i have a new opti on the way that will be installed on tuesday so i started taking everything off today....got the intake off, coil, water pump, and drained all the anti freeze out...but now i cant get the damn crankshaft pulley off...the 3 5/8" bolts on the front wont budge...i used an air ratchet to try and loosen them...didnt work...and i tried a torque bar...but that along with a regular ratchet result in the pulley spinning....how can i stop the pulley from spinning and also wut can i use to loosen up the bolts on the front?

 

Put your transmission in a high gear. That should keep the engine from turning. Use a six point socket and a breaker bar. Some PB Blaster may be needed if there is much rust.

 

got the bolts off...the 3 on the front and the 4th center one...now how to i get the pulley off without using a puller because i dont have one??

 

Pulley looks like this right now...all the bolts are out..but it wont budge...how do i remove it without a puller?...if thats possible..

 

not possible.........lol j/k You need a claw puller to grip on the outside of the pulley.

 

I need an opti replacement soon and was hoping i could get the pully off without a puller also, but the chances are slim, unless you spend hours tapping it with a hammer and alot of pblaster. It sucks paying $30 for a tool you only need to use once

 

put the serpintine belt on, and start the engine if u can...

not saying its the best way, but its a way i accidently discovered while arguing w/ a stupid "ase" certified mechanic. it ended up w/ me in my parking lot, w/ my pulley rolling down the parking lot. but it was off the hub.

 

I have to use a puller to remove mine. I'm not going to beat it up with a hammer and risk damaging it.

 

You can get the pulley off without a puller. The hub stay on, the pulley comes off. The center section (where that big bolt is in the middle) stays on, just tap on the outsides of the pulley from the back and it will come off..

 

ok well my dad (who i talked to for the first time this morning since beginning this project....) happens to have a 3 claw puller...so ill just use that...but i can leave that center bolt in for the hub right???

 

Yes, you can leave the hub bolt in. You can also use a normal balancer puller to remove the pulley. That is what the 3 smaller threaded holes between the spokes of the pulley are for.

 

yeah i put the center hub bolt back on and use that 3-bolt balancer puller and got it off...then got the opti off...thanks for all ur help guys!!

 

I have always been able to get mine off by hand, with finesse.

 

i would definitely not be able to get it off by hand...i hooked up my puller and cranked it with a socket wrench..and wen it got to the point of coming off it made a loud pop noise bc it had been on so tight...maybe if i go to take it off next time for a new cam or sumthin it will be easier and ill get it off by hand..

 

What I did after the first time taking it off was clean the hub snout and the inside of the pulley with a little 400 grit sandpaper. Just enough to get the rust and gunk out. Then I cleaned it out and applied some anti-seize. Comes off easy now.