Im tring to remove the balancer bolt on a SBC...Any ideas on a safe a simple way to lock flywheel from turning...homemade ideas or suggestions...i have room for a large breaker bar to remove the balancer bolt. I did look online first not to interested in using a breaker bar and bump turning the motor...I see some tools online anyone have any luck with them.. If so can you share. Some suggested using a 2x4 about 12 inch long up against the bottom of the flywheel flat and using light pressure with a floor jack...Also not sure about that. So far you guys have helped with all my questions...Thank You.
If motor is still in vehicle put in gear with e-brake on. Or if out of vehicle take a spark plug out and feed small dia. soft rope into the cylinder, leave a little sticking out to be able to pull out, bring piston up against it slowly................................ Or introduce compressed air into a cyl. threw a plug hole. Or a big fat screw driver between trans housing and teeth of said flywheel.
Is there any reason why you're not keen on using a breaker bar / socket and hitting the starter?? I do this quite often to loosen the crank bolt, just turn the crank and take all play out of the socket and bar (where it rests against the body/ suspension) so that it stays in place, and hit the key.. There is also this here beast.. I've used it with success as well, just need a BFH and hit with all your might.. Just make sure you don't miss with the hammer..
As far as rope in the cylinder--- make sure you're coming up on the compression stroke. Sent from my LG-TP450 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I have jammed a block of wood between the flywheel/flex plate and the bell housing, I have also had a buddy hole it with a flywheel turner or a screw driver. I imagine that you are challenged for room to get at the balancer bolt but if you got the room your absolute best bet is to just hit it with an impact, you won't need to hold the flywheel at all that way.
When you ask this question, also tell us what transmission it has, and if it's a manual transmission, what type of bellhousing it has. There might be different answers for different situations. If it's an automatic, and you have a helper, then a pry bar works pretty well. By yourself, the 2x4 can work. Another idea is to pull the lower pulley off (which you probably have done already), and put two longer fine thread 3/8" bolts into the damper where the pulley bolts used to be. The bolts for a damper pulling tool work well. Put the prybar across these two bolts, then loosen the center bolt.
Limit space for an impact gun...I do see they make a compact impact gun...so that might work...The motor is a 350 transmission is 700r4...No helper at this time. I may have overlooked the lower pulley...It looked like the blancer bolt needs to come off along with the otber bolts to remove pulley...I now see why i need a welder and also learn how to use it...Found a cool tool on ebay someone made that bolts into starter holes with 4 teeth off an old flywheel...it was for a 4 cyl but great idea.
So i looked at lower pulley to take it off...Two bolts came out last one is in tight...so motor turned as i tried to remove...Time to lock up flywheel.
The Jalopy Journal
