Installing the crankshaft pulley. How to unscrew the crankshaft pulley bolt - not at all a complicated procedure

Internal combustion engines are equipped with additional equipment - these are generators, air conditioning compressors, a pump for the cooling system. All these devices receive torque from the crankshaft through a pulley. The latter eventually becomes unusable due to natural wear and tear. As a result, the car needs to replace the crankshaft pulley. Let's see how to perform this operation.

Purpose

The pulley is designed to transmit torque to additional units. To do this, these same units have a reciprocal pulley. It is attached to the crankshaft by means of a keyway, and fixation is carried out with a nut or bolt.

The pulley is a flat wheel with a special channel into which a rubber belt is installed. When the belt is sufficiently tensioned, it engages tightly with the pulley, and due to this, the belt drive works and transmits rotation. These elements for modern cars are made mainly of steel, aluminum, less often - of cast iron.

Faults and check

Before replacing the crankshaft pulley, it is necessary to assess the condition of the part. Pulleys and belt drives work thanks to the force of thorns that occurs between the contact surfaces. One of the most common causes of failure is wear due to natural wear on the working surfaces. Due to constant dynamic loads, the metal is covered with cracks, chipped off.

Another typical malfunction is key play in the keyed connection of the pulley and crankshaft. The backlash is caused by a worn fit of the element with the shaft. The mount due to vibrations is constantly untwisted, which further increases the backlash.

If you use such a pulley for a long time, then the keyway will develop even more, and in the end it will simply collapse. Often this is accompanied by unscrewing the crankshaft pulley bolt. The assembly then rotates, completely destroying the pulley housing, the joint, and also the crankshaft.

How to diagnose?

To check the condition of the pulley, remove the belts, visually assess the condition of the edges and housing - you need to try to see cracks and signs of wear. Next, you should shake the pulley - if there are critical backlashes, it will be felt good. The instructions for the engine must contain the parameters and dimensions of permissible wear. It will not be superfluous to check the compliance of the parts with these dimensions.

What prevents the mechanism from being removed?

So, the diagnostics showed that the crankshaft pulley needs to be replaced. In any auto repair books, this procedure is described very briefly, which suggests the simplicity of the operation. However, it is not.

The process is hampered by the inconvenient location of this pulley under the hood of the car. The mechanism is hidden behind the generator. Access to it is severely limited. Pulleys are damper and conventional - the first are equipped with an external ring to dampen vibrations. In order to gain access to the pulley mounting, loosen the belt tension bolts on the auxiliary equipment drives. When dismantling, care must be taken in terms of the application of force. It is important not to break the elements that surround the pulley.

When mounting the pulley at the factory, it is clamped with a bolt or nut with great force to ensure reliable fastening. During operation of the internal combustion engine, the right-hand thread on the crankshaft and, accordingly, the pulley nut or bolt, further strengthens the clamp. High temperatures, environment, time - all this accelerates the process of destruction. It is also worth adding here the effect of oil and corrosion. Unscrewing the crankshaft pulley nut without knowledge of special techniques can be quite difficult.

If the clutch is disengaged, the crankshaft can be easily turned with a key. Therefore, before trying to unscrew the nut, you need to securely fix the pulley - this prevents turning during the process of unscrewing the nut. In the service station there are special devices for this - the element is screwed into the technological holes and a stop is formed from turning.

If there are no devices, then the problem is solved by reliable stops under the wheels and the inclusion of fourth gear at the gearbox. You can also fix the flywheel with a large screwdriver or pry bar.

How to unscrew the pulley?

Usually this mechanism is fixed at the end of the shaft with a power bolt or nut. The latter can be found on rear-wheel drive cars, it may have special protrusions for installing a “crooked starter”. To break the nut, experts use 36 or 38 wrenches with a long pipe welded on. Various devices are also used to fix the pulley. At home, the procedure for replacing the crankshaft pulley will be as follows.

First of all, the car is installed on a pit or overpass. Then the fourth gear is turned on at the gearbox - this is done to prevent the crankshaft from turning while unscrewing the nut or bolt. Also, it will not be superfluous to tighten the handbrake.

