Accessing Timing belts

[JLDT]

I am trying to replace the front seal on my engine as it seems to be leaking oil onto the timing belts on my 86 GL Wagon - Ea82 etc. How to I hold the pulleys still to pull them off to get the center cover off??

[Danbob99]

several solutions to that one, i assume your talking about the monster crank pulley, being the center cover your speaking of. you can...stick a screw driver through that hole on your tranny housing, into the flex plate, or fly wheel. You can get the special tool that fits the crank pulley, and use 2 breakers on it. You could stick the car in gear, e brake on tight. take your pick...

[Snowman]

Just put it in 5th gear with the parking brake on and maybe some chocks in front of the wheels. As mentioned, there are some holes in the flywheel that you can put a screwdriver, punch, etc down to prevent rotation if just having it in gear won't suffice.

[WoodsWagon]

remember to take the water pump pully off first using bet tension to hold it. then pull the crankpully.

[JLDT]

Sooo - my alternator is already off - but I still have the other three pulleys on the car - water pump, main and then one other - do I need to pull the other two before I pull the main center puley?

 

I have a feeling this is going to be a bit more complex than I might have liked.

 

Thanks for the info so far . . .

[EmmCeeBee]

Maybe the "screwdriver in the hole" works for other people, but I always used a breaker bar on the crank pulley and kicked the starter. Why strain muscles when 90 HP can do the job???

 

If I were you, before I unhooked too much stuff, I'd try to get the crank pulley off. If you have to resort to the breaker bar, you might have to rebuild what you took off so you can crank the engine.

 

It's not tough, really. If I remember, it's a 22mm bolt on the crank pulley. I used a 22mm socket, a 1/2" socket wrench, and a length of pipe (about 3 ft??). Slip the pipe over the socket wrench handle, rest the other end of the pipe on the ground. The engine turns CCW (that's looking forward), so the pipe should rest to the left of the engine (looking forward; that's under the battery). Just be sure nothing will get destroyed if the pipe flops around.....

 

Disconnect the coil-to-distributor wire. You don't want the engine to actually run!!! Then turn the ignition key to kick the starter, for less than 1/2 second. All you want to do is break loose the bolt, you don't want to completely unthread it. Don't crank like you're starting the car, just 1/2 second.

 

If this seems too drastic (for some reason it gives some people the willies...), then try the "screwdriver in the hole" method, but do it now before you have stuff hanging all over the engine.

 

All the pulleys will have to come off to get clear access to the timing belts.

 

-- Mark