Wanted: crank pulley tool so I can change the timing belt on my Civic VX

[theholycow]

My HF breaker bar's head looks exactly like your Herbrand bar.

[Dr. Jerryrigger]

holy crap; what bad timing. This guy just posted this youtube vid:
Crankshaft Pulley Removal Trick

[monroe74]

this youtube vid

That trick won't work on this car. Can you guess why? I won't have time to explain until later.

[benfrogg]

Crank rotation V thread direction is the likely culprit. Although I don't actually remember at this time which way the VX motor spins....

In my opinion, it's more of the "backyard mechanic, get it done" method. I mean I'd do it, especially if options were running thin, but I don't think it's for the people who want to do the job "right." I suspect there's a good chance of damaging other pulleys, the starter, ring gear, starter relay, battery/cables, etc, doing this method. Again, I'd do it, but I'd not recommend it to anyone unless there were no other options.
Pretty cool idea though!
That mechanic dude is pretty cool. His videos are all fast and to the point. No lallygagging there.
B

[monroe74]

Crank rotation V thread direction is the likely culprit

Yes, that's it. Looking at the crank pulley, the VX engine spins counterclockwise. So if you tried that trick, you would just be making the bolt tighter! And I agree that aside from that, the technique might be hard on the starter.

holycow, that's interesting about your HF breaker bar. I guess they use a different design for the longer handle.

jerryrigger, I'm with you. I also never saw a design like this one (the joint on the end of my 25" bar). Anyway, I'm impressed that it didn't break. I sure put a lot of force on it. Using a much shorter lever, I broke a Herbrand socket and a Herbrand extension bar (in separate attempts). So I was really expecting that eleven dollar breaker bar (25") to snap when I put the 60" pipe on it.

Yes, I was careful to torque that bolt to spec when I put it back together. So does that mean it might be a little easier next time? Or maybe just the same. But at least now I know how to deal with it.

[theholycow]

Looking at HF's site, it looks like they have entirely replaced the old design with the design you bought, on 1/2" drive breaker bars. 3/8" and 3/4" drive bars have the old design.

[benfrogg]

My experience has been that it is easier to remove on subsequent attempts after the first time. My VX already had 150k on it when I got it, so I presume it's been off before me too.
I replaced my timing belt twice now. Once when the wrong water pump showed up in the mail. Then about 6 months later when the right one showed up. The second attempt was what I would call "cake" compared with the previous attempt. It was still good and tourqued, just no need for the insanity of an 5' cheater bar.

Coincidentally, my CV axle nut wouldn't come off even with 8' of black iron pipe cheater bar and all my weight on it. The breaker bar stayed together but the socket lost the nut at that point.
Knowing that I was replacing the whole axle assembly, I used a grinder/cut off wheel to make several slices into the nut/end of the CV. It basically fell of in my hands at that point.
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[monroe74]

My experience has been that it is easier to remove on subsequent attempts after the first time.

Thanks, that's encouraging.

My VX already had 150k on it when I got it, so I presume it's been off before me too.

Mine now has 150k. I've had it since 100k. I know the first owner had the dealer do the belt at 60k (I have the records).

I have a theory about this. I think the 'normal' method by the dealer and most 'pro' mechanics is to remove the thing with a big impact wrench, and then put it back together the same way. Which means that instead of torquing to spec, they are probably over-torquing it, maybe by a lot. Which means that the next time around, if the person attempting to do the job is a mere mortal (i.e., someone without a big impact wrench), they will have trouble.

So maybe next time it will be easier because I didn't over-torque it (and this sounds similar to your experience). And also because I oiled the threads, as indicated in the tech note I cited above.

I think something similar might happen sometimes with wheels. Shops will put wheels on using a big impact wrench, and then the nuts are over-torqued, or maybe not torqued evenly. I think this can end up causing a warped rotor, and then you end up with a pulsation in the pedal.

The breaker bar stayed together but the socket lost the nut at that point.

I wonder what you mean. The socket wouldn't stay on the nut, or wouldn't grab it properly? I guess that shouldn't happen, unless someone else rounded off that nut on a prior attempt.

Anyway, I've never done that job on a Honda. Maybe I never will! Googling around I see some of the same kinds of stories, where people end up using long cheater bars.

[hondaguy72]

Glad the tool worked out. Like I said before, I'd be leery using a tool that just engages one of the crank pulley holes.

Once the staked area of the axle nut is relieved, the nut should come off without too much trouble. The sockets in the large sizes seem to have a problem with engaging the shallow nut on the axle. I modified the correct size socket by grinding down the front edge so as to have the socket fully engage the nut. Along with a 1" breaker bar I've had no trouble with axle nuts.