The bolt or nut is tapped with a hammer, you can first pour the fasteners with liquid keys. If you have a gas burner, you can try to gently heat the bolt or nut. Next, with a socket head in size from a set of keys and an extension cord, with a sharp strong movement in a counterclockwise direction, the nut or bolt is shifted from its place. Next, you can unscrew the mechanism.

Second way

If nothing worked in the first case, the following method is proposed. The gearbox is set to neutral, then the terminal is removed from the switch or the spark plug wires from the spark plugs to prevent the formation of a spark.

Next, they put the head of the key on the nut and rest the lever on the ground or on the spars so that the pulley cannot turn to the right. Briefly turning on the starter, the crankshaft will rotate. Usually a few attempts are enough for the nut to break from its place.

How to unscrew the bolt on the pulley?

On most front-wheel drive models, a bolt is installed instead of a nut. Here, the instructions for replacing the crankshaft pulley will be slightly different.

First of all, raise the right side of the car with a jack, dismantle the wheel. Then the air filter is removed along with the block, the generator drive belt is removed, all elements that may interfere with easy access to the pulley are dismantled. To fix the mechanism in the clutch housing, the flywheel is blocked.

Further, with the help of a suitable socket head from a set of keys with an extension cord, with a few sharp efforts to the left side, it is possible to break the bolt. If an attempt to manually unscrew it did not lead to anything, you can try the above experience with a starter.

How to remove the pulley?

To replace the crankshaft pulley, you need to remove it directly from the shaft. It is very tightly fixed on the hub, and is also fixed with a key connection. Just by hand, the pulley will not come off the shaft.

It is recommended to use a special puller. The device has paws for gripping the edges of the pulley and a central stop that rests against the center of the shaft. If there is no puller, then you can remove the pulley with two mounts. When dismantling, it is important not to apply excessive force and not damage the key and the groove for it.

It is necessary to install a new pulley back on the shaft only after lubricating the seats, so as not to exert much effort and not to warp the pulley on the shaft.

Conclusion

So, we looked at how to replace the crankshaft pulley. As you can see, this operation can be done by hand.

Someday, every motorist who is used to doing everything with his own hands is faced with the need to dismantle the crankshaft pulley. Most often this is due to the replacement of sealing glands, which eventually age, crack and begin to leak oil. For an experienced minder, removing the crankshaft pulley is not particularly difficult, however, as Internet forums show, ordinary motorists who decide to save money often encounter great difficulties here.

This is what the crank pulley looks like

What prevents you from removing the crankshaft pulley?

In the vehicle owner's manual and repair manual, the procedure for dismantling the crankshaft, including the removal of the pulley, is described beautifully and succinctly, and it seems that it is easy to perform. But in reality, everything is not so simple. There are several reasons for this:

1. The location of the pulley in the engine compartment is inconvenient for work. It is hidden behind the generator and the approach to it is limited by the elements of the body structure. Pulleys are conventional and damper, which have an additional outer ring with a rubber seal to absorb vibration. To get to the pulley mounting elements, you need to loosen the tension bolts and remove the alternator and power steering belts. And even after that, when performing dismantling work, special care must be taken in the application of forces so as not to accidentally damage surrounding nearby parts and body paintwork.
2. When installed at the factory, the crankshaft pulley is clamped with a bolt or nut with a high compression force to ensure a secure fit. During engine operation, the right-hand mounting thread further strengthens the clamp. High temperature and environmental influences exacerbate this process over time through oil coking and metal corrosion. As a result, the fastening nut or bolt firmly adheres to the pulley body, and it is not easy to break this adhesion of metals without knowledge of special methods.
3. When the crankshaft rotates freely with any wrench. Therefore, before unscrewing the crankshaft pulley, the issue of reliable fixation of its position should be resolved in order to prevent turning when unscrewing the nut. In workshops, special devices are used for this, which are bolted to the pulley in technological holes and create a reliable stop against turning. In the absence of such devices, this problem can be solved by installing reliable stops under the wheels and setting the 4th speed of a manual gearbox. You can also fix the crankshaft flywheel by resting a mount against its teeth or holes.

How to unscrew the crankshaft pulley?

