How to easily unscrew the crankshaft pulley - simple instructions

Every second car enthusiast who tries to repair his favorite four-wheeled friend with his own hands has encountered the problem of how to remove the crankshaft pulley. After reading the instructions in the maintenance and repair manual, at first glance, the procedure does not seem complicated, however, when you first try to unscrew the ill-fated bolt, it turns out that this is not so easy. It is completely unclear how to fix the crankshaft so that it does not rotate. Another problem is where is the best way to get to the treasured bolt. Removing the crankshaft pulley causes a lot of trouble because it is too tight. There is a high probability of damaging many parts of the engine compartment or the paintwork of the body.

The problem is that the crankshaft pulley bolt (or nut, depending on the model) is tightened with great force during installation. This is done so that it does not unwind spontaneously, since if unscrewed, serious damage and expensive repairs cannot be avoided. The degree of tightening gradually increases as the engine operates and is aggravated by sticking, coking, and corrosion.

In reality, the entire dismantling process can take 10-15 minutes, but there are some techniques you need to know and use. Different motor models use either a bolt or a nut to secure the pulley. Each option should be considered.

How to unscrew the crankshaft pulley nut?

The nut at the end of the crankshaft holding the pulley is a sign of the engine of a classic rear-wheel drive car like VAZ from model 2101 to 2107, Niva and the like. Such a nut is also called a “ratchet”, since it can have ledges for a “crooked starter”.

It is better to do the work above the inspection hole. The crankshaft should be secured by placing the gearbox in 4th gear and applying the parking brake. You should stock up on the following tools in advance:

• socket or socket wrench 36 (or 38);
• lever extension in the form of a piece of pipe.

While under the car, try to unscrew the nut with a wrench with a sufficiently long lever. If the attempt is unsuccessful, put the gearbox in neutral and proceed as follows:

• the candlesticks are removed;
• while in the pit, install the key and extension so that the end rests on the floor or spar as the shaft rotates;
• turning the key in the ignition switch gives a short-term impulse.

As a rule, on the first or second attempt the nut comes off and is then unscrewed with a regular wrench. Don't forget to loosen and remove the alternator belt.

How to unscrew the crankshaft pulley bolt?

The bolt holding the pulley predominates in engines in front-wheel drive cars, when the block is located perpendicular to the axis of the car. In this case, you will have to tinker more, since it is more difficult to get to the bolt. To work you should prepare:

• jack;
• “tragus” (stump);
• a socket to the size of the bolt with an extension and lever;
• set of automotive tools.

In search of an answer to the question of how to remove the crankshaft pulley, many car enthusiasts begin to look for an opportunity to do this without prior preparation. By definition, such attempts cannot be successful.

In order to correctly remove the pulley, you must perform the following manipulations::

• the right front part of the car is lifted, the wheel is removed;
• the car is installed on a “tragus”;
• From the top side of the hood, all parts that impede access are removed: the air filter and the engine mudguard;
• the alternator belt is removed;
• to fix the crankshaft, the plug on the clutch block is opened and a pry bar is inserted into the resulting window to jam the flywheel teeth;
• under the wheel arch, a head with an extension and a lever is put on the pulley bolt;
• the bolt is unscrewed counterclockwise.

In the vast majority of cases, the bolt can be unscrewed. If it does not give in, then you can add the length of the lever. If this does not help, then you should use the help of the starter as described for the pulley nut in the “classic”.

We remove the pulley using folk automotive experience

Any threaded connection, even if tightly tightened. can be untwisted with less effort if you use some folk-automotive tricks. The problem of how to unscrew the crankshaft pulley ceases to be such if you moisten the bolt head or nut in advance with special WD oil, vinegar or brake fluid. Sometimes lightly tapping the edges of the nut helps.

Unscrewing a bolt or nut does not always solve the problem, since the pulley is held quite firmly on the shaft. You can remove the pulley using a regular pry bar, carefully prying it off from different sides. It is important that the force application point is as close to the shaft as possible. For hopeless cases, it is necessary to use a crankshaft pulley puller. This is a special device, which is a pin with a nut on which 2-3 grips are attached. The ends of the grippers are secured to the edges of the pulley, and the end of the pin rests against the center of the shaft. By twisting it clockwise, you can gradually pull the pulley off the shaft.

You should not be sure that in all cars, without exception, the crankshaft rotates clockwise.

For example, in some Honda cars the crankshaft rotates counterclockwise. It follows from this that the thread on the pulley nut (bolt) will be left-handed.

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How to unscrew a bolt?

