb ft what could possibly go wrong:-) Doesn't look too corroded but wont be certain till the fan shroud is out of the way.

You usually have to pull the radiator to use an impact. If not you are stuck with a breaker bar.

Park??????
 

Grant,

Park locks the transmission output shaft and prevents it from rotating, but it won't stop the engine from turning. Just saying.........

Regards from Down Under. :cheers:

aussiejohn

you can also put a rope into the sparkplug hole until the cylinder is full, then you can compress it ;) you won´t be able to turn the engine anymore.

Beat me to it. :D

Make yourself, or find one at one of the cheapo tool stores, a strap wrench. Wrap it around the balancer a few times, then tighten it up by tieing it off onto something, then turning the balancer with a wrench. Eventually the strap will get tight around the balancer, and the bolt SHOULD come lose. The hardest part is figuring out which way to wrap the strap so that it will tighten while turning the balancer. An old tie down strap should work fine.

Good idea, sounds easier than filling the cylinder with rope but I'm up for that as well. Probably the worst part of this job is getting the fan shroud out of the way. I hate pulling the radiator, I've had to do it twice so will try anything to avoid that job again.

How hard is it to fill a cylinder with rope? Well, you do have to remove a spark plug or two. Just don't do it a TDC. The piston will go up and compress the rope and absolutely stop.