Coryboda

Hey guys so I’m putting on the harmonic balancer and I was tightening it down with an old crank bolt. After tightening it for a while I thought it was on good and I tried to loosen the bolt. However when I try to loosen it it does not want to loosen at all and has a lot of torque on it. I don’t want to break the bolt and screw it up. What should I do?

01CamaroSSTx

iTrader: (3)

Have power tools?

01CamaroSSTx

iTrader: (3)

I've found that sometimes it just needs the initial hit from an impact to break it free.

Coryboda

No power tools unfortunately

01CamaroSSTx

iTrader: (3)

Auto or manual?

01CamaroSSTx

iTrader: (3)

Just put a 3/4" drive breaker bar with a socket and take a hammer and give it a good wack counterclockwise.

Floorman279

iTrader: (11)

I would say that bolt would be almost impossible to break off

Coryboda

Well I ended up getting the bolt off and it turned out the threads were damaged on the end. Pretty sure the threads in the crank are screwed too

Coryboda

Any suggestions on where to get a tap for the crankshaft?

01CamaroSSTx

iTrader: (3)

Yeah i wouldn't recommend using the bolt to seat the balancer . You should have used threaded rod with nuts and washers and made sure the rod was threaded all that way in before pressing the balancer onto the crank.

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

what !! you tried to install the balancer with the bolt ??? somebody slap this guy ....

you can get time serts for the crank hole.....good luck

Coryboda

Yea I feel like a complete idiot for doing that, I was going off of LS1howto and that’s how they did it. You live and you learn I guess 🤷🏼dum♂️

Kjduvall

I'm going to get flamed for this. But a few times I've put the balencer in the freezer for an hour. Then cut the shank of bolt. Then lube it up a little and put air hammer on bolt head and drive it in. Takes very little effort. (But now I have the correct install tool)

Coryboda

I’ve heard of people heating the balancer but not freezing it

Kjduvall

Well that was before I got ls1tech educated!!!

gwizz15

iTrader: (1)

Yes heating works great! Ive always used the threaded bolt method. If you heat it up for a torch for 30 seconds it'll usually slide right on. Then impact the bolt on and you're good!