• As a rule, the pulley is attached to the crankshaft with a bolt 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 begin, you need to prepare the necessary tools: a jack, a head to match the size of the bolt and a lever with an extension, a tool kit for a motorist and a “tragus” (you can use a tree stump as a tragus). The removal phase looks something like this:
• We install a jack on the right side of the car in the area of ​​the front wheel. Jack up the car and remove the wheel;
• Under the car, near the jack, we slip a trestle or stump (whatever is at hand). This will ensure the reliability and safety of bolt removal;
• During the work it will become clear that the bolt cannot be reached. We open the hood of the car and remove all parts that prevent full access. The air filter, the protective brushes of the car engine and the generator belt are usually removed;
• To unscrew the bolt you need to fix the crankshaft. To do this, you need to lock the flywheel teeth. Open the plug on the clutch block and insert a pry bar or screwdriver into the resulting hole. It is not very convenient to carry out actions to hold the flywheel lock and at the same time unscrew the bolt alone. You can ask someone for help;
• We take a head selected to the size of the bolt, with an extension and an additional lever, push 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 hand. In some Honda models it has the opposite direction, which means that the bolt must be unscrewed to the right.

In most cases, the bolt gives in immediately, but if it is still in place, then you can use a slightly longer lever, and then it will definitely work.

Crankshaft support assembly

The drive pulley on different Megan models was installed in two modifications: with five grooves - until July 2005 and six - to this day. Structurally, it consists of two cages, between which a rubber damping ring is filled. During inspection, car service specialists, inspecting the damper pulley, evaluate the following parameters:

• delamination of the rubber ring;
• the appearance of a gap between the outer and inner races;
• displacement of the outer race towards the plastic engine lining;
• melting, appearance of tarnish or thermal deformation of the tracks;
• the appearance of a groove in place of the rubber ring;
• Excessive cracking or abrasion of the damper element timing belt.

A test is provided to ensure that the races maintain alignment: marks are applied to their joints, after which the engine is started. The defect is the mutual displacement of the marks.

The location of the toothed pulley is immediately behind the drive. On some modifications, a key was installed - an axial lock. On some models, the key is an integral structural element.

How to unscrew the crankshaft pulley

Depending on the design of the crankshaft, the pulley is attached to it either with a nut or a bolt. On rear-wheel drive vehicles, the pulley is usually secured with a nut.

The engines of some rear-wheel drive cars can be started with a special crank, for which special protrusions are made for engaging the crank. This handle is also called a “crooked wrench,” and the engagement for this wrench is called a ratchet.

The pulley fastening nut is installed with a size of 36 or 38 mm on a wrench. Use a socket wrench. The key is strengthened by welding a long handle or putting on a tube to increase the “shoulder”.

How to unscrew the pulley nut:

1. Place the car on a pit or overpass.
2. Apply the hand parking brake.
3. Turn on 4th gear at the gearbox, put chocks under the wheels.
4. Do not tap too hard on the edges of the nut.
5. Throw on a socket wrench, extend it with a pipe and remove the stuck nut.

If the pulley nut does not come off:

1. Move the gearbox handle to neutral.
2. Remove the spark plug wires from the spark plugs to prevent the engine from starting.
3. Place a socket wrench on the nut and extend it with a pipe. Place the wrench in such a way that the pipe rests against the ground or the machine spar on the right side to prevent the pulley from turning clockwise.
4. We make a couple of short sharp turns of the ignition key to turn on the starter. The starter will begin to rotate the flywheel, the flywheel will rotate the crankshaft, and the pulley will be secured with a key. In this case, the stuck nut usually “comes off” quickly.

The crankshaft pulley on front-wheel drive vehicles is generally secured with a bolt. To remove the crankshaft pulley of a front-wheel drive car, you must proceed in this order:

1. Raise the front right side of the car with a jack. Place a trestle, stump or a pair of wheels with rims.
2. Remove the wheel.
3. Dismantle and remove the air filter with housing.
4. Remove the protective cover.
5. Loosen the belt tensioner and remove the alternator belt.
6. To fix the crankshaft, you need to remove the plug in the clutch housing, then insert a pry bar into the hole and rest it between the flywheel teeth.
7. Now you need to put on the socket wrench, extend it with a pipe and sharply try to turn it counterclockwise. The main thing is to remove the stuck pulley bolt.

If it is not possible to remove the bolt from its place, then we use the method of unscrewing it with a starter. This method is shown above.

