Help on changing front pulley seal please

[wareaglescott]

My engine is on a stand and I am changing a bunch of seals and gaskets and trying to clean up oil leaks.

What do I need to do to remove the bolt holding the pulley on to access the seal? Do I need to somehow lock the flywheel to prevent engine rotation? Does that mean I need to take the clutch off to do so? Can I just put an impact wrench on it?

New to doing this sort of thing and certainly dont want to mess anything up. Tried searching old threads and did not really see what I was looking for. Appreciate any tips.
Thanks

[Dpmulvan]

You can just zip it off with an impact gun or lock the flywheel.

[wareaglescott]

Originally Posted by Dpmulvan

You can just zip it off with an impact gun or lock the flywheel.

If I use an impact gun will it try to rotate the engine?
How do I lock the flywheel? Do I need to take the clutch off?

If I use an impact gun to remove how do I put it back on and tighten to the proper torque without the motor turning?

[walt]

Some ideas on locking the flywheel here.
Flywheel Lock

[boyt911sc]

Originally Posted by wareaglescott

If I use an impact gun will it try to rotate the engine?
How do I lock the flywheel? Do I need to take the clutch off?

If I use an impact gun to remove how do I put it back on and tighten to the proper torque without the motor turning?

Scott,

These are what I use for keeping the crankshaft from turning. Find an appropriate piece of flat bar with two (2) holes similar to what is shown. The other 2 are VW special tools mounted on the ring gear and transmission stud. An impact wrench will do the work and a torque wrench.



Tony

[wareaglescott]

Am I understanding correctly the only way to really do this is to take the clutch off and lock the flywheel?
Even if I used an impact gun to remove the bolt I would still need to lock the flywheel down to tighten the bolt back down to the proper torque?

I am a total newbie on a lot of this stuff. Need it explained at first grader level! lol

[boyt911sc]

Originally Posted by wareaglescott

Am I understanding correctly the only way to really do this is to take the clutch off and lock the flywheel?
Even if I used an impact gun to remove the bolt I would still need to lock the flywheel down to tighten the bolt back down to the proper torque?

I am a total newbie on a lot of this stuff. Need it explained at first grader level! lol

Scott,

Looking at your posted picture, I could see the ring gear where the starter drives the motor to turn. BTW, the engine yoke is installed at the wrong side of the crankcase. Normally people installed it at 4-5-6 but it works both ways.

With your current set up shown in the picture, you could lock the flywheel/crankshaft from turning by installing the VW ring gear lock mounted at one of the engine stud for the transmission. No need to remove the clutch disc.

Do you still need a picture of the VW tool mounted on the stud?

Tony

[walt]

Since you are replacing the seal you can heat the bolt head red and hit it with an impact gun. The threads probably have loctite. Worked for me in the past. You will need mapp gas as a minimum.

[wareaglescott]

Originally Posted by boyt911sc

Scott,

Looking at your posted picture, I could see the ring gear where the starter drives the motor to turn. BTW, the engine yoke is installed at the wrong side of the crankcase. Normally people installed it at 4-5-6 but it works both ways.

With your current set up shown in the picture, you could lock the flywheel/crankshaft from turning by installing the VW ring gear lock mounted at one of the engine stud for the transmission. No need to remove the clutch disc.

Do you still need a picture of the VW tool mounted on the stud?

Tony

Thanks Boyd. As usual for me 1 answer results in 3 more questions! haha

1. Yes please post a picture if you have one with the tool mounted
2. Where can I get one of these tools? A google search for "vw ring gear lock" comes up empty for me
3. What does it matter which side of the crankcase the yoke is mounted on? I have no intention of splitting the case.

Also bonus question #4
4. Am I understanding correctly that the only way I will be able to properly tighten the bolt back up is for the flywheel to be locked in one way or another, be it with the clutch off or using the tool you mentioned?

Appreciate the input! I wouldn't make it very far without the help of this forum.

[wareaglescott]

Originally Posted by walt

Since you are replacing the seal you can heat the bolt head red and hit it with an impact gun. The threads probably have loctite. Worked for me in the past. You will need mapp gas as a minimum.

Thanks Walt but this doesn't help me answer the question of how I would tighten the bolt back up to the proper torque spec. I understand I can take it off with impact gun but want to figure out how I will reassemble before I start taking things apart.

[yelcab1]

The shade tree mechanic's way is to zap off the bolt with an impact gun. It will come off without turning the crank anymore than a few degrees. Remove the pulley. Drill a hole into the seal and yank it out with a seal puller, bent hook, or similar DIY devices.

On the way back, get a friend to jam a large screw drive blade into one of the gear ring and rest it against a hard edge to keep it from turning while you torque the bolt.

The other DIY method is to remove the clutch until you see the flywheel, use a short combinational wrench as a flywheel lock against a pressure plate bolt and a case stud. Then torque the bolt.

The vw tool does not fit the teeth anyway so you still have to modify it.

[wareaglescott]

Originally Posted by yelcab1

The shade tree mechanic's way is to zap off the bolt with an impact gun. It will come off without turning the crank anymore than a few degrees. Remove the pulley. Drill a hole into the seal and yank it out with a seal puller, bent hook, or similar DIY devices.

On the way back, get a friend to jam a large screw drive blade into one of the gear ring and rest it against a hard edge to keep it from turning while you torque the bolt.

The other DIY method is to remove the clutch until you see the flywheel, use a short combinational wrench as a flywheel lock against a pressure plate bolt and a case stud. Then torque the bolt.

The vw tool does not fit the teeth anyway so you still have to modify it.

Thanks for the input. How likely is the jamming a blade into the gear ring to result in a broken ring tooth as you torque the bolt back on?

[boyt911sc]

Originally Posted by yelcab1

The shade tree mechanic's way is to zap off the bolt with an impact gun. It will come off without turning the crank anymore than a few degrees. Remove the pulley. Drill a hole into the seal and yank it out with a seal puller, bent hook, or similar DIY devices.

On the way back, get a friend to jam a large screw drive blade into one of the gear ring and rest it against a hard edge to keep it from turning while you torque the bolt.

The other DIY method is to remove the clutch until you see the flywheel, use a short combinational wrench as a flywheel lock against a pressure plate bolt and a case stud. Then torque the bolt.

The vw tool does not fit the teeth anyway so you still have to modify it.

I have used and owned these tools for over 40 years working on VW and 911 with no problem. As a matter of fact, I had rebuilt more than a dozen SC engines using this locking device. You probably got a different one.

Tony

[boyt911sc]

I took a couple of pictures showing the locking devices and the ring gear. You make the call. One side fits the 911 ring gear as shown in the picture. The other side is for WW.





Tony

[yelcab1]

Originally Posted by wareaglescott

Thanks for the input. How likely is the jamming a blade into the gear ring to result in a broken ring tooth as you torque the bolt back on?

Not at the torque that the 19mm (M12) bolt is required. Use a large fllatblade. And the screw driver would give way before the ring gear gives up.

[walt]

Scott, I just ran the bolt back in with the impact wrench, plenty tight. I try and torque everything when possible but sometimes....

Awesome cobra in your garage.

[wareaglescott]

Ok thanks for the input everyone. I think I have learned enough to give it a go!