balancer nut size?

[spooky]

something came loose in the bottom end. engine turns over but the balancer doesn't rotate. im hoping its just the woodruf key and not a broken crank snout. question is what size is the nut on the balancer (so i can buy one)?

 

[spooky]

oh yeah

i dont need to buy a nut just the socket for the nut to get the balancer off (sorry after reading i thought some clarification was needed)

 

[JESTER]

The nut is1 1/8", try a deep socket 1/2" drive. If the balancer turns, how are you going to hold the crank still while you are loosening the nut? I used a a pair of Vicegrips on the balancer and rotated it against the oil pump housing to hold it still. You may be able to remove the flywheel cover and hold the flywheel still in the same fashion. Hope this helps

Eric

 

[Tom87GN]

Originally posted by JESTER
I used a a pair of Vicegrips on the balancer and rotated it against the oil pump housing to hold it still.
Eric

I'd probably stay away from using a soft aluminum oil pump housing to resist over 200 lb/ft of torque to remove that bolt.

When I took my bolt off I didn't have access to air tools, so I used half of my floor jack handle as a breaker bar with a 1/2" drive ratchet and turned the motor until the bar was touching the floor beneath the car and snug on the bolt. Then, bump the starter as little as one time and there you go. The bolt will be broken free. Tightening the bolt back up is another story in itself.

Just make sure you're not going in the wrong direction cause you'll make your car do a "wheelie" when you bump the starter, or you'll break your ratchet and/or breaker bar!!

 

[JESTER]

I guess I should've mentioned, "be careful, the oil pump housing is soft."

I tried the starter route with the breaker bar and jack handle, crap flew everywhere and I ended up cracking the passenger side inner fender well. I felt like a real dumbass. It broke the nut loose, but I didn't think it was worth the other carnage it caused. Just my experience.

Eric

 

[spooky]

assuming......

assuming i can do this, hopefully it is just the keyway that is broken and not the crank snout.

 

[JESTER]

If the snout was broken off the balancer and pulley would probably fall off along with the snout. Sounds like the woodruff key is probably sheared. Be sure to check out the snout thoroughly for scarring and to ensure that the end of the snout isn't rounded off. My balancer came loose and rounded the end of the snout off, had to replace the crank. It sucked, nothing else was wrong with the crank. Good luck man.

Eric