Installing crank pulley

[shelby4130]

Okay, I'm trying to re-install the crank pulley on a 74 Automatic and have two questions:

1. Can I tap on the pulley with a mallet until it stops moving rearward? Someone here said be careful not to damage the seal there and it's got me all nervous.

2. How in the world do I keep the motor from spinning while trying to tighten the nut on said pulley??

Any help would be greatly appreciated. THANKS

Michael

[FB73tii]

1. Tap the pulley all the way home. If you don't the nut will loosen up.

2. There are various ways the fix the flywheel so you can tighten the nut. Remove the flywheel cover from the lower front of the transmission. I either (carefully) use vice grips with cardboard, or an odd piece of metal with a few sharp ridges that I can wedge in there. There are also cheap tools to do it, I am sure someone will post the link.

EDIT: Ah, here it is, a VW flywheel holding tool:

http://www.dieselgeek.com/VW_3067_Flywheel_Holding_Tool_p/dsg-tool.htm

And another style of VW flywheel lock:

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Tool-flywheel-lock-AC000111_act_shop.product_pID_117744_lang_EN_country_GB.htm

Fred '74tii & '69GT3

[wegweiser]

Be VERRRY careful with how and where you hit the pulley with any foreign object, especially if it's a cast iron pulley. Cast iron might hurt your noggin somethin' fierce if it falls on you, but it is BRITTLE and can chip and crack easily when manhandled.

Here's basically how I install a front crank seal.

After removing pulley and old seal:

1) while keeping the outside of the seal perfectly clean and free from oil, I pack the INSIDE of the seal (where the tiny spring resides) with grease. I've always believed this helps keep the spring from getting dislodged and mangled during installation. You don't want it entering your timing chain innards. I also grease the thin "valley" of the seal, where the crank pulley hub will contact it. This avoids immediate damage from a dry pulley grabbing the dry seal surface on first rotation.

2. take fine sandpaper (emory cloth) and spin the shiny area of the pulley hub around in it, so as to remove any burrs or to soften any ridges that may have formed over time. Don't overdo it. Just enough to make it smooth....not smaller in diameter!

3. make DAMN sure the woodruff key is solidly and completely seated in it's groove on the crankshaft.

4. Apply thin coat of grease to pulley outer hub surface... then slide pulley onto crank shaft. Push with palm. If it refuses to seat fully with this technique, use a rubber mallet or small piece of wood / mallet to hit ONLY the CENTER of the pulley as best you can, using a large deep socket that will allow clearance for the crankshaft end inside.

5. tighten crankshaft nut with common ratchet / hand tools good and snug. Maybe 30-40 lb/ft +/- Then REMOVE the nut.

6. Coat inside of nut with a thin coating of RED loctite. Install and tighten to specified torque (see FAQ guide for this).

7. I have a BMW flywheel holder from many years ago, but it's the same as many of the VW ones mentioned. Works GREAT. Best $12 I ever spent.

[Hans]

The thing to watch is the woodruff key. I try to angle it SLIGHTLY down at the front to get it started in the pulley groove.

[rover1]

you should toss that oe pulley out and get one from 02again. much easier to pull off and on

[jgerock]

Here is a picture of the VW air-cooled flywheel lock on a standard 228mm flywheel. Since the starter is in the same location automatic vs. manual trans, I would have to assume this tool would work on your Automatic 74.

Note there are (2) sides of the tool with teeth spaced differently. One side is used for a VW 6-volt flywheel, the other for a 12-volt one. The tool (SP brand) should include a bolt/nut, but they won't fit on the M10 block. Re-use one of the engine/trans bolts.

As mentioned above, make sure the woodruff key stays straight as you push the pulley onto the crankshaft nose. This seal has obviously been leaking for a long time!

I don't think I read if you mentioned if the engine was in or out of the car. Harder to install pulley when in the car.

[Cru Jones]

Be VERRRY careful with how and where you hit the pulley with any foreign object, especially if it's a cast iron pulley. Cast iron might hurt your noggin somethin' fierce if it falls on you, but it is BRITTLE and can chip and crack easily when manhandled.

Here's basically how I install a front crank seal.

After removing pulley and old seal:

1) while keeping the outside of the seal perfectly clean and free from oil, I pack the INSIDE of the seal (where the tiny spring resides) with grease. I've always believed this helps keep the spring from getting dislodged and mangled during installation. You don't want it entering your timing chain innards. I also grease the thin "valley" of the seal, where the crank pulley hub will contact it. This avoids immediate damage from a dry pulley grabbing the dry seal surface on first rotation.

2. take fine sandpaper (emory cloth) and spin the shiny area of the pulley hub around in it, so as to remove any burrs or to soften any ridges that may have formed over time. Don't overdo it. Just enough to make it smooth....not smaller in diameter!

3. make DAMN sure the woodruff key is solidly and completely seated in it's groove on the crankshaft.

4. Apply thin coat of grease to pulley outer hub surface... then slide pulley onto crank shaft. Push with palm. If it refuses to seat fully with this technique, use a rubber mallet or small piece of wood / mallet to hit ONLY the CENTER of the pulley as best you can, using a large deep socket that will allow clearance for the crankshaft end inside.

5. tighten crankshaft nut with common ratchet / hand tools good and snug. Maybe 30-40 lb/ft +/- Then REMOVE the nut.

6. Coat inside of nut with a thin coating of RED loctite. Install and tighten to specified torque (see FAQ guide for this).

7. I have a BMW flywheel holder from many years ago, but it's the same as many of the VW ones mentioned. Works GREAT. Best $12 I ever spent.

Bumping this old thread because I'm in the middle of doing this (finally). What grease would you guys suggest to use per step '1'? Also, anyone have a link to a thread where there are some pics of someone using the "bolt" method of keeping the flywheel from moving? Or is it possible to torque it down with just the car in 4th and e-brake on? Lastly, Loctite or no Loctite on the nut (wasn't clear from the various posts).

[Hans]

I'd be cleaning the pulley shaft with brake clean after the emory cloth sanding.

[M3M3]

What grease would you guys suggest to use per step '1'? Also, anyone have a link to a thread where there are some pics of someone using the "bolt" method of keeping the flywheel from moving? Or is it possible to torque it down with just the car in 4th and e-brake on? Lastly, Loctite or no Loctite on the nut (wasn't clear from the various posts).

 

grease...any.

 

4th, ebrake AND a big screwdriver held in of the flywheel starter ring grooves levered against bellhousing. 

 

locktite...see item #6 in weg's how to list that you quoted..

Edited May 5, 2014 by mlytle

[Cru Jones]

grease...any.

4th, ebrake AND a big screwdriver held in of the flywheel starter ring grooves levered against bellhousing.

locktite...see item #6 in weg's how to list that you quoted..

Thanks Marshall.

[TobyB]

 

What grease would you guys suggest to use per step '1'?

15-50 motor oil.

 

I've opened up a couple of dozen engines over the last 25 years, and I've always had main seals with grease on them leak eventually.

 

It makes sense- the grease is way thicker than engine oil. 

It lets the seals wear.  I've seen this on my own stuff I've opened back

up- some of them still had grease residue in the channel.

 

So I now use oil.

 

Does it work?  So far, (2 of 2) no mainseal leaks at all.

 

But it's only been a few years since I started doing that...

 

fwiw.

 

t

Edited May 5, 2014 by TobyB