hopefully someone can help me out

[jet_doctor]

I'm not sure what your crankshaft pulley looks like, but mine only has one big bolt in the middle. If your problem is that the truck lurches when you try to loosen it...by filling one of the combustion chambers with rope you'll restrict the cranshaft's ability to rotate allowing you to get a good pull on your ratchet/breaker bar without the truck moving on you. The only pulley that I see with four bolts is the water pump pulley. Am I mis interpreting?

 

[jet_doctor]

It doesn't take alot of rope just enough to keep the piston from moving through top dead center.

 

[silicon_ghost]

i'm trying to get to the harmonic balancer so i can take it off and put a new belt on but i cant get the big bolt in the center off. the way mine looks is it has four smaller bolts that i thought held the pulley on. but there is also the big bolt in the middle. what i don't know is if the pulley is held on by all the bolts or just the four. when i removed the four smaller ones, it wouldn't pull off. it might be on there pretty good and just needs some persuasion but i don't want to go beating on the pulley if i need to take the center bolt out.

 

[jet_doctor]

If I remember correctly the balancer can stay in. Its been a while, in fact mine is due for a pre-emptive replacement. The crankshaft pulley has to come off, so the big bolt has to come off. The small bolts for the balancer stay in. The rope trick will allow you to lock the crankshaft to get a good pull on the big bolt to loosen it. After that the pulley should pop offf with some gentle tapping/prying. I didn't need a puller but you may. Hope this clears it up.

 

[Dave R]

The small bolts hold the pulley onto the hub, they do not have to be removed. Though once you get the center bolt out you can use two of the smaller bolt holes for harmonic balancer puller.

The 'rope trick' is fine but BE CAREFUL and make sure that the cylinder that you put the rope into is on the compression stroke. If it's not, you run a small chance of bending a valve.

 

[silicon_ghost]

does anyone know what the actual bolt size the bigger one is? i have been using a 22mm and that seems to be it but i didn't know if it was standard or metric.

 

[Dave R]

Actual thread size or what socket fits?

For the socket, 22m/m is correct.

As for the bolt thread, I'd have to measure one. I don't think anyone has ever asked that.

 

[silicon_ghost]

i didn't word that right. you answered my question. thanks!

 

[silicon_ghost]

finally got the crankshaft pulley bolt off!! now just need to get the harmonic balancer off. are there any tricks or important tips i should know to finish this off or is it pretty simple now?

 

[silicon_ghost]

got the timing belt in. just haven't put it on all the sprockets yet. got the harmonic balancer back on and the pulley. when i set the crankshaft the way it is supposed to go, i take it i line the little notch in the pulley with the little notch on the plastic timing belt cover? right by the notch it says TC. which i take as Top Center. just wanting to make sure i have everything where it needs to go before i start tightening everything down.

 

[Dave R]

when i set the cranckshaft the way it is supposed to go, i take it i line the little notch in the pulley with the little notch on the plastic timing belt cover? right by the notch it says TC. which i take as Top Center. just wanting to make sure i have everything where it needs to go before i start tightening everything down.

You are correct on both counts.

 

[silicon_ghost]

before it got dark and started raining, i lined up the two notches but noticed there was a little play left and right. does it have to be perfectly lined up or as best as i can possibly get it?

 

[Dave R]

What two notches?

Remind me, what year truck are you working on?

 

[silicon_ghost]

the notch on the crankshaft pulley and there is a notch on the timing belt cover and next to that notch it says TC.

my truck is a 91 2.3L 4 cyl.

 

[Dave R]

Yes, those two notches get lined up. Point the cam sprocket at it's alignment mark, attached to the rear belt cover. And point the auxillary sprocket anywhere you want, it's orientation is not important for your year.

Slip the belt on, release the tensioner but, don't tighten it down then carefully rotate the engine clockwise, as viewed from the front, two revolutions. If the timing marks still line up, tighten the tensioner and reassemble the engine. If they are off, start again.