putting new balancer back on, need some quick advice

[philip_g]

Got the old balancer off and the new mostly on in a snap, but I'm having a heck of a time getting it that last 1/4".

I used a remover/installer tool, but when it got too tough I put the 14mm crank bolt in there and started tightening.

Now I'm about as tight as I can go with a 12" breaker bar and am wary of going any further for frear of damaging the crank threads or stripping that bolt (I a reusing the original, maybe not the best idea)

Should I pop the bumper off and hit it with an impact gun or put a length of pipe on that breaker bar and keep cranking? What do you guys think?

[Blue XJ]

It should slide on fairly easy, the torque spec on that bolt is only like 65 ft/lbs or so, so it shouldn't take more than that to get the balancer to seat right. Are you sure the keyway that was from the old one matched the new one? I believe the new balancer should have came with a couple 'keys' that go in the crank. Maybe you have the wrong one in

[philip_g]

I didn't change the key, figured the keyway on the crank would be the same as the new pulley. Guess I can pop it off again and check. Thanks!

[philip_g]

Yep, now I'm super mega screwed, crank is stripped.

[philip_g]

well, I've got enough bite that I'm convinced I'll be safe with some red loctite or even better I've got some metal forming loctite for a more serious repair.
My problem now is without the bolt how can I get the pulley on another 1/8"?
I have been tapping it with a hammer and don't think it's moving anymore.
Started the engine briefly and don't hear any noise out of the ordinary so I'm convinced the key is OK.

[philip_g]

guess I could pull the front bumper, shove a 2x4 through there and really pound away on it but worry about the bearings.

[langer1]

Sure been lots of posters ruin the timing gears when the key rolled out of place.

It should not take a lot of force to get it on all the way, never pull it on with the bolt.

[philip_g]

thanks.

My other car is an LS1 and the damper on that car is a press fit with no key so it goes on very hard, guess I expected it to be harder than it should be. Will pull it again and see what I can do.

[philip_g]

well I dunno.
pulled the crank again and the key was very firmly in place, pulled it and measured it to the new and they are identical, put the key back in, chased the threads again with a tap, straight this time, used the installer tool and was able to get enough bite to draw it on and shoulder it, even got the bolt torqued to spec. Go figure.

I felt it shoulder, the crank nose is about 1/32" back from the face of the pulley. The pulley is about 1/8 from the face of the timing cover, but it does look like the pulley is a tad far forward. Guess we'll see if it throws or eats belts.