FJ80 - Stuck crankshaft bolt

[GerhardUngerer]

I am at my wit's end with a stuck crankshaft bolt. I have tried:

• My Milwaukee Mid-Torque impact wrench with a pulley hold tool
• A breaker bar with a 5-foot (yes, 5 foot) cheater bar
• HEAT. Lots of heat.
• PB Blaster
• The starter-method
• The starter-method, giving it 3 inches to impact on
• Cussing
• Praying (to ask forgiveness for the cussing)
• Repeat from the top

NOTHING. Nada. No movement.

Any suggestions?

 

[LDowney]

Very remote chance of working, but have you included shock?

i.e., Place a large brass drift square on the head of the bolt and hit the other end of the draft with a stout hammer. This might generate enough shock (impulse) through the bolt and its mating surfaces to be of aid to your heat/PB Blaster/torque efforts. The brass drift will deform so the bolt should not be damaged/deformed by the blows.

Good luck. Sorry about only offering up a long shot, but you have already been working the best options.

 

[NCFJ]

Along the same line as above.... I often hit a bolt lightly with an impact in the tighten direction and then try to loosen. Some times it is enough too jar things loose. Good luck with it

 

[Malleus]

Gerhard, I assume you're too far along to drive over, but you're welcome to do so and we'll see what we can manage. If you have a compressor, you're welcome to use my 1/2" impact. I'd loan you both, but the compressor is really big.

You'll have to text me; I'm in the garage tearing my new surface grinder down.

LMK

 

[GerhardUngerer]

I made a bit of progress today. Bought a high-torque impact wrench. I figured, since I will be doing the same job on LC #2 and will be doing some suspension work, I might aswell get the right tool. Came right off. BUT..........those darn oil pump cover screws....... Fought 5 of them off. Stripped 2 of them to heck. They have thread locker or something on them. See pictures.

Getting those stuck bolts out.......any tricks? I have not had good luck with drilling bolts out and keeping the threads in tact.

 

[GerhardUngerer]

Gerhard, I assume you're too far along to drive over, but you're welcome to do so and we'll see what we can manage. If you have a compressor, you're welcome to use my 1/2" impact. I'd loan you both, but the compressor is really big.

You'll have to text me; I'm in the garage tearing my new surface grinder down.

LMK

Thanks Malleus, but I have the whole front apart (radiator, coolers, lines, etc).

 

[AJR]

I made a bit of progress today. Bought a high-torque impact wrench. I figured, since I will be doing the same job on LC #2 and will be doing some suspension work, I might aswell get the right tool. Came right off. BUT..........those darn oil pump cover screws....... Fought 5 of them off. Stripped 2 of them to heck. They have thread locker or something on them. See pictures.

Getting those stuck bolts out.......any tricks? I have not had good luck with drilling bolts out and keeping the threads in tact.

View attachment 2777532

View attachment 2777533

You can weld a nut to the stripped screw, or use a drill bit big enough to take the head off the screw leaving only the threaded part. This should allow the cover to come off with the threaded part stuck in there and you get vice grips on that with the cover off. I’ve used both methods before, welding the nut on is the best if possible.

 

[Malleus]

I made a bit of progress today. Bought a high-torque impact wrench. I figured, since I will be doing the same job on LC #2 and will be doing some suspension work, I might aswell get the right tool. Came right off. BUT..........those darn oil pump cover screws....... Fought 5 of them off. Stripped 2 of them to heck. They have thread locker or something on them. See pictures.

Getting those stuck bolts out.......any tricks? I have not had good luck with drilling bolts out and keeping the threads in tact.

View attachment 2777532

View attachment 2777533

EDIT: just saw your post on the 80 tech forum. Glad you got it sorted out.

I'd run a tap in those holes to clean them out, and smear Vaseline on the threads when you reinstall the screws. It'll raise the required torque by about 10%, but it'll also prevent corrosion in the future. You don't need much.

Gerhard,

They need to be heated to loosen the threadlocker, if there is any. A small butane torch is best, to localize the heat. Those JIS Pihllips-looking screws are a PITA, especially when they freeze or are glued in place. I replace them with Torx when I can and hex sockets when I can't.

I can give you a hand today or tomorrow if you'd like.

LMK

 

[Malleus]

@GerhardUngerer FWIW, I always try to remove those JIS screws with a proper JIS screwdriver first. If that doesn't work, I put an impact Philips bit in a holder and use the impact wrench. I haven't had to drill one out since I started doing this. The cover screws on the starter/Bendix seem to be the worst offenders, although the screws on the A/C compressor cover plate on are also nasty.

Vessel and Hozan both sell JIS screwdrivers. The Vessel website has a good graphic explanation on why it's necessary to use a JIS tool on Japanese fasteners. If you're buying Toyota parts, theirs is a Toyota branded Vessel, part number 09041-1C120. I keep one in every Land Cruiser I have.