3.2 Engine Rotation In Car Without Fan

[Wasatch 911S]

I decided to adjust the valves on my 3.2 in the car after I removed the Alternator / Fan assembly for restoration and now realized I may not have anyway to rotate the engine with out the fan and belt attached. I can't see any way to put a wrench on the crank bolt like I can on my '72. My Fan is out for restoration and it will be a while before it is back.

Has anyone found a method of rotating the engine in the car with no alternator / fan attached to a 3.2?

[yelcab1]

Put the car in 5th gear, and roll it.

[gomezoneill]

Come on, a long 3/4 cheap open end wrench will do the job.

https://www.amazon.com/OEMTOOLS-22038-Inch-Combination-Wrench/dp/B00AXTIWQW/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=long+3%2F4+open+end+wrench&qid=1606524709&sr=8-1

[Walt Fricke]

The pulley for cars with AC (which probably is just about every 3.2?) is too wide to get a straight box end wrench on the pulley to crank bolt. In fact, I don't think an offset wrench will work either short of removing the engine to crossbar mount.

Rolling seems pretty impractical. But I bet you have the rear up on jack stands, which you would need for the exhaust valves anyway. If you can find a way of holding one of the drive axles, either at the tire, the rim, or just putting a bar through the wheel studs, or using a chain, or about anything, you can turn the crank in 5th gear with a bar or broom handle or whatnot between the wheel studs on the other side. I'd pull the spark plugs all out to make life easier.

With three people, you could have two turning the wheels, and one watching for the pulley to hit its marks.

[Wasatch 911S]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Yes A/C car and correct that there seems to be no way to get a wrench in there. I was thinking some kind of strap wrench would work. The plugs are out so turning the wheels is a possibility. Although it would have to be both because I have an open differential gearbox.

I may have to wait for the fan to come back to do the valves. Should have started with the valves.

[Walt Fricke]

Putting the fan etc back on will make the job easiest. But with an open diff, if you lock one wheel, turning the other while in gear will turn the engine.

[Big Dav]

Originally Posted by Walt Fricke

But with an open diff, if you lock one wheel, turning the other while in gear will turn the engine.

I'd try this. Put it in 5th and lift only one rear wheel off the ground and rotate it to rotate the crank.

[Wasatch 911S]

That is a good idea about leaving one wheel on the ground and raising the other. with the front wheels blocked. The car is on a 4 post lift that has a jack plate so it will not be that difficult. I will use the leverage of the raised wheel / tire to turn the motor in 5th. Just need a spotter at the crank pully.

There is probably a way to determine exactly how far the wheel has to rotate to provide 120 degrees of crank rotation for each valve adjust station from the gear ratios, but once I measure the first time it should be consistent.

Will let you know how it goes, thanks!

[911obgyn]

Try and pinch the belt around the pulley like a strap wrench and turn it by hand.

[dannobee]

You guys are making this harder than it needs to be.

Go to your local auto parts store and buy a "remote starter switch." Tape up the loose alternator B+ (or pull the boot back over the terminal), then hook the clips of the remote starter switch to the starter, then hook the battery back up. Put the transmission in neutral and have at it. With some practice you'll be able to move the crank ever so slightly by momentarily hitting the button on the switch.

[Wasatch 911S]

Regarding the strap wrench, mine seems to be to wide to sneak past the pulley, but could buy a new one that is thinner. I do have a good remote starter switch. However I was concerned with hooking the battery back up with the alternator out.

Can I assume as long as I insulate the Alternator battery connector and possibly the blue sense wire and also leave the ignition off that I will not cause any issues with the battery hooked up to just turn the motor over? I agree that with the plugs out it should not be too hard to bump it into the right zone for the valves.

Good idea, Thanks

[Walt Fricke]

Insulate alternator wires which might need it and have at it with key off.

[Wasatch 911S]

Just finished the valve adjustment by "bumping" the engine around with the starter. Extended the remote starter switch connections some to be able to watch the crank pulley at the same time. No issues from the battery being connected with the alternator connections insulated and key off. That worked really well and saved me a lot of time.

Took the opportunity to run a compression test, leak down test, and replace the plugs at the same time. All good, should run great. Thanks again for all the help!

[Walt Fricke]

I envy you your lift. Adjusting valved doesn't require that the cam involved be at an exact position - just that the rocker be on the base circle. In fact, you can do about a half or a third of the valves at once, but mixed intake here, exhaust there. Keeping track of what you did and have yet to do is what suggests to many to follow the factory instructions - intake and exhaust per cylinder, rotate, do next. But both are closed for the compression stroke, which covers a fair number of degrees.

Did you do all the exhausts with the car up, then lower to do all the intakes? Do them two by two using a stepladder for intakes? Yo-Yo the car up and down? As of late most of my valve adjustment has been with the engine on a stand, where rotation and access are optimal and easy. In the car calls for more exercise.

Unusual issue - with alternator in position rotation is pretty straightforward, if a bit of a PITA.

[Wasatch 911S]

Not sure how I ever lived without a lift, especially owning 911s. I had the car off the ground and used a creeper to get to the bottom side and could reach the top just standing. I used the "backside" method of measuring the gap. The best access for that is on the bottom for both intake and exhaust with the car raised.

It did require getting down and then up 6 times and I did a few rotations and then checked everything again. If I had a spotter to set the rotation I could have done all 6 exhaust under the car and not have to "yoyo" back and forth as much. You are correct that there is range around the crank pulley markings with regard to the valves being on the backside of the cam. Make is less important to line the pulley mark up exactly with the starter.

[Walt Fricke]

Ah, the backside method. That would have you knowing with certainty if you were on the base circle.

[911pcars]

Use a remote starter motor switch as Dannobee suggests.

Forget the position of the distributor rotor or the crank pulley. Not needed.

Rotate/bump crank so the rocker is at the base circle of a cam lobe. This is as closed as the valve will get. The base circle also extends for several degrees in either direction. Adjust that rocker/valve clearance.

Repeat for the remaining 11 valves/rockers. Complete all the exhaust valves (bottom row) first, then go to the top side and repeat for all the intake valves. If you perform typical valve adjustments on the ground with the car on stands, this procedure will minimize wear and tear on your joints, back and knees.

Sherwood