How do you remove the crankshaft pulley?

To remove the crankshaft drive pulley, you'll need to know which direction the pulley turns when the engine is running. The bolt should turn the opposite direction. Know if it is reverse threaded or not before attempting to remove it. You should use an impact wrench. If it's air powered, you'll need one that is rated at about 800 psi and have it hooked to a tank that puts out at LEAST 120 psi. If you don't have one, a chain wrench on the pulley and a breaker bar on the bolt, both being pulled in opposite directions, may get it. Another "trick" (and I don't know if I would try this personally) is to put a breaker bar on the bolt. Use whatever you need to extend it, like putting a pipe on the handle to make it longer. Rest the end of the extended handle (if it needs extended) on the frame of the vehicle. Then try to start the engine using the starter. Just hit it for a second. The torque from the starter combined with the breaker bar on the bolt being jammed against the frame may be enough to snap it loose. However, you might also break a tooth on your fly wheel I would think. But I know this has worked for people in the past.

Added note: On some vehicles, VWs come to mind, there will be three or four small bolts instead of one large center bold. On most vehicles with the large center bolt, once that bolt is removed you will have to pull very hard on the pulley and wiggle it to remove it. Many vehicles will require use of an inexpensive puller which bolts to the pulley to remove it, and many Chrysler cars require the use of a (fairly expensive) hardened steel damper puller to safely remove the pulley.

I advise against using either a chain wrench or a jav puller on most crank pulleys as these can cause damage to the pulley causing either shortened belt life or excessive engine vibration and premature engine failure unless a new pulley is installed.

First answer by ID1223748950. Last edit by SirNutt. Contributor trust: 0 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 64 [recommend question]