Stuck woodruff key

Hey yall, im doing a kind of nightmare repair, having to redo my head gasket and timing kit job myself because the person who repaired it cranked the harmonic balancer on without fitting the key into the slot, cracked the balancer, mushed the key a little and pushed it back.
Anyway, trying to get the key out of the slot, ive tried hammering a punch, chisel, using wire cutters and vice grip wrenches, even tried to start drilling for a screw extractor bit but it was too scary in terms of sliding off and scratching the crankshaft.
Im not sure how much force is ok to use w the mallet, or how much heat would be ok.
If yall have any advice i could really use it.

 

I would put a small piece of wood under the shaft and use a c-clamp. Applying pressure to the raised half moon to see off it will break loose.

 

I find that getting them to rock or slide in the groove helps get them loose.
Grind a flat, then take a punch and peck it backwards.
You want to get it to pivot and rock. Once it starts moving, you got it.

Me.....I'd likely take a heavy duty flat blade or chisel and trying sticking it between the gear and key and prying it out.
But you don't want to mar up the crank snout either. So I can't say you should do that.
Care needs to be take if you do that.....

Grinding a flat is my best advice.

 

I know you can’t but engine/front clip in the freezer…..

but I would try cold not heat
Cold will contract metal not expand

brake cleaner comes out cold
Maybe a Coleman stove small green propane tank
A sacrificial ice pack to wrap around the area?

After getting the metal colder, Hilux wood/c clamp idea looks good

 

Usually you can catch the edge of them with a good sharp chisel like this and knock them up out of the keyway.

 

If they aren't too tight that works but if they are stuck you typically just end up flaring it out more and making things tighter.
If you can get it a position where you can hook it with a chisel you can usually pop them out with minimal damage to the key unless they are really stuck.

 

This is the internet.

Me? I'm pounding a flat blade screwdriver down in the "gap" and prying.

But, again. This is the internet.
Next post would be, "I fucked up my crank following your advice".

So, I played it safe.

 

U think using some freeze-shock action would do it
how about this product? i have used this in the past for a seized fuel line 'coz ya don't want heat that up lmao

 

What dm93 said,
Get rid of the mallet & use a real ball pean metal hammer, metal framing hammer, etc....
You using a mallet may be your main issue.
Hammer down on the back of it so it raises the front, then angle the chisell on the front of the crank & start slamming...
Hit it like a man!!!!

 

never heard of
Thanks for tip!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

BA…..
Great thing about here you get a plethora of ideas…….and can combine them to use in your solution

that freeze spray AND precision tapping on W key

use a spring loaded center punch on either end of the flat portion of W key
Hit the bottom of crank (w key on top) with freeze spray
Then precision tap both ends of w key where you center punched
(Like a rocking horse)

think that’s the ticket

 

When you all buy a new HB....take a file and take the forward sharp edges off the keyway
you wont hurt the damn thing at all


This happens a lot with Toyotas.........I would even polish and lube the crank before mounting

 

Thank you all!!!! I got it !!!! Now to set the timing ‍