So I go to remove the crankshaft pulley bolt on my 94 Legacy and I hit a snag. I had anticipated having a hard time getting the bolt broken free, but now I have a problem I was not aticipating.

 

I am using a strap wrench around the pulley and a 22mm socket and a long cheater bar. The problem is that before I get enough leverage for the bolt to move, the pully's interior starts to spin, while the outer part stays put. It seems like the pully is two pieces. There is a rubbe o-ring between the two. I cant see any way to keep the interor part from spinning.

 

Has anyone else had this problem? More importantly, does anyone have a solution? Hopefully my description is clear enough. Thanks. Keith

If this is the 5 sp in your subscript, I always put my manuals in gear to break loose the crank bolt. Once I had a breaker bar jamed against the ground, then just 'nudged' the car in 4th until it broke loose.

This looks like one of those rare cases when the pulley splits when the factory procedure isn't followed. The rubber should be bonded to the metal on both sides. But you probably needed a new one anyway.

Use something to jam the flywheel or flexplate, whichever you have.

Sorry dude, your harmonic balancer came apart. Ferret, the problem is not his bolt coming loose, the problem is that the rubber holding the harmonic balancer together is old and has come apart.

 

Break the bolt off with the starter trick:

 

- Put a ratchet on the bolt and put a long metal bar on the ratchet

- Turn it until the bar is touching the ground on the left (driver's) side of the car

- Go inside the car and pop the starter very quickly. Only engage and immediately release it.

 

That should break the bolt loose and then you will have to get a new crank pulley.

ya do yourself a favor and get a lightweight one, not the underdriven one though, look on ebay, you'll find one.

 

 

 

 

~Josh~