Helpful advice from locksmiths who have seen a lot: use solvent or WD-40, or a similar rust preventative. After spraying it on the thread (if the pulley is secured with a nut), you need to wait 15 minutes, then try to unscrew it. If it’s a bolt, then it’s not easy to apply this product to the threads, although if you spray it around the bolt, it’s possible that liquid will pass through the micro-cracks and decarbonize the joint.

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Signs of a malfunction of the VAZ 2107 crankshaft position sensor

Removing the crankshaft position sensor

Checking the crankshaft position sensor VAZ 2107

Welcome! Have you ever seen the bottom of an engine splattered with motor oil? Usually, people who have little knowledge of how a car works, the first question they ask is: “Why does this happen?”

A car's engine can become oily for various reasons, but the main reason is deformation of the oil seals. From time to time they require replacement with new ones. Let's figure out what they are and why they are needed. People say the oil seal, its real name is silent block, is a rubber-metal joint consisting of two metal bushings with a rubber insert between them. Oil seals serve as connections between suspension parts. Due to the elastic (rubber or polyurethane) insert between the bushings, vibrations transmitted from one unit to another are dampened. The silent block experiences very heavy loads, because its main task is to resist the deformation received by the car’s suspension.

Note! You will need the following tools: wrenches, a special “36” wrench designed to unscrew the crankshaft pulley mounting nut, a pair of screwdrivers, a mounting blade, a mandrel, a hammer and a bit!

Summary:

Location of the front crankshaft silent block

Silent blocks are found not only in the front suspension of the car (here they attach levers, anti-roll bar, torque rods), but also in the rear suspension (they attach the bar). Moreover, their range of applications includes shock absorbers, gearboxes, and engines. These important details require constant and timely monitoring. Today we will talk specifically about the front silent block on the classic VAZ model. So, it is located in a special hole located in the camshaft drive cover. So that when you open the hood you can easily find it, look at the photo below. The camshaft drive cover is circled in red, and the crankshaft pulley is indicated by a blue arrow. The oil seal is located directly behind it.

Unscrew 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 engine, namely a VAZ-type car. So, before starting work, you need to prepare the necessary tool, namely a socket or socket wrench for “36” or “38”, you also need to prepare a piece of pipe about 30 cm (later you will find out why). It is better to do the work above the inspection hole. If this is not possible, then it is better to use a jack and definitely a tree stump (better to be safe).

We set the gearbox 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 being under the car. If the attempt fails, you need to use another option.

Set the gearbox lever to the neutral position and remove the spark plugs. We install the key so that it rests (in the case when the length of the key is not enough, a pipe is used) against the floor or the rear spar in the direction of movement of the crankshaft. When the requirements are met, it is necessary to turn the ignition key to give short-term pulses. Sometimes the nut fits so tightly that you can’t get it off the first time. Mostly it is released on the third or fourth try. Once the nut is stripped, it can be tightened with a wrench.

Dismantling and replacement

Regardless of the design, where the part is located, it is important to remove and install it in the same order. Depending on the location of the motor, the part is located in the front part behind the cooling radiator. But if the motor is placed across the engine compartment, then your hand will not reach the part. Because to remove the crankshaft pulley, you need to remove the right wheel. If it is difficult to change, it makes sense to pay attention to the drawing, the work will speed up.

The vehicle is rolled onto the inspection hole and secured so that the car does not move from its place. To get there and remove the structure, you need to unscrew all the parts that impede access (air filter, mud flaps, etc.). Remove the generator belt. Next, open the clutch block plug and insert a pry bar into the hole to lock the flywheel.

The elements of the part are characterized by strong fixation, so they are not easy to remove. To turn a part, it is necessary to make a lot of effort. If dismantling is performed for the first time, it will be difficult to unscrew the crankshaft pulley. The reason is that factory production is characterized by strong tightening of the component parts.

Important! The right screw pattern means that the unscrewing process occurs counterclockwise. The car part spins in the other direction, so if it has oxidized, it is not so easy to disassemble it; it is useful to use additional means.

How to unscrew the crankshaft pulley nut

When turning fasteners, it is important to follow the recommendations, then the process will take at least 15 minutes. The effort should be applied as close to the camshaft as possible:

• use a pry bar to pry it up from all sides;
• If necessary, use a special universal crankshaft pulley puller for this part.

The device is presented in the form of a hairpin with 2-3 grips. The end of the gripper is secured to the edges of the part, and the end of the pin is placed in the middle of the shaft.

Scroll clockwise. But not all brands of cars turn clockwise; in some cars, the work must be done in the opposite direction. In this case, it is important to put your gear lever in 4th speed and turn on the handbrake.

