Front Crank Bolt Removal with No Flywheel to Lock?

[OK-944]

My 85.5 engine is on a stand - with clutch and flywheel removed so I could use the bell housing holes to secure the engine to the stand.

So...with the clutch and flywheel removed - any suggestions as to how I could lock the crank if I want to remove the front crank bolt? Thanks!

[Stephen03]

Not recomending this but, in the past, I have just put a breaker bar on the bolt and braced it on the ground or what ever and cranked the motor over (coil disconnected of course). Starter motors are torquey haha. Must make sure its in the correct direction to loosen the nut/bolt.

Not sure how it would work on a 944 but when your half cut and need to change a timing belt on a 4 runner it works well.

[bazar01]

If the engine is on a stand, impact wrench is what you need.

If you don't have that, put two of the flywheel bolts to the back of the crank, and use a pipe or a steel bar to counter while you loosen the front crank bolt.

[John_AZ]

....rubbing my eyes....
I keep seeing double posts

Put the engine on the floor (again) and replace the flywheel and bell housing.

Lock the flywheel----be very careful you do not chip the flywheel teeth----with a steel shaft.

Get out your air impact wrench.

EDIT---try bazar01 idea first

GL
John

[944 Ecology]

Originally Posted by bazar01

If the engine is on a stand, a good Ingersoll-Rand impact wrench is what you need.

If you don't have that, put two of the flywheel bolts to the back of the crank, and use a pipe or a steel bar to counter while you loosen the front crank bolt.

There, I fixed that for you!

[porsche4life]

Just a note... We had HELL getting my bolt out. Thats with Good IR impacts. We were looking at how to get the Hyrdraulic impact in there but it was too big. Ended up using a the 4ft ratchet part of our 6ft snap on torque wrench.... That baby was TIGHT

[looneybin]

just thread a bolt into the spark plug hole, then when the piston hits up against it, you can go ahead & wrench on that pesky crank bolt

[Rudeboy42]

go with the impact gun idea that's what I used work perfectly the first try.

[idontknow]

Originally Posted by looneybin

just thread a bolt into the spark plug hole, then when the piston hits up against it, you can go ahead & wrench on that pesky crank bolt

Hydrolock the pistons! Pour oil in all the cylinders and replace the spark plugs. One of them should hold compression

[porsche4life]

George.... He typed in Green.... AKA Sarcasm.....

[KrazyKarl]

cover a 2x4 in a plastic bag and slide it between the crank and the inside wall of the block.

[HondaDustR]

ooohh...I like the oil idea! Clever thinking. That and a 3 ft breaker bar would probably do it.

You could also bolt the flywheel back up temporarily with the engine off the stand, install the bellhousing and use a flywheel lock if you have one. I think I just installed the flywheel and slid a long bolt through one of the holes just inside the step in the flywheel where the pressure plate bolts to so the bolt jams against the raised reiforcing castings around the RMS area when you turn the crank. It held good enough but probably isn't the best idea, as the block material is a bit brittle.