Anyone replaced their crankshaft pulley? Easy job?

[mjb]

I wouldn't try this job if I wasn't confident about it, undoing that nut is a pig by all accounts - you'd either need a 12' long scaffold pole with your socket welded to it (joke) or 'shock it' undone in a Jasper-style "you've got one shot at it" kinda thing.

aaaaaaaaand another thing the V6 has going for it It's just 4x 13mm bolts holding mine on, which I did with a little 1/4" wrench


I remember the day I tried to do it on the tubby... Could swear I lifted the front of the car off the axle stand just by pushing hard on the 24" breaker bar with my back on the road... Mucho codeine afterwards...

[piglet]

there is also a good way of removing the bolt.. you need confidence to do this. put the ratchet onto the bottom pully bolt and trap it left under the subframe. then turn the engine over once with the key. make sure you dont let it start.
its gotta be a quick one turn over. and the bolt undo's perfect...
..

I have done this several times including on the Hdi90 last w/e.
Never had a problem, just takes a bit of confidence. I cable tie the socket bar to the lower wishbone good and tight, make sure it's the right side! The crank nut is normal RH thread. Put you legs in the car,,,,just in case it does come flying off!
But it does work.

[pgascoyne]

I have done this several times including on the Hdi90 last w/e.
Never had a problem, just takes a bit of confidence. I cable tie the socket bar to the lower wishbone good and tight, make sure it's the right side! The crank nut is normal RH thread. Put you legs in the car,,,,just in case it does come flying off!
But it does work.

I ended up doing this method at the weekend when doing the cam belt.
The pulley spins Clockwise, and so by hold the Bolt in place with the socket/breaker bar it will easily loosen the threadlock on the bolt, a quick flick with the ignition key is all it takes to jolt the bolt.
Piglet makes the job safer with with the cable tie!

[Doggy]

I undid mine without all the drama - impact 19 mm socket, 2 x straight extension bars, (so you're outside the wheelarch, able to stand), decent breaker bar & someone to press the brake pedal good & hard, in 5th gear. Simples.

[rlees85]

When buying a crankshaft pulley from a motorfactors make sure it is NOT made by 'BGA'!... This is important. I make this mistake and it caused my timing belt to chew up and if John hadn't have noticed it it would have been byebye engine in a couple of thousand miles!

Just make sure it looks similar to the one coming off as well, especially the back bit that pushes up against the timing belt side.

Other than that, its not a hard job. Wheel off, front bit of the arch lining off, aux belt off, then your at the pulley. I'd go for the using the engine/starter motor method as ive used it many times and it works spot on, plus im not one for hard labour either ;) but its at your own risk obviously!

Make sure you put loctite on the bolt when putting it back in too...

All in all I'd say its an hours job if you don't have trouble with the bolt!

[ColinCranwell]

I did this job a couple of weeks ago.
Last year I did the timing belt.

It is a very do-able job, but if you are not used to home mechanics, I would really take your time.
There is a fair bit of preparation work,; getting the car jacked up and secure, the wheel arch covers out, etc.
The tips about undoing the pulley bolt are all valid. On the 1.9 there is a tensioning pulley which has a "hidden" square hole to compress the spring. There is also an eccentric pulley that has to be set after the belt is put on. I can't remember if you need to take off the timing belt covers for access. If you do then, you need to support the engine because the top mount needs to be taken off.
I think I would struggle to do the job in 1 1/2 - 2 hours but I am not a professional.
It is well worth trying but allow yourself plenty of time.

Regards,
Colin.

[paulb2004uk]

I undid the crankshaft pulley bolt using a 12v electric wheel nut / impact ratchet gun. Undid it in seconds.