[Bob Rutledge]

OK guys, I am taking apart my 400, and I still have the heads on it, but I have taken the rocker arms and push rods off. I am trying to take the crank bolt out so I can take the timing cover off. How do you guys keep the crank from turning? Also, I don't know if you guys remember me asking about a couple of wiped cam lobes about 6-8 months back, but she deffinately has that. I would show pics, but don't have access to digital camera right now. Anyway, can anybody quickly tell me how to keep the crank from turning? I am working on it now. Thanks.

[J.D.]

one way is to shove some rope into a cylinder. the piston will stop when it hits it , stopping the crank.

[b-man]

On automatic cars I use a large screwdriver through one of the holes in the flexplate to block it from moving, the screwdriver will rest against the block were it's machined flat. Others have had luck using a big pair of Vise-Grips locked onto the flexplate.

Another trick is to use a 15/16" socket on the balancer bolt and a long breaker bar (or slide a section of pipe over a shorter one) and rest it against the frame rail. Bump the starter and your bolt will loosen.

Both of these methods assume the engine is still in the car, always loosen it up before engine removal unless you have an air impact gun.

[younggto]

An impact would be the easiet. If you don't have access to one, try to borrow the bar used to hold the pinion of a rearend while setting the crush sleeve. If you can't find one, you may try putting two bolts in the crank and using a pry bar, along with a breaker bar on the bolt. When I took mine apart I used a pry bar between a crank counterweight and the saddle of the block. It worked great. Just some thoughts.

[P@blo]

I had to change my balancer and all I did was put a large flathead screwdriver in the ring gear teeth so it hit the bellhousing. Then just reef it off/on, worked like a charm for me.

[Tom Vaught]

If you do the long breaker bar deal and you have the flywheel wedged, BE SURE to pad the area where the breaker bar might travel as I have seen several blots break loose suddenly with the breaker bar doing damage to a body part (Human or sheetmetal). Much easier to do the breaker bar and the starter deal early on in the process. It really doesn't take much of a "TAP" on the starter button to break the bolt loose. Remember the bar goes on top of the frame on the drivers side with no clearance between the bar and frame. You can use wood shims to remove any clearance.

Tom V.

[Old Man Taylor]

In the car just find a way to jam the flywheel/flexplate. I do it with a screwdriver or a flywheel turning tool. Out of the car and on engine stand is also easy. Put two flywheel bolts into the crank with an open hole in between them. Place a tire iron between them like you want to turn it. Rotate the crank until the tire iron wedges against the arms of the engine stand, and then apply the torque to the bolt. I use a long breaker bar with a pipe extension over the bar.

[screamingchief]

I do it with a screwdriver or a flywheel turning tool.

Yep,the flywheel tool is my recommendation,the right tool for the job,and hands down the safest one,no chance of hurting/cracking the flexplate or block like there is when jamming the screwdriver in one of the holes and wedging it against the block.

Money spent on good tools is always worthwhile,they pay for themselves many times over!

I use that tool to hold the flexplate,and I use my snap-on 28" breaker bar on the bolt,never a problem on either end!

Makes quick work of the job,Unless it's a manual trans car and the bellhousing prevents using the holder on that end.

If that's the case,then I'll use the rope deal,just be sure if you do that that your doing it on TDC of the compression stroke and not during the exhaust stroke/overlap when the valves are both open,for obvious reasons.

Also be sure to use a natural fiber rope,and not a nylon fiber rope,if any fibers are left behind the natural fibers burn off much easier and safely.

I try to avoid "wedging" the flexplate thru the holes unless it's my last resort,but have had to on a few rare occasions,just be real careful when doing this that way.

HTH,Bret.

[cerino2000]

Originally Posted by screamingchief

I try to avoid "wedging" the flexplate thru the holes unless it's my last resort,but have had to on a few rare occasions,just be real careful when doing this that way.

HTH,Bret.

Beware of doing this as I have two flywheels that I did this on and both of them bent the flexplate! I didn't even realize it until I was picking a flexplate to send the the engine balancing shop. Inspected them real close and sure as heck they were bent at the hole where I had put the tire iron. I now use the method of wedging to two bolts installed in the rear of the crank shaft.

[rolling money pits]

if there is still juice to the starter, you can use a breaker bar and extension on the bolt, then wedge it to the ground/frame on the drives side.

disconnect the dist then bump the starter, bolt will be loose in a nanosecond.