Pulley removal. Unscrew the nut

The pulley can be attached to the end of the crankshaft with a power bolt or nut. The nut is found on most rear-wheel drive cars. She may have special protrusions for engagement with the handle of the "crooked starter", the so-called "ratchet". To break the nut, the masters at the service station use a 36 or 38 socket wrench with a welded long handle and a locking device worn on the pulley. How to unscrew the crankshaft pulley , fixed with a nut, at home? To do this, you can do the following:

• put the car on a "pit" or overpass;
• engage 4th gear to prevent crankshaft turning when unscrewing the nut;
• lift the parking brake handle up to the stop to prevent the wheels from turning and the vehicle moving;
• tap the edges of the fastening nut with a wooden hammer;
• using a socket wrench to fit the nut and a handle extension in the form of a metal pipe, try to move the nut from the sticky position with a sharp counterclockwise movement.

Video: How to unscrew the nut on the wheel pulley and replace the oil seal

If successful, you can, by changing the position of the key head, gradually unscrew the nut to the end. If this attempt was unsuccessful, then the following method can be applied:

• put the gear knob in neutral position;
• remove the caps from the spark plugs to prevent sparking and starting the engine;
• put the head of the key on the nut and rest the end of the lever against the ground or the side member so that the pulley cannot turn to the right;
• by briefly switching on the ignition, give the crankshaft an impulse of rotation. Usually, one or two attempts to start will help the nut come out of place, and then it can be easily unscrewed with a wrench.

On most front-wheel drive vehicles, the pulley is bolted on. Before removing the crankshaft pulley , tightened with a bolt, perform the following operations:

• raise the right side of the car in front and install it on a trestle or stump, dismantle the wheel;
• remove the air filter unit, the protective cover, loosen and remove the drive belt of the electric generator, remove all parts that prevent free access to the pulley;
• to lock the crankshaft, you need to remove the plug in the clutch housing and insert a pry bar into the hole, resting it on the teeth of the flywheel;
• throwing a wrench head over the bolt, use the lever extension to apply several sharp forces in the direction of left rotation to break the bolt from its initial position. Most attempts succeed. If unsuccessful, you can try the method above for loosening the nut, with a short start of the starter.

The experience of the common people should also be borne in mind, which makes it possible to reduce the adhesion of the nut and bolt to the pulley. If you pre-lubricate the bolt or nut with vinegar essence, brake fluid or WD type grease, then they are loosened more easily. there is information about where it is located and how to check the crankshaft sensor.

How to remove the crankshaft pulley

After unscrewing the fastener, you need to remove the pulley. It sits tightly on the hub and is fixed with a key, so it will not be possible to simply pull it off the shaft by hand. It is best to use a special puller for this, which has two paws that capture the edges of the pulley and a central twisting screw stop resting against the shaft axis. In the absence of a puller, you can use mounts for this, with which you need to evenly pry the pulley from opposite sides, applying efforts in the direction from the shaft.

The point of application of force should be chosen as close as possible to the shaft. Before removing the crankshaft pulley, you can gently tap it with a wooden mallet to eliminate possible misalignment. Be especially careful not to deform the locking key and groove. The reverse installation of the pulley on the shaft should be carried out after treating the mounting points with grease, so as not to apply great efforts leading to distortion.

Most manufacturers of modern cars do not provide for the replacement of the crankshaft pulley as one of the required service procedures. This is due to the fact that, according to the designers, the period of use of the pulley should be approximately equal to the guarantee issued by the manufacturer for the power unit of the car. Under operating conditions in Europe and the USA, this is indeed the case, however, for Russia, the problem of replacing this unit arises quite often. This is due to much more severe conditions and a large number of factors leading to repairs.

Pulley replacement cost

auto repair		Foreign cars	Domestic	SUVs
	Pulley replacement	From 650	From 350	From 650

Replacing the crankshaft pulley can be a threat if the pulley loses its original mechanical properties. The most common pulley problems are:

• Pulley bundle;
• Traces of overheating on the tracks;
• "Sliding" of the outer race of the pulley to the plastic cover of the power unit;
• Worn or damaged pulley.

