Frax Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Hi how do you stop the engine from turning while you tighten the crank shaft bolt. I have done this several times and its always a struggle, is there an easy way to do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuck Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Which engine? Engine in the truck I presume? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02jcole Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Hi Frax, I presume this is on a 300tdi engine? The easiest option is to put it in a high gear with the handbrake on, however this will only work up to a limit until the clutch slips. The other option is to remove the starter motor and lock the flywheel, some people just wedge a socket or something between the ring gear and the engine housing, but I preferred to quickly knocked up a tool which bolts on where the stater motor fits. I'll try to dig out a photo. James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kho55y Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 stick it in gear handbreak on and a friend on the foot break lol works for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 You can buy the proper tool to hold the crankshaft pully but it is expensive ..... Cheapest version http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360394412875 or make your own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Yep the easy option is to use one of these (From Difflock) Also not a cheap option though there are others just hard to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 or make one to suit your engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuck Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Thinking about this I'll never through away a knackered starter motor again! Wouldn't take a lot of work to make a tool to lock up the ring gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I wonder how much torque it would take to break a tooth on the ring gear? Given it's distance from the flywheel centre I guess it would take a heck of a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncmc Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I got my dad to make me one about 10 years ago. A bit like the one in the pic above, but in 2 pieces. A section of drilled tube of appropriate diameter and a big piece of bar that bolts into the holes in the crank pulley. I can take some measurements and pictures if you like tomorrow Frax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuck Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I don't think you'd break the ring gear, torquing up the crank shaft bolt won't exert anywhere like the force applied by the starter motor surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Well I guess as one of the well used methods to undo the bolt is to flick the starter and not having heard of anyone breaking a ring gear doing it my question is pointless .... didn't think of that before asking ... sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Thanks for all the help, just about what I was doing, high gear - brake on and chocked the front wheels. Any sizes of the tool would help as I could knock one up, the amount of time I have spent in the engine bay in the last month is unbelievable and may be at it again in the morning if my new crank shaft seal turns up. Hope after that I will be clear for a good while but the tool would still be handy. When ye need one ye need one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Do you have one of those timing tool kits with the locking pins and the puller? The puller uses the same 4 holes as the locking tool so you can get a lot of measurements from that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Sadly no - I did order one but it was never delivered as they classed anything North of Aberdeen as Scottish Highlands as they would not deliver there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RILEY Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Hi mate with ref to your other post about the leaking oil seal (crank) did you change the "o"ring behind the crank gear ? A simple tool to lock the crank drill a 5mm hole in a 14mm bolt screw bolt into bellhousing insert drill bit shank first then away you go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 See post 10 here: http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=38651&st=0&p=368525&hl=+crank%20+bolt%20+reb78&fromsearch=1entry368525 this tool worked for my 200tdi - not sure on the measurements for the 300, but it might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 300 tdi has a one piece pulley so the tool needs to be more complex than the 200 tdi as the threaded holes are recessed quite deep inside the pulley and require a spacer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Me...I flog the bolt up, just like a main dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean f Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 The difflock tool pictured above works fine and will allow you to undo the bolt and torque it back up correctly although as said it isn't cheap although they normally do some form of discounts at shows. The only thing I have found with it was that on a 200tdi with the extra pulley for aircon it needed to be spaced out slightly or it pressed on the rim of the pulley. For a 300tdi it fits and works fine, the demonstrator they take to shows is a 300tdi front panel and pulley. I have used the big spanner and flick the starter technique in the past on series engines, it works but can be quite scarey!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Yep the easy option is to use one of these (From Difflock) Also not a cheap option though there are others just hard to find. or make one to suit your engine. A mate and I knocked this up a few years ago. You can also use the flywheel locking pin, although I wouldnt trust it I know of a few workshops that do just that, one dealer here even used a ground down cold chisel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 Thanks for all the replies - still waiting on the seal to arrive, The tool is a bit more complicated than I thought and don't think I will be buying one at the price as I hope not to be using it that often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 You may get away with 4 lengths of pipe for the bolts to go through and then weld strengthening webs between the pipes. My one doesn't look as pretty as that one ..... but it works very well I'll take a picture .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 I would not care what it looked like as long as it worked, an old pulley would be good to butcher - but then I would need a lathe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 I did use a lathe on mine but that step isn't needed if you can get some pipe, have a look at the picture I added to my previous post. I reckon if you could find some thick walled pipe you could use that instead of drilling bar like I did. Bolt the 4 pipes up to the pulley and then tack the webbing in place, make sure the socket still fits in the middle! Then weld it up and attach it to the flat bar.... then bore a hole down the centre for the socket to fit through with a hole saw or chain drilling. It isn't pretty ... but it is cheap EDIT: If you can't find pipe you could always get some bar and drill it carefully on a pillar drill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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