Just a quick tip I haven't heard mentioned. I didn't have a longer crank bolt nor could I get the pulley off with the stock crank bolt. After throwing a few things around. I got to looking at the crank bolt. I fired up the bench grinder and ground off the collar around the head of the bolt so that it would fit through the center of the pulley. With out the collar the bolt could be screwed in. The puller pulls the pulley over the bolt. No more worries of damaging the threads because of having to screw the bolt out far enough to get the pulley off. You don't have to buy a longer bolt. A machine shop would probably grind that off also, if you didn't have a bench grinder. The things a guy has to come up with at midnight to keep working.

JAY

 

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

I just chucked it up in the lathe at work <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="gr_images/icons/tongue.gif" />

 

I bought a tool from Snap-On for like $80 that pulls the stock pulleys off far easier than the GM tool or the standard pullers did, its costs a little more online than I paid I see. Basically it has a long solid pushrod that it presses against instead of messing up the threads. I've probably done 20-30 pulleys with it with no signs of fatigue or wear.

Snap-on Puller

 

I wrote this during my cam instal. Hope it helps:
______________________________________________

Autozone has two different size gear pullers. Use the smaller size 3 jaw puller for the crank pulley. Also, you will need a longer crank bolt. The bolt you need is a 16mm / 2.0 thread pitch and 120mm in length (the head of this bolt is 24mm). This bolt can be purchased from NAPA as P/N 2801-225. Price is $5.39. Also purchase 2 washers P/N 8071-035B. Aditionally, if you don’t have a 24mm 6 point ½” drive socket; go buy one. DON’T use a 12 point socket. It does not grab enough meat on the bolt head, and may round off the head as you are trying to remove the ‘Super Tight’ crank bolt.

If this happens; YOU WILL have more problems than you would ever want to deal with!!!

Sears sells this socket in a deep-well version made for an impact wrench. This is the best one to get. The impact socket is much stronger than a regular socket and will not distort.

On an A4 car, remove the 2 bolts that hold up the starter. Let the starter just hang by it’s wires. Put a steel pin such as a large allen wrench in one of the holes in the flex plate (flywheel). Turn the engine with your ½ inch drive breaker bar attached to the 24mm ½” drive socket until the engine stops turning do the to pin hitting up against the block. You will need about a 2 foot piece of pipe [and] your long ½” drive breaker bar to loosen the pulley bolt. In fact, I had to use both feet to loosen the bolt!

Once the bolt breaks loose, install the puller. As you use the puller, you will need to unscrew the crank bolt when the pulley hits up against it. Keep doing this until there are not enough threads left on the stock bolt to pull the pulley all the way off. Then install your longer NAPA bolt and pull the pulley the rest of the way off.

You will also need this longer bolt to start pushing the pulley back on the crank during re-assembly. The stock bolt is just not long enough, and banging on the pulley to start it on the crank is NOT the answer.

Ron,

 

Awesome, most informative thread/post I have found thus far! I'll be pulling that bastard off in a couple of days.

 

I did my cam install 2 weeks ago and had to use a Chrysler/Mitsu crank puller. Autozone has it as a loan a tool. I fought with atleast 3 different 3 jaw pullers for over 3 hrs and the Chrysler puller did the job in 10 mins.

Napa is about the only place to get the proper bolt. I forgot to get a washer and had to use a washer out of a ball joint press kit to reseat the pulley. Good luck

Dave

 

Awesome info. How much was the puller from auto Zone? I need one. Doing my cam next weekend. Just waiting for my Gasket set from Texas speed.

 

Thats a good way to F up the first couple of threads in the crank. either grind the collar off the bolt like the first guy said (good idea, i never thought of that). Or what i do is i have a 2" spacer i put between the bolt and the crank so the threads never touch and the pulley comes off before it gets to the bolt head.

 

the craftsman pulley puller is the best that i have seen! i also got the bolt from napa. great combo!

 

What are the methods for keeping an automatic 4L60E from turning with the crank? Is the only way by removing the starter & inserting the pin or are there other ways? Can the car be left in park or similar @ resist the removal of the crank bolt?

 

you need either a flywheel tool or to have someone jam a screwdriver in there so the motor doesnt turn.

 

I seen a magazine article in Chevy High Performance. When they build the LS7 engines they have an old valve they use to hold the flywheel. It is bent at a 90* angle. The valve seat is what holds the flywheel. It is inserted in an opening at the back of the block.

Our blocks may not have this opening. And hell it may not work even if it does, lol. Just an idea for the ingenious people.

 

I use the specific Kentmoore tool which bolts in place of the starter and locks the flexplate positively. It's about $70, but will pay for itself after one use because it's works perfect.

For pulley removal, I use a standard gear puller with no problems. But I do have the ASP underdrive pulley which is alot easier to pull off compared to the stock pulley. The ease of installation and removal makes it worth the price alone.

 

i have so many old crank bolts laying around. one has the collar ground off. another has the threads ground off two sides of it to act like a tap to clean the crank out. a longer bolt to pull the pully on and another stock one to get the pully all the way on.

 

Could you do me a favor and get me a part number for the puller you bought? Your link isn't working for me. I'll see if my Snap On guy can give me a deal.

 

Wow, this is an old thread, March of 2003. At least people are using the search.

 

Yeah I was hesitant on bringing this thread back from the dead... Methinks this site's search isn't as accurate as Google's --> "longer crank bolt" site:ls1tech.com
Is there a way the admin can incorporate a Google search into this site? If that costs money, forget it.

 

Its a YA9740B.

 

Thanks so much!

 

I bought about a foot of 1 inch diameter aluminum bar stock at a scrap yard. Then I cut one section off that was about 2 inches in length and another about 3.5 inches in length. In the center of the end of each one, I drilled a 1/8" hole about 1/4" deep. I used that hole as a pilot hole and then drilled down a little with a 3/8" bit. This gave me a little countersink in the end of each bar to put the puller into. Then I used the short crank snout extension first and the longer one next. This didn't put any strain on the threads at all and it pulled the pulley off just fine. Now, this is the second cam swap that I have done on my engine. The first time I vowed to do it smarter the second time.

Steve