crank bolt removal- how to use homemade "bar tool"

purvisgs · Post by **purvisgs** » Fri May 25, 2007 5:39 pm

I need to remove the crank bolt to change the seal, and I am having trouble visualizing how the homemade bar tool that I found mentioned several times on this site and the vwdiesel.net forum would work...

I already pulled the outer pulley and took off the t-belt... the engine is in the car and up on jackstands... should I put the belt back on?

Basically the main thing that I don't quite understand is how I am supposed to turn the engine over... (am I bracing the bar against the ground and then trying to wrench on the bolt with a breaker bar or impact wrench?)

Could someone possibly go through a quick step by step procedure of what I should do?

<this is a copy of a post by fatmobile, I just can't quite picture how the system will work for removing the bolt>

Weld a bar onto a spare crank pulley, off center so you can put a socket on the bolt. Bolt the pulley to the timing gear.
Put the key in the right spot on the crank and snug the crank bolt down.
Rest the bar on the ground and torque the bolt.
This even works on an engine that is out of the car because all the stress is transferred to the ground and doesn't try to turn the block on it's side.
I found something similar to this on the old forum but I don't remember who to give credit to. They used a piece of flat bar that would bolt to the timing gear so that's what I did. It would have been much easier to have a friend weld it to a spare crank pulley, than to drill all the holes in 1/4" stainless.
Here is a link to the discussion (scroll down half way for image of the bar tool)
http://www.vwdiesel.net/phpBB/viewtopic ... ar+picture

Thank You!

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Fri May 25, 2007 5:50 pm

If the belt is off or out of time, then you should loosen the cam caps so no valves can be open. I don't know how to explain it better than fatmobile did in the post you quoted. You bolt up the bar to the timing gear and rotate the engine until the bar is preventing it from rotating further. Then undo the bolt. Here's pics of mine:

[quote="libbybapa"]Here's a coupla pics of my crank sprocket holder for easy removal and torqueing of the crank sprocket bolt.

The second picture shows the orientation for removing the bolt. With it bolted that way, the tool end hits the concrete and prevents the crank from turning. Then, all pressure of breaker bar and cheater pipe is sent through the bolt. To re-torque, you can use your weight and math to figure out how far away from the bolt you need to stand on the breaker bar to be at the correct torque setting.

Andrew

purvisgs · Post by **purvisgs** » Fri May 25, 2007 5:58 pm

Thanks for the quick reply!

after a few times of reading through it in different ways, it makes sence to me, I was just getting confused for some reason or another

tylernt · Post by **tylernt** » Fri May 25, 2007 6:36 pm

Does putting the car in 4th gear and firmly setting the parking brake not work? I thought the special tool was just for engines out of the car.

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Fri May 25, 2007 8:52 pm

I don't like to put the stress through the drive-train. Also, parking brakes often will not hold against that much torque. What is the torque spec? 150 ft lbs? That's approx. the max torque of the stock 1.9TDI.

The bar tool is just plain easy IMO.

Andrew

A1-2-A3 · Post by **A1-2-A3** » Fri May 25, 2007 10:50 pm

I remove the crank v-belt pulley. Then I use my impact wrench and zip off the bolt. Then remove timing belt, replace seal, install crank gear, install timing belt. Then have the bolt in hand tight at that time and then torque it to specs. I usually get the wife to hold a prybar in the flywheel inspection hole to hold the motor as I torque the bolt. If you have the timing belt removed first you risk engine damage without carefull precautions to not turn the motor and damage the valves, which you already know because you are inquiring about a crank holding tool.
Also I have the timing pinned before I remove the belt and I also mark the sproket on the crank before removal to the crank seal housing(just in case)

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Fri May 25, 2007 11:15 pm

The bar tool is easier than getting the wife to do something.

Andrew

A1-2-A3 · Post by **A1-2-A3** » Fri May 25, 2007 11:22 pm

I know then she goes on about how its like I asked her to hold up the world!

Its just my friends are less mechanically inclined and get in the way.
My old lady showed me how to lap valves years ago, she used to help her Pops rebuild the odd engine on the farm as a kid. Myself a cert. mechanic always sent the heads out to be done and never knew. "You grind like your a caveman starting a fire? Oh I get it....Go back and make me a pie dammit!!"

Quantum-man · Post by **Quantum-man** » Sat May 26, 2007 2:58 pm

Andrew, the one thing I dont understand, is, what stops those two little bolts from shearing off?

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Sat May 26, 2007 3:07 pm

The tension of the heads against the steel angle and the sheer strength of the bolts.

Ive never seen even the slightest evidence of damage to the m8 allens.

Andrew

duffer · Post by **duffer** » Sun May 27, 2007 9:27 pm

Breaking, or otherwise damaging those bolts would be
very unlikely.

The only problem you might encounter is, if you rest the
bar against the Earth, you might move South-East Asia
a couple of feet before the crank bolt finally breaks loose.

Quantum-man · Post by **Quantum-man** » Mon May 28, 2007 5:47 am

... OK 2 off M8 bolts have same x section as 1 'M11 and a 1/4' Bolt