Whoa! I'm having crank seal woes...

[Drunken Ira Hayes]

Hey everybody. I'm having some degree of difficulty in removing my harmonic balancer in order to replace my leaking crank seal. I used to do these on my 22RE engines all of the time with the aid of impact tools. Unfortunately I just moved to Denver by way of Vermont and sold my compressor and pneumatic tools prior to leaving.
I've been attempting to utilize the "engine bumping" method to no avail for the better part of my Thursday. Before resorting the aforementioned method, I gave the "put in fourth, chock the wheels, and give it hell" method. Am I dealing with a reverse-thread fastener or one that is just extremely stubborn? I've attached some photos to illustrate what I may be doing incorrectly.
Thanks for your time and suggestions.

 

[lehiguy]

That looks right. If I recall, they are NOT a left hand thread, but they are a bitch.

 

[KLF]

I had to use the "starter bump" method on my 3FE, and I actually had to add a second vehicle to the starting system connected via jumper cables. It worked. No, it's not a left-hand thread, it's actually a nut (not a bolt, like on the 22RE). When I got mine off I found that the PO had put RTV behind it, that's what was keeping it from coming loose.

What's really sad is that said PO owns and runs a shop down in Boston that specializes in Cruiser work.

 

[Drunken Ira Hayes]

Thanks for the responses, this is no doubt a bitch. Maybe the RTV guy owned this one at some juncture ....

 

[Drunken Ira Hayes]

GOT IT!! Just required some persuasion from a MAPP gas cylinder, cant say enough about the "blue wrench." Thanks again for the replies.

 

[Output Shaft]

I found that the 46mm crank nut needed a little more persuasion than just the breaker bar held securely in place inside the R frame hole while jogging the starter.

That didn't work for me after soaking the nut in PB for a week prior to trying it 10 times. I also had a car idling next to the LC too, with jumper cables connected to keep the batt volts up. I didn't want to use a torch to heat the nut because of all the PB Blaster/Kroil everywhere….
So…

I placed the 3/4" breaker bar so it touched the LEFT frame. Then it could then swing freely underneath the car for the approximately 120º of arc while the starter was cranked... before it smacked into the right frame. The socket and breaker bar were wedged against the nut as shown in the pic below. This method allowed the heavy flywheel and clutch to generate a lot of inertia before the wrench crashed into the frame on the other side of the car… essentially a mongo impact wrench.

It worked on the 3rd try. Gotta use a 3/4" breaker bar or else...

 

[dirtEJohnson]

Holy s**tballs bet that was a good time. Gotta face that one myself soon. How's the balancer look?

 

[Output Shaft]

Holy s**tballs bet that was a good time. Gotta face that one myself soon. How's the balancer look?

That is how I felt about it too at first, but with the good info from our helpful lads here on Mud, it ended up being... well, effortless... but still nerve wracking. I kind of had a tight feeling in my chest when I started, & the loud crash when the wrench smacks into the frame on the other side didn't seem to help it.

The balancer looks functionally good, though esthetically repulsive. It did not have a wobble & the key & keyway are good.

Changing that little timing cover gasket and crank seal costs a bit more than one would guess ... unless you have a 46mm socket and 3/4" breaker bar lying around. I am so glad to finally replace that leaking gasket. Words can not describe the feeling I experienced when that nut finally broke free.

From what I have read, a powder coating oven will melt the joint of the soldered two piece timing cover, leaving it in two pieces...So paint for it and the balancer will be used instead.

10mmX1.5 bolts for the puller

Do not powder coat balancer.

Do not powder coat timing cover

 

[TobyB]

I think the front cover's silver soldered/brazed, not lead soldered. Given that silver solder's good to 1200f, powder coating should be fine.

If I'm wrong, I have a spare I'll give to the first person who proves me so! heh...

t

 

[Output Shaft]

I think the front cover's silver soldered/brazed, not lead soldered. Given that silver solder's good to 1200f, powder coating should be fine.

If I'm wrong, I have a spare I'll give to the first person who proves me so! heh...

t

hmm that would be nice. My recommendation not to powder coat the timing cover only came from parroting another person's experience I read on Mud. See Post #4. I also read another post that gave the gory details about how the thing fell apart in a powder coating oven & he tried to fix it. (Same guy?). Personally, I don't know whether the cover would fall apart or not ... and maybe it is a Fj40/55 issue, but after reading those posts, it certainly doesn't seem like a risk free endeavor to try it.. since these covers are no longer available from Toyota.

 

[jfnall]

Make sure the timing cover flange is flat. I've changed mine a few times because I have figured out it is slightly flared out and it doesn't provide enough flat surface to seal really well. Just something to double check before it goes back together.