In fact, these problems are visible during visual inspection and are a sign of the need for replacement. As a rule, in the conditions of Russian realities, the replacement of the crankshaft pulley may be required with a run of about 120 thousand kilometers. After this mark, it is highly desirable to assess the condition of the pulley or to replace it preventively.

Is it difficult to repair?

Replacing the crankshaft pulley is a rather complicated procedure for a number of criteria. It becomes much more difficult in the case of pulley delamination, since the master needs to completely remove the delaminated elements.

In this case, it is not recommended to make repairs on your own, since the replacement process is laborious and requires special equipment that evaluates the tension and lateral runout of the pulley during the operation of the power unit.

What are the consequences of a break?

Sooner or later there comes a moment when the owner of the car has to repair his four-wheeled friend. In order not to get your hands dirty, as an option, you can drive the car to a service station. But you can fix it yourself.

So, let's say you need to figure out how to remove the crankshaft pulley. This is not an easy task, especially when it happens for the first time. Let's figure out how to unscrew the crankshaft pulley, and at the same time not stop loving your car?

Removing the pulley is in itself a difficulty even for a specialist, what can we say about a beginner. Difficulty may arise when removing the bolt or nut connecting the pulley and crankshaft. The fact is that the direction of the thread when it is unscrewed coincides with the direction of the torque during engine operation. Thus, at the time of engine operation, the bolt is constantly tightened, which, as a result, appears to be a serious problem when removing the bolt. Difficulty can also arise in the absence of the right tool.

Loosen the pulley nut

The nut that holds the pulley at the end of the crankshaft indicates that we are working with a classic version of the motor, namely a VAZ type machine. So, before starting work, it is necessary to prepare the necessary tool, namely a socket or ring wrench for “36” or “38”, it is also necessary to prepare a pipe segment of about 30 cm (later you will find out why). Work is best done over the viewing hole. If this is not possible, then it is better to use a jack and be sure to stump (it is better to play it safe).

We set the gear lever to the fourth gear position and turn on the parking brake mode (handbrake). We try to unscrew the nut using a wrench with a long lever, while under the car. If the attempt fails, another option must be used.

We set the gear lever to the neutral position, remove the candlesticks. We set the key so that it rests (in the case when the key is not long enough, a pipe is used) on the floor or on the rear side member in the direction of crankshaft movement. When the requirements are met, it is necessary to apply short-term impulses by turning the ignition key. Sometimes the nut sits so tightly that it is impossible to break it the first time. Basically, it is released on the third or fourth attempt. After the nut is torn off, it can be twisted with a wrench.

How to unscrew the bolt?

• As a rule, the pulley is bolted to the crankshaft only on front-wheel drive vehicles. To unscrew the bolt holding the pulley on the crankshaft, you will have to work hard, because getting to the bolt is not easy. Before you start, you need to prepare the necessary tools: a jack, a head for the size of the bolt and a lever with an extension cord, a tool kit for the motorist and a “tragus” (you can use a stump as a tragus). The withdrawal step looks like this:
• Install a jack on the right side of the car near the front wheel. Jack up the car and remove the wheel;
• Under the car, near the jack, slip a tragus or stump (what is at hand). This will ensure the reliability and safety of the removal of the bolt;
• In the process of work, it will already be clear that the bolt cannot be reached. Open the hood of the car and remove all parts that prevent full access. Usually, the air filter, the protective brushes of the car motor and the alternator belt are removed;
• To unscrew the bolt, you need to fix the crankshaft. To do this, you need to lock the teeth of the flywheel. On the clutch block, open the plug and insert a mount or screwdriver into the hole formed. It is not very convenient to perform actions to hold the flywheel lock and at the same time unscrew the bolt. You can ask someone for help;
• We take the head, matched to the size of the bolt, with an extension cord and an additional lever, we put it under the wheel arch and put it on the bolt;
• Turn the lever counterclockwise.

By the way, not on all cars the crankshaft moves in the direction of the clock. In some Honda models, it has the opposite direction, which means that the bolt must be unscrewed to the right.

In the general mass of cases, the bolt lends itself immediately, but if it is still in place, then you can use the lever a little longer, then it will definitely work.

Folk tricks

Consider a few popular car tricks that have helped more than one driver.

