TCI Crank Balancer Installation... WHAT THE HELL????
TCI Crank Balancer Installation... WHAT THE HELL???? Ok so I've installed stock and aftermarket SLP Pulleys before without any problems and total of 3-4 times on this same crankshaft. Got this TCI crank pulley and began installing it.
I was using ARP bolt this time instead of the factory bolt to push it in. Surprisingly it was very hard to put it on and after it was about 2/3s of the way in I could not physically turn the bolt anymore. FYI I was using a 4-5 ft cheater bar (my roll bar door swingout) and I also broke the bolt originally with just a regular breaker bar, so I have enough power in my back to "properly" tighten it. Asked around, read the boards, some people warm racing balancers in hot water up before putting them on, some use the torch to warm them up.
So I take the bolt out no problem this time. Used the torch to maybe bring it back to normal temperature (40 F outside), so total of maybe 2-3 seconds. I put the breaker bar + cheater bar back on and start going at it. I get few more turns easily due to warmer pulley. I get to a point where I can't turn it AGAIN. It's about 3-4 mm from sitting all the way in. I wanted to take the bolt out just to check out the threads before I start wrenching on it again. Guess what... I turned it back a few turns and it stops. I can't get it anymore loose with a 5 ft damn extension bar. So now it apparently has some movement both ways but stops either way where I can't turn it anymore.
Solutions? Next steps? Possible failures? Has anyone had similar experiences? I can wait a few hours to regain my strength back and torque the hell out of it again, but I don't want to hurt anything...
I was using ARP bolt this time instead of the factory bolt to push it in. Surprisingly it was very hard to put it on and after it was about 2/3s of the way in I could not physically turn the bolt anymore. FYI I was using a 4-5 ft cheater bar (my roll bar door swingout) and I also broke the bolt originally with just a regular breaker bar, so I have enough power in my back to "properly" tighten it. Asked around, read the boards, some people warm racing balancers in hot water up before putting them on, some use the torch to warm them up.
So I take the bolt out no problem this time. Used the torch to maybe bring it back to normal temperature (40 F outside), so total of maybe 2-3 seconds. I put the breaker bar + cheater bar back on and start going at it. I get few more turns easily due to warmer pulley. I get to a point where I can't turn it AGAIN. It's about 3-4 mm from sitting all the way in. I wanted to take the bolt out just to check out the threads before I start wrenching on it again. Guess what... I turned it back a few turns and it stops. I can't get it anymore loose with a 5 ft damn extension bar. So now it apparently has some movement both ways but stops either way where I can't turn it anymore.
Solutions? Next steps? Possible failures? Has anyone had similar experiences? I can wait a few hours to regain my strength back and torque the hell out of it again, but I don't want to hurt anything...
What are ya putting it on? F-body, Corvette, Truck, ...
Are you absolutely sure it is the right model number for the application?!?
Pre-heat the pulley in the oven, & get yourself one of the tools to install it, rather than using the bolt itself.
Are you absolutely sure it is the right model number for the application?!?
Pre-heat the pulley in the oven, & get yourself one of the tools to install it, rather than using the bolt itself.
Sounds like you should not have used the bolt to put the balancer on. It is always a bad idea. Usually the oven works well and a wood block. Or if you have an idea to install even one more of them, get the tool off tech that is made for it. Sounds like your crank is beyond damaged now and it will take an act of god and a heck of a cheater to get the thing out. You may try some heat, but i doubt that would work. Good luck
Good news: I won't have to work on a car for a little while due to New Years!
Bad news: Bolt broke as I was losening it. Probably a half inch of it is still in the crank. Although there are mixed opinions everywhere such as techs, ls1howto, etc, let this thread show you that you are NOT TO USE THE BOLT TO TIGHTEN THE PULLEY.
PS. There was no other reasons of failure. There was nothing in the crank hole. Bolt was not messed up. Procedure of using the bolt to put the new pully on in itself is a failure. Worked first 4 times, failed the 5th.
Bad news: Bolt broke as I was losening it. Probably a half inch of it is still in the crank. Although there are mixed opinions everywhere such as techs, ls1howto, etc, let this thread show you that you are NOT TO USE THE BOLT TO TIGHTEN THE PULLEY.
PS. There was no other reasons of failure. There was nothing in the crank hole. Bolt was not messed up. Procedure of using the bolt to put the new pully on in itself is a failure. Worked first 4 times, failed the 5th.
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just curious, but why the 4 or 5 times r&r of the crank pulley? FWIW, not many sets of threads could handle the stress of what's used to properly seat a crank pulley(274 ft/lbs?) that many times. it just wasn't designed for that. maybe a 4340 billet crank, but definitely not a cast piece.
just curious, but why the 4 or 5 times r&r of the crank pulley? FWIW, not many sets of threads could handle the stress of what's used to properly seat a crank pulley(274 ft/lbs?) that many times. it just wasn't designed for that. maybe a 4340 billet crank, but definitely not a cast piece.
send the pulley to me ill machine the inside and get it to fit,my buddy had the same issue with his callies crank...i machined the inside and it went in nice n snug!!believe me if it didnt go in with the bolt it aint goin in with a tool!! my buddy went threw the same thing..we broke 2 pulley tools tryin to put it on...i measured the crank and the inside of the balancer..the balancer was a few thousands off..machined about a thousands out the center and bam it fit...
yes. at our local oreillys they have tools for rent. but the neat part about that is, its the same price to buy them. so you can return them when you are through for your money back, or keep them.
just curious, but why the 4 or 5 times r&r of the crank pulley? FWIW, not many sets of threads could handle the stress of what's used to properly seat a crank pulley(274 ft/lbs?) that many times. it just wasn't designed for that. maybe a 4340 billet crank, but definitely not a cast piece.
send the pulley to me ill machine the inside and get it to fit,my buddy had the same issue with his callies crank...i machined the inside and it went in nice n snug!!believe me if it didnt go in with the bolt it aint goin in with a tool!! my buddy went threw the same thing..we broke 2 pulley tools tryin to put it on...i measured the crank and the inside of the balancer..the balancer was a few thousands off..machined about a thousands out the center and bam it fit...
I used a bolt also BUT it was a longer bolt in-order to engage more of the cranks threads. Once that bolt bottomed out I switched to a shorter one to fully seat the pulley. I got this method out of one of those LS1 tech books.
The ARP one is alot longer than stock. But still just because it is longer, doesnt mean it always works. Ask the wife, she can prob fill you in on the rest.
Besides, what the hell are you doing on tech if you are reading books?
Besides, what the hell are you doing on tech if you are reading books?