Stuck harmonic balancer bolt

[jaybee]

Anyone have a good trick to free a harmonic balancer center bolt?  Ford 3.0 if it matters.  Sat on it with the impact wrench...nothing.  1/2" ratchet with an 18" cheater pipe...my helper couldn't hold the strap wrench around the balancer against the torque, but nothing.  I don't know that heat would get to where it needs to be, and I don't want to damage the rubber ring.

Thoughts?

[kb426]

The last time I had this happen, I got a really good 1/2 impact and it removed it like nothing was wrong. Mine didn't have enough power. I think you'll find the good impact is better than the cheater pipe.

[Jokester]

I don't know about Fords, but on my GM's I just put a socket on a breaker bar and a cheater pipe.  Then I lay it against the frame and hit the starter for just a second (disable the ignition, you don't want it to start).

Works for me.

.bjb

[Harry]

It wouldn't be left hand thread, would it?

[wayne petty]

just curious....

is your impact equipped with a whip hose??

whip hoses reduce air flow.. so when you need it the most.. it's just not there...

is it at the long  end of a run...

do you have a spare air hose... you can temp hook directly to the impact... without a quick connect..  

is your air hose 3/8.

does your system have over 90 psi at the compressor and at the end of the hose..

i too also place the breaker on the frame and bump the engine with the starter motor..

i have a flywheel turning tool that i have used to latch the flex plate in place to loosen or tighten the


do yo have any steel  to fab up a holding device... that bolts to the balancer ...    

got a selection of fan clutch wrenches  that you might be able to drill to allow them to be bolted to the damper pulley bolts... with just a few holes drilled... without effecting the original use....

[wvcab]

i use an old serpintine belt around the pulley, then a set of vise grips to pinch the belt close to the pulley, wrap the other end around a near by cross member, long cheater on the breaker bar, and give quick hard pulls, usually
will break it loose.

[chimp koose]

I just smack the bolt with a hammer to crack the rust loose and they usually turn right out.

[jaybee]

All good suggestions, thanks.  I'll let y'all know how it goes.

I may have created a new problem.  I unplugged the PCM and hit the key as I was setting up for that trick using the starter to turn the bolt.  Starter gave a quick kick, then everything went dead and it started flashing the "Theft" light.

Arrgh.

[wayne petty]

drop me a private message with your email.. i have 4 PDF files i can forward to you ... on various security key systems in cars...  

with make model and year... if you can..  

if it does not start when you get it all back together..

[jaybee]

Thanks, Wayne.  My quick Google search and the behavior of other systems in the car indicate it could just be a bad battery.  This car hasn't been driven in a good number of months.

A better impact wrench was the solution for the balancer.  Guess I'd better put one on my Christmas list for Santa.