Crank bolt woes

[Sparvy]

I've got a SS/SC goblin that has a small but steady leak from the front crank/timing cover seal...yah me! I've got the ATI damper and I remember the install being a 9.9/10 on the frustration meter. I know I need a new seal and crank bolt but for the life of me can't remember how I held the crank from spinning as I put it on while the motor and trans were in the car (possibly why it's now leaking). There doesn't seem to be a flywheel locking tool available like the LS motors so how have you all managed to tighten that sucker to 74 ft lbs +120 deg without something to hold it from spinning? I'll tackle most projects but am really dreading this task.

 

[Gtstorey]

Lisle 23800 Flywheel Turner​

Or you can put studs into two holes instead of flywheel bolts and insert something long there to hold it. Or remove the flywheel and make that connects to the crank and engine block to hold it. You also might use the LS type tool if the teeth profile is similar along with some spacers.

 

[duthehustle93]

If the engine is out of the car, there's a couple options. I don't remember which one I used for the LNF.

• I usually use a long pry bar, two old bolts in the crank (on the flywheel side) and then rotate the crank until the pry bar locks between the two bolts and one of the mounting points on my engine stand.
• I've also done it the better way by drilling two holes in a long piece of angle iron, bolted it to the crank (flywheel side), and allowed the angle iron to stop on either the ground or engine stand.

If the engine is already in the car:

• I don't have an ATI damper on my LNF, but on other engines w/ ATI dampers I've used two of the 3 threaded holes on the front face to lock the pulley in place. I took a piece of long angle iron, drilled two holes in it, bolted it to the pulley, let it lock against the ground and then torqued my harmonic balancer.
• Put it in 5th gear (or 1st? ... my brain always breaks when I try to figure out which is better, I think 5th...) and have a helper stand on the brakes with both feet while you torque the bolt. I've only done this on miatas and it worked, I'd imagine it'd work for us too.

 

[Sparvy]

Thanks for the ideas guys. The engine and trans is in the car and I was hoping to not have to drop it to do this. I may give the 5th gear brake stand a try since I don't have an e-brake. I did think about using the crank pulley and making a lever off of that but I was thinking that it would put a ton of stress on the keyway. I may also look into seeing if an LS flywheel lockout could be made to work in addition.

 

[jirwin]

What you want is the "KENT MOORE TOOL J-43653 FLYWHEEL HOLDER". I have one. It goes in place of the starter and holds it in place.

 

[Gtstorey]

The engine and trans is in the car

Might should have put that in the first post. I Assumed the conditions were different since you did it in the car last time.

 

[Sparvy]

What you want is the "KENT MOORE TOOL J-43653 FLYWHEEL HOLDER". I have one. It goes in place of the starter and holds it in place.

Thanks. I'll see if I can track one down to get it done.

 

[jirwin]

Also regarding your leak, I read somewhere to put some RTV under the washer to help seal up between the bolt and damper. I had a leak there once but doing that worked fine

 

[Sparvy]

Also regarding your leak, I read somewhere to put some RTV under the washer to help seal up between the bolt and damper. I had a leak there once but doing that worked fine

I did do that when I installed the original pulley and am pretty sure I did it with the ATI unit but it's possible I missed a spot or outright forgot.