Alright, We're replacing a timing cover gasket on my friends '95 Z/28 Automatic. We've got everything pulled off up to the harmonic balancer hub (The part that presses onto the crank snout). At first, not knowing about the ridge inside the hub, we just threw in a nut inside and started on it. Well that got nowhere fast. So we went and tried to follow the Haynes Manual instructions. Had to drive 30 miles each way just to get those 3 Number 8 5/16 x 4 in. and 1 Number 8 5/16 x 4 in. with an allen head bolts and nuts. When we finally got back, we were almost certain that thing was coming off. Set the puller up and started crankin away.. Ended up, we put soo much pressure on the thing that the center bolt of the harmonic balancer puller stripped out! We've asked everyone we know about how to get the thing off, everyone said it shouldn't be taking that much force and they don't really know what else to do. We're certain that the puller is pulling striaght out on the hub. And we know that the puller isn't pressing against itself since we're using that number 8 5/16th allen head bolt inside that thing. And we looked inside to make sure it clears it. So any suggestions? We're almost about to take this thing to a shop but he really can't afford that right now.. So any help would be very helpful! Thanks.

 

I used a 1/4" extended socket inside the hub to make sure nothing is not resting on the hub. Then the harmonic balancer pulley puller is pushing off the socket, not on the hub itself.

 

When you are using a puller the bolt which fits inside the hub bottoms out. Take the puller off, insert a bolt inside the hub and attach the puller again. The bolt you inserted will give the puller something to push on.

 

Sorry, I must not have made myself very clear on that... The number 8 5/16 allen head bolt goes inside the hub all the way to the back of the crank snout, then the point on the center bolt rests inside the allen head of the 5/16 bolt. I am ABSOLUTLEY certain its not pressing against itself since the first time we did it. And before someone mentions this too, Yes we already took the bolt out from the inside of the hub.

 

Has the hub come out any at all? Maybe when the hub came out a little, the bolt wasn't long enough. Then you're pushing off on the hub again. Just throwing out some possibilities.

 

Are you sure the puller was in good shape to begin with?

The allen head bolt should bend before you start stripping threads on the puller...

 

Hey man i had the SAME bitch of a time getting mine off, i spent all day driving around trying to find the GM hub remover that a dealership's would use with no luck. Finally what i did was went and got a 3-claw 1 ton Jaw puller and sure as sh*t that friggin thing finally came off, now my mistake was that the pointy end in the center of the puller fugged up the first 2 or 3 threads in the center of the crank, so my buddy and i had to goto AZ and get a tap & die kit and clean'em up a bit. But now knowing what i do i'd say try to find a fat little nut or something to stick in the center of the hub and use a jaw puller, that way the pointy end won't gring into ur threads!!! its just push up against that nut! And lastly, when u put the new seals (cam and crank) DON'T DO WHAT I DID!!!!!!!!!!!! Put the timing cover on the engine, bolted and torqued down THEN press the seals, i didn't and now i gotta tear mine apart again and replace the timing cover cuz where the bottom part sits in the oil pan gasket, well theres somewhat of a gap now, i tried to silicone it up but it did no good....But Good luck with it PM if u have any questions....

p.s. i HOPe u guys are putting a cam in to while ur at it!

 

ok the center bolt on the hub has to come out and put back in with just a few turns, do not put the center bolt all the way back in you will not have anything to push on...


if this where the hub with the bolt in all the way in it would look like this...

-]

if this where the hub with the bolt in just a few turns it would look like this...

]-

you need the bolt out to have something to push off of...

sorry if you have already done this and you are still not able to get it off...

 

I'm pretty sure that the allen head bolt is long enough. It is 4 inches long.

I don't think the puller was partialy striped before hand. It looked pretty new.

Nope no new cam this time... This is the first motor experience either of us has and funds are short for him. He's just tired of having to drop a quart of oil in it a week. This winter we're planing on doing cams in both of our cars..

My uncle told me heat is the next step to try. Anyone else had to heat up the balancer hub and crank snout to get them to come apart before?

 

i guess you could try the heat thing, but i really doubt you need to. first thing i think is, 4 inches aint enough seriously, got any 6 inchers laying around. if i recall correctly, it was about 6 inches the one i used (i had a HELL of a time firguring out how to do it, even with all teh help on here, but when i got it the right way, it came off in like 20 seconds).

1) get a 6 inch bolt
2) make sure it fits through the threads till the end of the crank (NOT screwed in)
3) other than that, i cant see anything else you might be doing wrong

you have removed the crank bolt, i suppose youre using a 3 toe puller, youre pulling STRAIGHT , so, i think youll be fine hth