So all the talk lately about the crank pulley failures led me to decide to do mine while I was my changing supercharger pulley. When I got everything pulled apart I can tap on the outer edge of the crank pulley and hear it clank against something else metal (not the block), and pulling straight out on it you can see a lot of movement, so I know it needs to be done.

I tightened the puller to the pulley and almost immediately one of the bolts broke. (The crank bolt was out at the time, I put it back in so I could rotate the crank)





It is hard to tell by the picture, but the end of it is dead flush with the outer edge of the pulley. I got vice grips mega tight around it a little on the inside where the bolt is torn up and was able to turn it about 1/8 of a turn but now I can't get the vice grips to grab enough to turn it. I tried lighting the pulley up around the bolt with a propane torch and using the vice grips but it won't budge any more. The bolts were in pretty tight because of the rust in the bolt holes, I probably stressed this one too much trying to get it in as far as I could. The company is sending me new bolts, but I need to get this one out first.

Other thought I had: cutting the rubber around the pulley and getting a 3 prong puller around the inner part to pull it out, but I wasn't sure if a 3 prong puller would do the job. The dilemma with trying this is the car is drive-able now if I can't get this done myself but if I cut the pulley in two it obviously won't be anymore.
Luckily my Mini is a second car, so I am not rushed.

 

You may have to get mideival on it with cut rubber and a puller. If you're lucky, you can take a thin cutoff wheel and cut a slot in the end of the bolt for a flat head screwdriver to reverse out. I'll give that about a 1 in 10 chance, but it's easy, so go for it.

 

I was going to try the slot and screwdriver method, but I am about 99.99999999% sure it wont work seeing how much force I was able to apply to the vice grips before they started slipping. I had the vice grips so tight I smashed the threads of the bolt down.

I am hoping to come up with something that doesn't cost me more money as I have already purchased two different balancer pullers. If I do end up needing a 3 prong puller, is there one you suggest? Last thing I need right now is another puller breaking.

 

Probably right, but it's easy, so try it. If you end up having to drill it out, BE CAREFUL that you don't poke the drill bit into the oil pump cover. The original problem was probably that you didn't have an even load on the three bolts. When you get to that point again, tighten the three bolts evely, load it up with the puller, and then tap the hub with a hammer. sometimes the shock will release the interference fit.

 

I won't even mess with trying to drill it out, too much of a pain. Unless someone comes up with any other idea, I will probably just go the cut rubber and pronged puller route.

 

did you use grade 8 hardware?

 

If you can get a nut on it double nut it and back it out with the bottom nut

 

Bolt says 8.8

Despite the threads being torn up I was able to jam 2 nuts on and when I turned the wrench it moved... a little too much.



Most stubborn bolt I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with. I have gotten 40 year old rusted bolts off easier than this thing wants to relent to.

Guess that settles it, cut rubber it is. Any suggestions on a good 3 prong puller or one that will fit between the slots inside the pulley without cutting the rubber??

 

it must be cross theaded in the pulley. A grade 8 bolt should not break that easy. You may have to drill it out

 

Class 8.8 is equivelent to a Grade 5. Grade 8 can be identified by the hashes on the head. an 8.8 has a yield strength of 92k lbs and a grade 8 is around 130k lbs



Looks pretty easy to drill out if you can, I would stick some wood behind the pulley.

 

I think it broke off the second time because I had to bend it away from the inside of the pulley slightly to get the nuts on which in turn weakened it at the failure point.

The end of the broken part is rounded outward which would be a pain to drill I think since I can't get in there to flatten it off and center punch it. Even if I don't damage the threads, my tap set was stolen. So I either buy a tap set, drill bits, and trust the new bolts, or I cut the rubber and use a prong puller on the inner hub which is the direction I am leaning more toward since I am just replacing it anyway. I am waiting for my buddy to get home to see if he has a puller that will work.

 

Remember, when you're trying to pull the hub off, you need the bolt in the hole, but backed off a bit, you're pulling the damper off by pushing on the head of the bolt, and you need the gap between the bolt head and the pulley for it to move. Once it moves, you need to back the bolt off further so you have a gap again. Rinse and repeat till it's off. You may also have to hold the bolt with an open end wrench so it doesn't tighten as you tighten the puller bolt.

Good luck.

I don't know of any puller that will fit into those slots, if you cut the rubber and remove the outer part them you might get a three jaw puller around what's left, especially if you use one that locks the jaws once they're on and tight....like this one.....

 

Thanks for the tips MINIDave. I read a few threads before tackling the pulley so I was set up fine until the bolt broke.

Does this sound right for installing the new pulley?

When putting the new pulley on (fluid filled) I read to heat it in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 250F. I ordered a new pulley bolt, but can I use the old one to press the pulley on and then torque the new bolt on to 85ft/lbs.?

 

Update to the project:
I ended up getting a 7 ton Craftsman 2 arm puller from Sears and opted to try to pull the pulley from behind before cutting the rubber. As I was tightening the puller, the outer section was stretching back toward me to a great extent. I figured the outside part would just pull off and I would have to reset the puller to pull the inner part from there. To my surprise, the entire pulley let go and I was able to pull the whole thing off in one piece. I got the new fluid filled pulley on and buttoned everything else up.

Thanks to those who chimed in on this thread.

All told, this round of maintenance and upgrades give me new upper front motor mount, lower rear mount, 17% pulley w/532 belt, fluid filled crank pulley, rear brake caliper seal and a new tensioner on the way. Next oil change I am doing oil pan gasket, oil filter gasket, and oil cooler gaskets. This on top of the CPS gasket, valve cover and spark plug hole gaskets, supercharger oil change, radiator flush and fill, power steering pump fix and fluid change, cabin air filter, and regular maintenance items that I have done in the last year. Almost feels like a new car now!

 

Nice. It was about time you had good luck. Glad you got it done.

 

dont feel bad man. same thing happened to me. i was using a 3 bolt puller. 2 of the 3 snapped inside the pulley. had to drill and tap all 3 holes, apply a torch, and once it wiggled off a bit, slammed it with a prybar and was able to pop it off. im with ya lol.