Newbie question about crank pulley

My first timing belt/water pump change on my '95 Taco with a 3.4 V6 and I'm looking for some advice on removing the crank pulley. I can't weld my own tool, so are there other options than buying a special pulley holder? I am uncomfortable with the idea of bumping the engine to get the bolt loose. My Haynes manual says to remove the flywheel cover and use a screwdriver against the ring gear teeth, but the photo is inadequate. Is this a good way to go? What are my best options? And if I have to buy a special tool, which one do I need?

 

use air impact tool to remove crank flywheel bolts and cam gear bolts, don't try doing it "jerry rigged" style with home made bars and such or it "can" cause more problems.

use the right tools for the right job and things will go smoother and be safer

 

Why uncomfortable using the bump method to loosen it? It's essentially not exerting any forces different than an impact wrench. You just need to be careful setting up the wrench and bracing it. The problem is holding it to tighten it. If you have a manual transmission, you can put it in 5th gear, hold the brakes and tighten it that way.

And you don't need to weld to make a crank pulley tool, just a drill and the hardest nuts/bolts available.

 

Bump method has worked fine for me on several marquees. Sometimes there's just not enough room for an impact tool w/o taking way more apart than it's worth. I also don't like dinking with my flywheel or flex plate to 'offset' the torque being used.

 

an impact tool uses shock force to "break loose" the lock the threads have, the difference is constant pressure to "force" it to turn is what strips threads and snaps bolts in two if it it seized and doesn't want to let go.

its the "shock" of the impact that releases the threads hold so the bolt can turn, not steady brute force that is applied, steady brute force is what causes bolts and threads to get stripped when they are attempted to be loosened.

granted, sometimes there isn't room for impacts but the impact is a far superior method and has the absolute lowest risk of stripping threads or having bolts snap off.

if there is no room for an impact then a box end wrench or breaker bar on the bolt and a BFH will break the grip on the threads and is the next safest way to remove heavily torqued or frozen bolts.

the bump method does work but you risk a broken bolt or stripped threads when you do it even though the odds of it happening are low, but the odds are still there and if you snap a crank bolt OMG that's trouble.

 

I have used the bump starter method many times on 22RE builds without trouble. Just use an 18" socket wrench, rest if on the frame and tap the starter. Place a towel/pad in-between the frame and wrench if you choose to not leave any scratches. You just tap the starter, do not crank on it.

 

Well, after seeing a couple videos I actually am comfortable with the bump method for removal. And I could buy an impact wrench, I've been meaning to for a while now, in fact I'm kind of embarrassed that I've gotten as far as I have without one. But how would either of those help me when it comes to getting the bolt back on and torqued correctly? It seems that in order to torque it down, I'm going to need some way of keeping the pulley or the shaft from turning. It's an automatic.

 

This is what you want...

http://www.sptool.com/index.php?pag...ategory_id=19&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=11

I am a machinist by trade, have made many tools and know when it isn't worth reinventing the wheel. If you want the right tool for the job there it is.

 

No matter how many times folks luck out with the starter bump method there is a risk of damaging the starter drive and or the flywheel ring gear. A strap or chain wrench on the outer pulley itself can compromise the rubber bond of the pulley to the inner hub.

Keep in mind that the early pulley bolts were revised at some time before 99 and the torque spec was bumped up to 217 ft lbs. Toyota now considers it a "non-reusable" part. Many folks reuse them. I have replaced one once and reused them many other times with no issues. The old bolt is one piece with a huge flange the revised bolt has a separate loose flange/washer.

Revised/newer bolt


The all time best, most versatile (and costly) holding fixture is the one depicted in the FSM. The hub portion bolts securely to the pulley hub and comes with 6 different sets of bolts for different applications.
The handle part also "holds" pinion, drive shaft, transfer and transmission output flanges in the same manner.

 

OK, thanks for your input. The next question is whether or not the SP Tool harmonic damper shown here will work in my engine: http://www.sptool.com/index.php?pag...ategory_id=19&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=11

It's listed as working for 96-2004 Tacomas. I've got a '95 Tacoma with the 3.4L engine. Is that a different engine than 96-2004?

 

That fellow will work just fine. The "95" Taco is technically a "95.5" and vendors/parts houses sometimes get it wrong. All Taco 3.4 engines use the same tool.

 

I had one, that wouldn't come off with the biggest impact wrench I had access to. It (unknown to me) had only had the belt changed at 80k and I was doing it at 240k. I got a clutch fan tool at NAPA, and put some bolts that matched the holes in the pulley in it, and rested against the frame. Then I got the biggest breaker bar I had access to, and a 7ft length of thickwall pipe for a cheater bar, and two of us pulled until the bolt came loose. I could do the math on how much force it was, but it was way more than it should've been. That works, if you're careful

 

At the shop, we always try and use a impact first. If that doesn't work or there is no room, we have a solid method of using a special pry-bar on the fly wheel and a cheater bar for the pulley bolt. Last resort, depending on model, is to use the bump method.

We've never had a damaged, stripped, rounded, snapped bolt using any of these methods. YMMV.