I got the bolt out!!!
Thanks to all who replied concerning my question about my crankshaft
bolt that I couldn't remove.
I finally got it out.
First I tried my trusty old impact... no luck.
Then I tried my breaker bar with a ~ three foot cheater bar extension... no
luck (and I couldn't hold the engine with a screwdriver jammed in the starter
ring gear...).
Then both of the above with my propane torch heating the bolt.
Then I bought a 600 ft-lb half impact - no luck agin...
That's when I asked for suggestions.
The bolt is NOT left handed. It was just TIGHT!
I couldn't find anyone who rented 3/4 impacts, so out of desperation, I
tried a Oxy/Acetylene torch to heat the bolt. I tried to just heat the bolt,
hoping to "stretch" it with some heat and maybe take the tension off. I
figured there was enough metal (the pulley for the alt, and AC/PS belts,
then the two sets of sprockets for the timing belts) to absorb the heat
before the oil seal got too hot (bought an extra oil seal just in case). - No
luck.
Yesterday, I finally found a company that had a 3/4 impact wrench to
rent. They were actually reluctant to rent it to me when I got there, telling
me that I needed a big industrial compressor (trailer mounted type) to use
the gun, but they finally fixed me up with an adapter for the air hose (I
guess they see me in dressy work clothes and assume that I don't know
about tools or cars). Took it home, hooked it up, and it still didn't do it.
So I went inside for a while after shooting the bolt (again) with some PB
blaster. When I came out, I heated the bolt again with the propane
torch, and tried the impact - for a long time... Still no luck. About this
time, I was giving up. My wife, who was sitting in the car pushing the
brakes, told me to tried it again. Unbeknownst to me, she said a silent
prayer, asking for help because she knew that I was desperate. At this
point, I tried the impact again, and the bolt busted loose. So I backed it
out and I was HAPPY.
Turns out the bolt has a 19 mm head on a 16 mm bolt (about 3 inches
of thread). My worries of snapping of the bolt head were totally
unnecessary - it one solid bolt.
Anyway, it's out. I just guess that I was asking the wrong "expert" for
help in getting it out. 8-)
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions!
Tim Mullen
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