Tricks for removing crank pulley?

[pentode]

Just a quick question as I've never had one of these apart. My crank pulley is pretty stuck on the balancer. I gave it a pry with a large pry bar but the balancer itself is flexing and I don't want to tear that up. Any techniques for getting that pulley off without bending it or damaging the harmonic balancer? Or possibly take the whole thing off together? All wisdom is appreciated.

 

[Uncle Gump]

They make a puller to pull the balancer... same one I pull steering wheels with.

The pulley has to be bolted to the balancer... or threaded. If it isnt... then it's one piece. Replace the assembly.

 

[pentode]

I'm planning on getting the puller to pull the balancer for sure. I've got the pulley bolts out and like the water pump pulley, I think it's just a very close fit that has sort of rust welded itself together over the years. I believe that this is the type of harmonic balancer with an other steel ring bonded to the center with a rubber ring. Unfortunately that outer ring is the only thing I could pry off of to help the pulley off. I've given it a few taps with a dead blow hammer but there's not much room to swing it and I don't want to bend the pulley.

Just wondering if there's a secret place I haven't found to pry from or a special technique for hammer whacking that will magically make it come off.

 

[19Walt93]

I'm planning on getting the puller to pull the balancer for sure. I've got the pulley bolts out and like the water pump pulley, I think it's just a very close fit that has sort of rust welded itself together over the years. I believe that this is the type of harmonic balancer with an other steel ring bonded to the center with a rubber ring. Unfortunately that outer ring is the only thing I could pry off of to help the pulley off. I've given it a few taps with a dead blow hammer but there's not much room to swing it and I don't want to bend the pulley.

Just wondering if there's a secret place I haven't found to pry from or a special technique for hammer whacking that will magically make it come off.

If the outer ring moved when you pried on it, the harmonic balancer should be replaced. I'm sure it's not rusted in place, balancers are a tight fit and shouldn't willingly slide off without using a puller.

 

[pentode]

thanks for the advice guys, I got a small nylon hammer and gave it a few sharp whacks and it came off... it was rusted on at the center... not too bad.

But speaking of damage to the harmonic balancer- when I said it moved, I meant you could see it flexing ever so slightly, less than a millimeter for sure. Like 10-20 thou or something like that. That shouldn't have damaged it should it? Any way to know for sure?

 

[Uncle Gump]

Chalk another one up for a sharp blow with the appropriate hammer.

I'd look for dry rot/weather checks in the rubber. If it's still in good shape... I'd probably run it.

 

[pentode]

I like that advice as the balancer is another $100

And for the record, I'm always too cautious for this stuff at first. I'm careful and patient, but sometimes those things lead to frustration and foul language.

I'll be asking my next (and hopefully last) question for this project in a new thread. The help is very much appreciated.

 

[superj]

I would run it, also

 

[19Walt93]

thanks for the advice guys, I got a small nylon hammer and gave it a few sharp whacks and it came off... it was rusted on at the center... not too bad.

But speaking of damage to the harmonic balancer- when I said it moved, I meant you could see it flexing ever so slightly, less than a millimeter for sure. Like 10-20 thou or something like that. That shouldn't have damaged it should it? Any way to know for sure?

I thought you were trying to remove the balancer from the crank, not the pulley from the balancer. Still, if you pried against the balancer and the outer ring moved it's safest to replace it. I've seen the ring separate and move on the hub until it ground into the crank sensor and killed the engine on a 4.0. More often the ring turns and the timing mark is out of position.

 

[pentode]

I'm going to keep an eye on it but I only pried on it hard enough to detect that it was moving. I'm pretty confident it's fine and I didn't want to slow down this project any more than it already was. It's the typical problem- until you have things apart, it's tough to know just exactly how stuff is assembled and/or what the sticking points are until you have things apart.