idiot ? of the day = how to rotate 283 engine with no crankshaft bolt

evidently my 283 is of the pressed in harmonic balancer and pulley so i have no crankshaft bolt. i need to rotate the engine to set timing and trying to get tdc.

i am sure its simple but i am not getting this. its a 4 speed manual truck - so i put it in neutral and tried turning the fan but the belts slip so the pulley just spins. then i put the truck in 4th and raised the rear wheels and turned them - like how i do it on bikes ive worked on. will this method work? sorry for such an idiotic question but i just dont want to screw anything else up lol.

thanks
- jason

 

Yes, putting it in gear and "rocking" the rear will work, or turn the flywheel with a screwdriver.

 

put it in neutral and grab the belt and turn it!

 

I usually just tap the starter as lightly as possible to get it up on TDC. Have a friend watch the timing mark so you don't have to run back and forth

 

Or pull the plugs so you have no compression fighting you and turn the fan by hand. You might have to push the belt tighter into the groove with your hand to get traction, but it can be done.

Don

 

Crescent wrench and "hook" the keyway.

 

A remote starter button works wonders at times like this and you don't have to explain to a "helper" what you want done.

 

I do that a lot, but not on a 265/283 with the Pressed on pulley - too much hassle to remove and replace the pulley on those.

 

X2 on the remote starter button

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

Put it in second or third and bump it backwards while leaning on the core support.

 

There should be three bolts that hold the pully on, just put long bolts in and use a pry bar. Or bump it with the remote starter as others have said.

 

as already said , pulling the plugs makes it a lot easier to do

 

Remote starter button is easy to find or make and you'll find yourself using it a lot for timing, setting valves, and just general troubleshooting.

 

got it - simplest way was as said above. put weight on belt and turned fan - duh. no problem. thanks all!

 

They do make a tool that fits on end of crank snout,looks like a socket with keyway in it. They also make tool to turn engine over by grabbing flywheel.

 

This tool, you can buy one or make one very easy. The other method of the starter button is great as well. If you use the in-gear method, put the tranny in the highest forward gear and rotate the rear wheel.

For ALL methods, remove all the spark plugs.

 

I used to do this with mine...strap wrench (after taking off the fan belt).

"They" also make 'spanner" kinda wrenches for the flywheel/flex plates. Could be fabbed up easily enough if your arm get's tired of pulling on a screw driver

 

What size threads were the one that were tapped?

 

I have a really old 6" steel pipe wrench. I ground all the teeth of it so the jaws are flat. open the jaws to about 3/4" to 1". Slide the open jaw over the pulley so the the wrench handle is pointing to about 3 o'clock , tight jaws and push down. Walla a pulley wrench. Now I know you are using a tool in a fashion that it was not designed to do, but it works.

If you don't mind teeth marks on the pulley you don't have to grind them off.

Also works great with an old "MONKEY WRENCH" if you can find one.

***Disclaimer, do not try this with a cheap cast pipe wrench, it WILL break***