1. Each threaded connection, by the way, not only in part of the car, can be unwound by first lubricating it with special oil, for example: HP, sunflower oil, vinegar, brake fluid.
2. In rare cases, light tapping on the edges of the bolt and nut with a hammer or wrench helps.
3. Removing a bolt or nut does not mean removing a pulley. How to unscrew the crankshaft pulley without a special key? The pulley sits very firmly on the shaft, it can be removed with a pry bar or a screwdriver, gently pry it in several places.

Video “How to unscrew the crankshaft pulley on Toyota”

Shows how easy it is to unscrew the nut from the crankshaft pulley and replace the oil seal with
Toyota Town Ace Noah 3S-FE / Crankshaft Pulley Removal

Today, many car owners prefer to carry out preventive and repair work on their own, thereby saving their money, which would have to be spent on paying third-party specialists. There are works that are quite simple to perform the first time, but most often for the successful implementation of repairs, you should have certain practical experience, supported by the presence of a minimum theoretical base on the structure of the car. It is difficult to remove the crankshaft pulley yourself for the first time, because. even a careful study of the relevant section of the maintenance instructions for the machine will not give answers to all the questions that the motorist will definitely have during the dismantling process. In this article, we will talk about how to remove the crankshaft pulley in a garage without resorting to the services of specialized maintenance stations.

Types of crankshaft pulleys

The pulley can be ordinary or damper. The only difference between them is the following: on the surface of the damper pulley there is a large outer ring, separated from the main part of the part by a rubber seal, which reduces the vibration that occurs during the ride.

Dismantling process

If you know some technical details, then replacing the pulley takes no more than 20 - 30 minutes. First of all, you should find out what type of fastening is used to fix the part. Depending on the type of motor, the pulley can be attached to the crankshaft with a bolt or nut. The removal of the crankshaft pulley must necessarily take into account the type of fastening, because. the most difficult part of the work is precisely the dismantling of the fastener.

Removing the nut. The nut on the crankshaft pulley is found on classic models of cars of the domestic automotive industry. To remove it, it is recommended to install the vehicle above the inspection hole, fix it with wheel chocks, first put the car in 4th gear, thereby securing the crankshaft, and apply the handbrake. In the process of work you will need:

• socket/cap wrench, having a size of pharynx from 36 to 38 mm;
• a piece of pipe that will act as a lever extension.

Being in the inspection hole, you can begin to unscrew the nut with a socket / box wrench, previously connected to the lever extension. It is necessary to take into account the high probability that the nut during the operation of the vehicle can strongly stick to its seat, as a result of which it will not work to unscrew it in the manner described above. In this case, you will need to take the following actions:

1. Set the gearbox to neutral position.
2. Remove the candlesticks and the alternator belt.
3. Fix the wrench with a lever so that the end of the extension can be securely rested on the floor of the inspection hole in the direction of rotation of the crankshaft.
4. Apply a short pulse by quickly turning the ignition key.

Often, the nut begins to give in after 2 - 3 such manipulations.

Removing the bolt. The crankshaft bolt is found on front wheel drive vehicles. At the same time, its removal is a rather complicated procedure, because you can get close to the bolt only by doing the following work in the sequence below:

1. Using a jack, raise the front right side of the car body to the required height.
2. Remove the front right wheel.
3. Install the body on special stops that have a large contact patch with the surface of the bottom of the machine.
4. Remove the engine guard, generator set belt and air filter.
5. Use a pry bar or other suitable object to securely lock the flywheel to prevent crankshaft rotation.
6. Loosen the bolt with a wrench having a suitable opening size.

During any repair work in the engine compartment, extreme care should be taken. Rough actions can lead to partial damage or complete failure of some parts of the engine compartment, as well as to damage to the paint layer applied to the car body.

After removing the fastener, you can proceed to remove the pulley itself. It is most effective to use specialized tools for these purposes, the so-called "pullers". With the help of the grips that are present on these devices, the tool is securely attached to the edges of the pulley, after which the part is simply removed from its seat.

After studying the actions described in the article, even an inexperienced driver should understand how to unscrew the crankshaft pulley without involving third-party specialists.

Video

See how to properly unscrew the crankshaft pulley bolt: