Thursday, March 13, 2014
Tricks for Removing a Rusted On Pulley From a Crankshaft
Nature finds ways to get rust onto old engines in the oddest of places. Every bolt, pulley or metal piece in an engine rusts at some point---even if embedded in an engine. Removing a pulley from the crankshaft already constitutes a difficult process. A visibly rusted pulley typically indicates that the rust goes into the engine, making the removal that much more difficult. Lubricants, air tools and specialty tools make the process easier.
Lubricants
Spray-on lubricants, such as spray silicone or liquid graphite, penetrate into pockets and holes in metal, reducing the coefficient of friction. A high level of friction makes a nut hard to remove. Rust increases the level of friction and degrades the quality of the nut. Soak the nut and the pulley thoroughly, and allow the lubricant to set in place for about 15 minutes. Scrub the nut with a wire brush to remove any topical rust, and respray the pulley.
Impact Wrench
The retaining nut holds to the crankshaft with high levels of torque. An impact wrench uses internal pistons powered by an air supply to hammer at a rotational gear. The hammering effect applies intense amounts of quick torque that will, after a few attempts, break almost any nut loose regardless of rust. You can also use a weaker electric impact wrench, but these will work less effectively against rusted metal. Remember to keep pressure against the nut as you activate the wrench.
Pulley Removal Tools
A pulley removal tool resembles a tripod with a bolt in the center. The tools feet hook under the pulley while you tighten the center bolt. Once you have removed the retaining nut, a pulley that has rusted onto the actual camshaft will still come free with the removal tool. The rust and pressure have created a cold-weld to the camshaft that you can break with high levels of force. The center bolt presses the camshaft inward while pulling outward on the pulley. You can use a normal socket wrench, but an impact wrench will make it easier to pop off the stubborn pulley, due to the vibrations caused by the impacts.
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