Why won't my crank pulley come off? (1 Viewer)

[creature]

Harmonic balancer failure on my 87 60, 2F. Worked all afternoon yesterday trying to get the pulley off, and up until now searching the forum without finding anything. My pulley will not come off. I can pull it forward to the position in the photo but then it feels (and sounds) like it is hitting something metal. I tried a puller...won't budge. Blaster, tapped with hammer all around and back of pulley. Tried puller again...nothing. All I managed to to was bend the plate where the harmonic balancer was attached and I didn't want to completely screw something up so I stopped. What am I doing wrong? Any suggestions? Btw...the nut was easy to get off. Put the transmission in 4th, used a long breaker bar and 46mm socket...no problem. The snout on my crankshaft looks okay to me unless I am missing something or can't see enough of it yet, so I am hoping I dodged a bullet there. Planning on changing timing cover gasket and crank seal if I ever get in there. Replacement pulley and HB (used) on order. Thanks in advance!

 

[Michael Hanson]

Hi, Use a puller and tap the sides of the balancer with a brass hammer. Mike

 

[micruz60]

Try to rotate the harmonic balancer 180 degrees (engine in neutral) some heat to the balancer next to the snout, but not too hot, spray more blaster try puller again. There may be a key - square / rectangular along the axis of crankshaft that is binding. . . Small brass drift to send it back off the snout may help free the HB.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Could be the key is out of its slot and buggered up holding the pulley up. Try like he said above.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

About 4pm.... key shown in place on snout. If it’s buggered and not in its correct opposing slot in the pulley inner diameter then it won’t pull off nicely.

 

[OSS]

I'm not recognizing what's shown in your picture. The pulley looks like its missing something.
This is what a "86 harmonic balancer with integrated pulleys looks like (all rusty)

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

I'm not recognizing what's shown in your picture. The pulley looks like its missing something.
This is what a "86 harmonic balancer with integrated pulleys looks like (all rusty)

View attachment 2670551

Hahaha, funny. Yeah he’s missing the front pulley. Funny more so that we missed that.

 

[Spike Strip]

What kind of puller are you using? You need the kind as shown in OSS's picture.

The kind where you hook arms onto the outside edge of the pulley will not work and only **** things up, further.

 

[creature]

Here is the rest of it. Lifted it right off and the reason the alternator and power steering pump belts wouldn't stay tight..haha. I got a cheap puller from Harbor Frieght, not the jaw type. I can't find a better one locally so Im going to try and fab one up like the one I saw in one of Poser's posts on the 40 side. Knocked off work early today so I'm going to go out and work on it some more, will report back. Thanks for all the help!

 

[Spike Strip]

From your pix, it doesn't look like the key has been messed up. You might hit the HB with a little heat and some penetrant before your next try.

 

[Gretsch]

The snout on my crankshaft looks okay to me unless I am missing something or can't see enough of it yet, so I am hoping I dodged a bullet there.

About 4pm.... key shown in place on snout. If it’s buggered and not in its correct opposing slot in the pulley inner diameter then it won’t pull off nicely.

From your pix, it doesn't look like the key has been messed up.

I think the pic showing the key is someone else's HB assuming you were referring to the pic @NeverGiveUpYota posted showing the end of the crank, not the OP's. Screw me if I am mistaken. If I'm not, are you able to see into the end of the remaining HB bits OP to see the key the way @NeverGiveUpYota shows in her pic? Maybe its wedged preventing the pulley from coming off. I think wobbling HBs moving the way yours must have been to do that sort of damage often times bugger up the key/keyway like Felicity mentions. Could possibly be what's hanging it up from coming off. The key should look real square like Felictiy's pic shows. Seems the proper puller and tapping should still be able to free things. Mine needed a puller to get off with a perfectly setup woodruff key. HTH.

 

[creature]

No success. Seems like the woodruff key is holding it on. Try again tomorrow. Thanks again for all the input.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Try a can of compressed air sprayed on the key. Mike

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

No success. Seems like the woodruff key is holding it on. Try again tomorrow. Thanks again for all the input.

FYI that key on the end is not called a woodruff. Those are the ones that are round on one side and flat on the other. There is one but it’s on the gear inward of the crank nose holding the inner gear on (shown below second). The one your fighting w/ is flat on both sides but oval over all (shown below). That one, I’ll bet since you had the front pulley shear off, is most likely a sheared wobbled mess in there. Like directed before... use a sand mallet or rubber one and get some hits to the remaining pulley to wobble it on the nose, it’ll come. Possible knock the pulley backward further onto the crank too. Side to side and backward. Possibly add a 2x4 behind the pulley and knock the wood w/ a mallet from the rear below. I’m pretty sure it’s just wedged by a mangled key.
Mine was sheared, the crank, and had no key at all when I got into mine. First pic showed how I tried to weld a new key I ordered once w/ one quick crappy bead. It did hold but I actually ended up pulling the crank (and everything else) apart later and when I did I had a new keyway cut 180 out (shown below second tho taped over w/ key set in place) have a new backup key or two...

Just need to add that the pic of my crank isn’t when I had the new keyway cut. Realized after. I had a local tool and die guy do it for me. No pic on ph but could find one on my computer if need be. I think he charged me $60.

 

[creature]

Thank you. I'll get back after it this afternoon.

 

[Seth S]

Have you used drunken sailor language yet? Most things won’t come off without a proper cussing.

 

[BadReligion]

Have you used drunken sailor language yet? Most things won’t come off without a proper cussing.

That or threatening your cruiser with fire.

Any updates?

 

[creature]

Ran out of time yesterday and didn't do much except whack it some more with a deadblow and invent some new lines of profanity while doing so. If I couldn't cuss at it 90% of my vocabulary would be lost. I'll keep you updated.

 

[creature]

Still been working away with no success. I've tried air, heat, what seems like a gallon of blaster, hitting it with both a dead blow and 2#....top and bottom, side to side, tried hitting it from the back, won't budge past where it is hung up. I even tried talking nice to it only to resort back to profanity. All I have managed to do is separate the crank pulley completely from the back of the HB. ( Is the HB the steel core and the 2 groove pulley, or just the steel core that goes onto the crankshaft?) Im now thinking about cutting the pulley off so I can get better hits from the back of the HB with a 2x4, or piece of steel pipe, and mallet. If that does not work I am considering cutting the HB steel to weaken it, putting on my puller, and trying to create just a little bit of space so it can clear the mangled mess inside. Anyway, had not posted in a while and wanted to update. Thanks again for all the suggestions. I will let you know when I finally get the f*##er off, and how I did it. Not that it will be anything glamorous, trust me.

 

[Saucerman]

Man I just hate it for you. Tedious, thankless jobs like this wear me out too. For what it's worth, sorry Broheim. I hope that FU**ER comes off soon so you can fling it against a tree or something.