Need Help with Crankshaft Pulley Bolt!!

[Paul from Derby]

I need to replace the crankshaft pulley as the old one has disintegrated (only £140, what a rip!!). My questions are 1) is the bolt conventional LH thread removal, and 2) Whats the best way to keep the crankshaft still while applying the obvious extreem torque to loosen the bolt, assuming the special tool is not available?? The bolt seems incredibly stubborn! Help!!!

[Gsi3.2]

to 'lock' the engine you can remove the starter motor and jam the flywheel ringgear to stop the engine turning as you undo the bolt, which to the best of my recollection is right hand thread, and just very tight..

[Paul from Derby]

Good idea, I can remember doing that years ago now you have mentioned it. I bought a new bolt, no wonder it's tight, looks like something you would expect to see holding a jumbo engine on not a crankshaft pulley! Can't help thinking its a bit over the top.......

[Ian T]

A bit over the top is better, you want it to do it's job don't you?

[Paul from Derby]

Finally got the ******* out!! Locking the flywheel by removing the Starter Motor is a great way round not using the special tool to hold the crankshaft, but removing and replacing the Starter is not the easiest job, access is difficult.I used a socket to jam the flywheel and it worked a treat. Be Warned, the Pulley wheel bolt, although conventional thread, is MEGA tight!! I resorted to some heat from a hot air gun before finally managing to realease the bolt, but it still took an awful lot of force to loosen it.

Surely it doesn't need to be engineered like this?? What happend to the 4 or 5 smaller bolts locked with a safety washer? And £150 for the pulley and bolt is outrageous, I might as well buy a foreign car, didn't vauxhall spares used to be cheap??

[Gsi3.2]

glad you've got it out....and i know that the pulley is dear, but even if you'd have had a peugeot HDi or a renault DCi, the pulleys would have been more expensive......

lets hope it's all sorted out now..