Thread: 300 TDi crank pulley bolt....

Originally Posted by johntins

I have been trying most of today to crack the front pulley bolt. My rattle gun, or more likely the compressor, won't cut it. I've tried the breaker bar/starter motor trick, and I've locked it in gear and used a long breaker with a pipe on it to give me about a 1200 mm pull. No way. And, yes Dave, I used a heat gun. So, a bigger compressor and rattle gun, which I can't afford, or? I've considered raising the front of the car and setting the breaker bar on the ground and then dropping the car. Other than that I'm stumped. Any ideas would be most welcome.

What happened when you used the breaker bar on top of the left hand chassis rail (passenger side), also you did disconnect the wires to the fuel solenoid on the injector pump.
I have never failed doing it this way, I always have a bit of slack at the end of the bar a couple of inches above the top of the chassis rail and a very quick twist of the key, on and off.
Someone may have gone overboard with threadlocker and some heat should help there, Good Luck, Regards Frank.
P.S. quality tools needed, crap tools will flex and even bend.

Originally Posted by johntins

That's confusing. Surely expanding the bolt will make it tighter, or am I missing something? Does expanding the bolt crack the coefficient they have somehow?

A crank bolt is something like five times longer than its wide. Heating makes it then expand lengthways 5x faster than it widens. A high tensile bolt's grip is mainly from the end loading (tension) created by stretching slightly via turning into the the thread, creating friction in the thread and under the head. Unless a bolt is damaged or rusted into the crank it will not expand enough sideways to lock it in the threaded part. A bit of lube soaking in after a few cycles of heating and cooling is a bonus in reducing friction enough to let it start to turn and reduce the tension.

Originally Posted by Tank

What happened when you used the breaker bar on top of the left hand chassis rail (passenger side), also you did disconnect the wires to the fuel solenoid on the injector pump.

Didn't see the need to disconnect anything as the head is off, so it can't start.

Originally Posted by Tank

I have never failed doing it this way, I always have a bit of slack at the end of the bar a couple of inches above the top of the chassis rail and a very quick twist of the key, on and off.

Same. I gave it about two or three inches so it got a good whack.

Originally Posted by Tank

Someone may have gone overboard with threadlocker and some heat should help there, Good Luck, Regards Frank.
P.S. quality tools needed, crap tools will flex and even bend.

I try very hard to use the old Australian Sidchrome. or Stahlwille, or failing that Kinchrome. Cheap tools are a double waste of money.

Originally Posted by bee utey

A crank bolt is something like five times longer than its wide. Heating makes it then expand lengthways 5x faster than it widens. A high tensile bolt's grip is mainly from the end loading (tension) created by stretching slightly via turning into the the thread, creating friction in the thread and under the head. Unless a bolt is damaged or rusted into the crank it will not expand enough sideways to lock it in the threaded part. A bit of lube soaking in after a few cycles of heating and cooling is a bonus in reducing friction enough to let it start to turn and reduce the tension.

Ok, that makes sense. I guess my thinking is still stuck in older times. I will give it a whirl.

Originally Posted by johntins

Didn't see the need to disconnect anything as the head is off, so it can't start.



Same. I gave it about two or three inches so it got a good whack.



I try very hard to use the old Australian Sidchrome. or Stahlwille, or failing that Kinchrome. Cheap tools are a double waste of money.

Head off certainly will make a difference, LOL, my Son and I bought a Sidchrome damper bolt Buster for our new workshop, Long heavy bar with pivoting arm on end and 1/2" socket drive for around $150, either use weight of bar by lifting to full height and slamming down or use a flogging hammer.
There are some pommy vids on U-Tube under "How to build 300TDi", you may be able to make one yourself, not very complicated, Regards Frank.

Originally Posted by johntins

I try very hard to use the old Australian Sidchrome. or Stahlwille, or failing that Kinchrome. Cheap tools are a double waste of money.

I snapped off a Snap On breaker bar doing up that bloody bolt once.

Lesson being don't use a 1/2" drive where you should be using a 3/4" drive breaker bar.

I replaced the Snap On with a Koken bar, can't remember what the 3/4" slider bar is ?

Originally Posted by rick130

I snapped off a Snap On breaker bar doing up that bloody bolt once.

Lesson being don't use a 1/2" drive where you should be using a 3/4" drive breaker bar.

I replaced the Snap On with a Koken bar, can't remember what the 3/4" slider bar is ?

Kincrome make a 3/4 telescopic, bit it's a ratchet, which worries me.

I'm using a 3/4 set with a trolley jack handle. The 3/4 sockets I have are double hex, but I think they're OK. My rattle gun is only 1/2, but it's not doing anything anyway.

I'm in Brisbane right now, but when I get home it'll be gas torch and Penetrene. Oh, and fire extinguisher.

Originally Posted by johntins

Kincrome make a 3/4 telescopic, bit it's a ratchet, which worries me.

I'm using a 3/4 set with a trolley jack handle. The 3/4 sockets I have are double hex, but I think they're OK. My rattle gun is only 1/2, but it's not doing anything anyway.

I'm in Brisbane right now, but when I get home it'll be gas torch and Penetrene. Oh, and fire extinguisher.

Be wary of using a Ratchet to do or undo anything that is tight all the weight goes to the pawl holding the gear (fine) teeth. That Sidchrome bar I mentioned in the previous post is the Bee's knee's for this type of work, but only reason I bought one for our Workshop is We'll be hiring out part of the workshop along with tools and hoist, esp. for budding LR mechanics. I have never seen this type of tool fail, regards Frank.