If you can’t turn it, the lever should be in the neutral position. The next step is to remove the candlesticks. The key is placed on the floor or on the rear side member and turned in the direction of movement of the device.

All maneuvers make it easier to scroll, so further actions must be performed manually; if necessary, lubricate with brake fluid or WD grease. In addition, tapping the edges of the head can make your work easier.

How to remove the crankshaft pulley bolt

To do the job efficiently, the disassembled machine is placed on a stump. The pin holds the part together and is usually found in front-wheel drive automatic cars. The thread is designed in such a way that it is tightened during the torque when moving.

It is necessary to perform actions that open access to the base. To do this, it is important to stop the rotation well. A mount is used as a fixation. The tool is inserted into the flywheel gears. It must be adjusted securely so that it does not fall out during the turning process. Therefore, it is better to do the work with an assistant. Next, put a socket head of the same diameter as the pin onto the pin, attach a lever and an extension (a piece of durable pipe). After this they begin to slowly unscrew it.

Important! The longer the extension, the easier it is to unwind.

People's automobile experience

The difficulty of dismantling lies in the specially selected strong connection, without play. The fasteners are tightly screwed. They practice using a pry bar, while slowly pressing on the back surface of the part.

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When purchasing a part, you must have new fasteners. You will need a front oil seal and suspension belts. When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the grooves and marks. They must be free of defects. Otherwise, after a while you need to replace everything with a new one.

Important! When performing work, you need to pay attention to the crankcase ventilation system. If contaminated, under the influence of excess pressure, the oil seal will leak lubricant. When screwing, you need patience and, as a rule, you can achieve results after 3-4 attempts.

Installing the pulley on the crankshaft

To properly install the crankshaft pulley, it is necessary to lubricate it with grease or other viscous agent. This will make the fastener installation process easier. To put it on, tilt the washer slightly to the side and pull it onto the base. Next, you can use a tapping motion with a hammer to process the hub through a soft rubber gasket. Then, in the reverse order, you need to tighten the other parts of the car.

Important! If you do not fit it tightly into the groove, then everything will hang out, so you will need to replace it with a new one soon.

Folk tricks

Let's look at a few folk car tricks that have helped more than one driver.

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

Purpose

The pulley is designed to transmit torque to additional units. For this purpose, these same units have a counter pulley. It is attached to the crankshaft using a keyed connection, 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 tensioned sufficiently, 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 from steel, aluminum, and less often from cast iron.

How to unscrew the crankshaft pulley bolt? — Encyclopedia of Japanese cars

Honda makes reliable engines, but they don’t install them like everyone else, with the belts to the right, but vice versa. Accordingly, they spin in the opposite direction - counterclockwise. The seemingly insignificant difference makes you think when you have to unscrew the crankshaft pulley bolt. This must be done at least every 100 thousand km - to replace the timing belt, but unscheduled work also happens: replacing the oil seal, for example. The bolt is tightened with a huge torque of 185 Nm for a 17 head, but to unscrew it, a much greater force is required. It will not be possible to remove the bolt while cranking the engine with the starter: the direction of rotation is wrong.

The gear engaged and the brake pedal pressed to the floor also do not help - the transmission springs, but the bolt does not give way. On older cars, there is a window in the clutch housing opposite the flywheel crown, and some people try to stop it with a mounting tool or a sharpened crowbar. Such a duel between man and machine sometimes ends in spilled blood or a torn crankcase, and sometimes both. The pulley has a hexagonal cutout for a branded key. Only you can’t find a 51 hexagon with a hole for a 17 head on sale, and ordering it for one-time work is expensive. Meanwhile, a blank for a special key is sold on any market: heating battery locknut 54, internal diameter (thread) - 39 mm, width - 10 mm. We grind down its edges by 1.5 mm, weld a strong flat handle 180-220 mm long - the tool is ready. On some pulleys, the corners between the edges of the cutout are rounded, so you can also saw off the mating parts on the nut a little. We unscrew the bolt with a 17 mm head with an extension and a powerful wrench.

You can weld the turned workpiece to a Zhiguli wrench for the crankshaft nut - you will get a VAZ-Honda universal wrench. It is convenient to rest the handle on the front wheel drive shaft.

To prevent the key from falling off, rest the extension cord on a reliable stand. Sometimes it is not even necessary to remove the wheel, but if tires with a larger diameter than the standard ones are installed, the wheel will still have to be removed or a wrench with a universal joint must be used.